High temporal resolution chemical analysis of H72 ice core in east Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

• Main Authors: Keisuke Suzuki, Kaori Anzai, Makoto Igarashi, Hideaki Motoyama
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Department of Environmental Sciences, Shinshu University/Department of Environmental Sciences, Shinshu University/National Institute of Polar Research/National Institute of Polar Research 2005
• Subjects: ice core; chemical detailed analysis; sea salt; water vapor diffusion; volcanic signal; Dronning Maud Land; Antarc*; Antarctica; Polar meteorology and glaciology
• Online Access: https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=2986; http://id.nii.ac.jp/1291/00002986/; https://nipr.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=2986&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1

The H72 ice core collected in east Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica has been analyzed in detail. Concentrations of Na^+ and Cl^- indicate the highest correlation coefficients, so we can say that both ions in the H72 ice core originated from sea salt. The fluctuation pattern of δ18O below the depth of 45m proves that the δ^(18)O distribution is smoothed by water vapor diffusion in the firn layer. An increasing tendency of NO_3^- and nssSO_4^(2-) concentrations in the shallow layer has not been found in the H72 ice core. The H72 ice core is dated as AD 1837 by the periodic concentration fluctuation of MSA at 73.29m depth. Volcanic signals are detected in 49 layers in the H72 ice core. In the late 19th century many volcanic eruptions were recorded, which explains why many volcanic signals are present in the H72 ice core. It is noted that a year with low temperatures in winter and a low annual minimum δ^(18)O will have high surface mass balance and more snowfall. Considerable nssSO_4^(2-) has been released into the atmosphere by human activity in the 20th century, but we cannot find traces of a recent increase in deposition of nssSO_4^(2-) at the H72 site.