Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions

Stable water isotopes ( δ 18 O) obtained from snow and ice samples of polar regions are used to reconstruct past climate variability, but heat and mass transport processes can affect the isotopic composition. Here we present an experimental study on the effect of airflow on the snow isotopic composi...

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Published in:The Cryosphere
Main Authors: P. P. Ebner, H. C. Steen-Larsen, B. Stenni, M. Schneebeli, A. Steinfeld
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017
https://doaj.org/article/2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823
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spelling ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823 2023-05-15T18:32:28+02:00 Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions P. P. Ebner H. C. Steen-Larsen B. Stenni M. Schneebeli A. Steinfeld 2017-07-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017 https://doaj.org/article/2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/1733/2017/tc-11-1733-2017.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823 The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 1733-1743 (2017) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2017 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017 2022-12-31T01:15:13Z Stable water isotopes ( δ 18 O) obtained from snow and ice samples of polar regions are used to reconstruct past climate variability, but heat and mass transport processes can affect the isotopic composition. Here we present an experimental study on the effect of airflow on the snow isotopic composition through a snow pack in controlled laboratory conditions. The influence of isothermal and controlled temperature gradient conditions on the δ 18 O content in the snow and interstitial water vapour is elucidated. The observed disequilibrium between snow and vapour isotopes led to the exchange of isotopes between snow and vapour under non-equilibrium processes, significantly changing the δ 18 O content of the snow. The type of metamorphism of the snow had a significant influence on this process. These findings are pertinent to the interpretation of the records of stable isotopes of water from ice cores. These laboratory measurements suggest that a highly resolved climate history is relevant for the interpretation of the snow isotopic composition in the field. Article in Journal/Newspaper The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 11 4 1733 1743
institution Open Polar
collection Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles
op_collection_id ftdoajarticles
language English
topic Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Geology
QE1-996.5
spellingShingle Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Geology
QE1-996.5
P. P. Ebner
H. C. Steen-Larsen
B. Stenni
M. Schneebeli
A. Steinfeld
Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
topic_facet Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Geology
QE1-996.5
description Stable water isotopes ( δ 18 O) obtained from snow and ice samples of polar regions are used to reconstruct past climate variability, but heat and mass transport processes can affect the isotopic composition. Here we present an experimental study on the effect of airflow on the snow isotopic composition through a snow pack in controlled laboratory conditions. The influence of isothermal and controlled temperature gradient conditions on the δ 18 O content in the snow and interstitial water vapour is elucidated. The observed disequilibrium between snow and vapour isotopes led to the exchange of isotopes between snow and vapour under non-equilibrium processes, significantly changing the δ 18 O content of the snow. The type of metamorphism of the snow had a significant influence on this process. These findings are pertinent to the interpretation of the records of stable isotopes of water from ice cores. These laboratory measurements suggest that a highly resolved climate history is relevant for the interpretation of the snow isotopic composition in the field.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author P. P. Ebner
H. C. Steen-Larsen
B. Stenni
M. Schneebeli
A. Steinfeld
author_facet P. P. Ebner
H. C. Steen-Larsen
B. Stenni
M. Schneebeli
A. Steinfeld
author_sort P. P. Ebner
title Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
title_short Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
title_full Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
title_fullStr Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
title_full_unstemmed Experimental observation of transient δ 18 O interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
title_sort experimental observation of transient δ 18 o interaction between snow and advective airflow under various temperature gradient conditions
publisher Copernicus Publications
publishDate 2017
url https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017
https://doaj.org/article/2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823
genre The Cryosphere
genre_facet The Cryosphere
op_source The Cryosphere, Vol 11, Pp 1733-1743 (2017)
op_relation https://www.the-cryosphere.net/11/1733/2017/tc-11-1733-2017.pdf
https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416
https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424
doi:10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017
1994-0416
1994-0424
https://doaj.org/article/2807692a0922474b9d70046544425823
op_doi https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1733-2017
container_title The Cryosphere
container_volume 11
container_issue 4
container_start_page 1733
op_container_end_page 1743
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