Geochemical features of Antarctic lakes
Geochemical investigations of Antarctic lakes have been carried out on major components, nutrient matters, stable isotopes and organic substances in waters in order to clarify the geochemical features of the lakes. The present waters of inland lakes are supplied from the melt water of glacier or sno...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
National Institute of Polar Research
1977
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.15094/00007939 https://doaj.org/article/8d69b279d6914e9cb686d79863b99437 |
| Summary: | Geochemical investigations of Antarctic lakes have been carried out on major components, nutrient matters, stable isotopes and organic substances in waters in order to clarify the geochemical features of the lakes. The present waters of inland lakes are supplied from the melt water of glacier or snow. But the waters of saline lakes on the coast of the continent have originated mainly from the sea water, for example Lake Nurume, Lake Hunazoko (Syowa Oasis) and Lake Fryxell (McMurdo Oasis). The isotopic compositions of waters in some lakes such as Lake Vanda, are similar to that of the snow or melt water of the glacier, while the isotopic composition of sulfur in the salt deposited or dissolved in the lake is similar to that of the sea origin sulfur compound. The water of highly saline lakes should have been produced in the process of concentration of the sea water under a frigid condition. For some of the lakes, it is considered that the water was evaporated once or several times and the residue were extracted with melt water of glacier. From the contents of organic substances, nutrient matters and gases in the lake, activity of microorganisms is suggested in some of the lakes. In view of the abundance and relative ratios of some heavy metal elements, such as copper, zinc, lead and cadmium, these elements should have been supplied from snow. |
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