Synchrotron Radiation Research and Analysis of the Particulate Matter in Deep Ice Cores: An Overview of the Technical Challenges

• Published in: Condensed Matter
• Main Authors: Giannantonio Cibin, Augusto Marcelli, Valter Maggi, Giovanni Baccolo, Dariush Hampai, Philip E. Robbins, Andrea Liedl, Claudia Polese, Alessandro D’Elia, Salvatore Macis, Antonio Grilli, Agostino Raco
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute 2019
• Subjects: synchrotron radiation; ice core; atmospheric mineral dust; X-ray absorption spectroscopy
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/condmat4030061

Airborne dust extracted from deep ice core perforations can provide chemical and mineralogical insight into the history of the climate and atmospheric conditions, with unrivalled temporal resolution, time span and richness of information. The availability of material for research and the natural complexity of the particulate, however, pose significant challenges to analytical methods. We present the developments undertaken to optimize the experimental techniques, materials and protocols for synchrotron radiation-based analysis, in particular for the acquisition of combined Synchrotron Radiation X-Ray Fluorescence and X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy data.