SEM/EDS Observations of Impurities in Polar Ice: Artifacts or Not?

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Baker, Ian, Cullen, Daniel
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Dartmouth Digital Commons 2003
• Subjects: artefact; impurity; grain boundary; crystal defect; microstructure; dispersive spectrometry; x ray spectrometry; scanning electron microscopy; ice; cores; ice cap; polar cap; antarctica; greenland; america; north america; Engineering; Greenland; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice cap
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/facoa/3192; https://doi.org/10.3189/172756503781830773; https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/context/facoa/article/4181/viewcontent/semeds_observations_of_impurities_in_polar_ice_artifacts_or_not.pdf

A series of experiments was undertaken to determine the origin of filaments found in grain boundaries and impurity spots found in grain interiors of polar ice during observation in the scanning electron microscope. It is shown that although the filaments are artifacts, they demonstrate the presence of impurities segregated to the grain boundary planes. It is also demonstrated that the impurities observed in the grain interior reside there and were not transported from the grain boundaries during specimen preparation or observation.