Optimization of High-Resolution Continuous Flow Analysis for Transient Climate Signals in Ice Cores

Over the past two decades, continuous flow analysis (CFA) systems have been refined and widely used to measure aerosol constituents in polar and alpine ice cores in very high-depth resolution. Here we present a newly designed system consisting of sodium, ammonium, dust particles, and electrolytic me...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Science & Technology
Main Authors: Bigler, Matthias, Svensson, Anders, Kettner, Ernesto, Vallelonga, Paul Travis, Nielsen, Maibritt, Steffensen, Jørgen Peder
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2011
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Online Access:https://curis.ku.dk/portal/da/publications/optimization-of-highresolution-continuous-flow-analysis-for-transient-climate-signals-in-ice-cores(f0a4ac2c-70a1-4a6f-8bb3-eec3e5441c60).html
https://doi.org/10.1021/es200118j
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/es200118j
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Summary:Over the past two decades, continuous flow analysis (CFA) systems have been refined and widely used to measure aerosol constituents in polar and alpine ice cores in very high-depth resolution. Here we present a newly designed system consisting of sodium, ammonium, dust particles, and electrolytic meltwater conductivity detection modules. The system is optimized for high- resolution determination of transient signals in thin layers of deep polar ice cores. Based on standard measurements and by comparing sections of early Holocene and glacial ice from Greenland, we find that the new system features a depth resolution in the ice of a few millimeters which is considerably better than other CFA systems. Thus, the new system can resolve ice strata down to 10 mm thickness and has the potential of identifying annual layers in both Greenland and Antarctic ice cores throughout the last glacial cycle.