Studies STABLE SULFUR ISOTOPE RATIOS (634~) FROM WEST ANTARCTICA AND THE TIEN SHAN MOUNTAINS: SULFUR CYCLE CHARACTERISTICS FROM TWO ENVIRONMENTALLY DISTINCT AREAS

• Main Author: Lee Pruett
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2003
• Subjects: Climate Studies; Advisor; West Antarctica; Antarc*; Antarctica; ice core
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.520.5787; http://www.library.umaine.edu/theses/pdf/PruettL2003.pdf

Continuous snow pit and ice core samples from two distinct environments (West Antarctica and the Tien Shan mountains in central Asia) were analyzed for 6 3 4 ~ and used to assess different regional sulfur cycle characteristics. In West Antarctica, 18 continuous samples were obtained from the RIDSA ice core (78.73"S, 116.33"W, 1740 m asl), covering the years 1935 to 1976. Each sample represents from 2 to 3 years of snow deposition, and the combination of summer and winter seasons varies by sample. 6 3 4 ~ values range from 3.1 %O to 9.9%0, and reflect the overall isotopic composition of precipitation in West Antarctica during non-eruptive times as well as global volcanic events. There is no apparent change in 6 3 4 ~ due to the sulfate (Sod2') h m a global volcanic event (1963 Agung eruption), indicating that the 6 3 4 ~ is independent of ~ 0 4 ~-concentration and may not be perturbed by all large eruptions. The 6 3 4 ~ value of each sample represents a combination of ~ 0 4 ~- with sources including marine biogenic (1 8 to ' 20%0), sea salt (21%0), and volcanic (-O%O). Given the relatively large input of marine aerosols at RIDSA (determined from ~ a ' data and the seasonal SO $ cycle), there is a large marine biogenic SO $ influence. Because the 6 3 4 ~ values from the RlDSA dataset