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: Cibin, Giannantonio, Marcelli, Augusto, Maggi, Valter, Baccolo, Giovanni, Hampai, Dariush, Robbins, Philip E., Liedl, Andrea, Polese, Claudia, D’Elia, Alessandro, Macis, Salvatore, Grilli, Antonio, Raco, Agostino
• Other Authors: Cibin, G, Marcelli, A, Maggi, V, Baccolo, G, Hampai, D, Robbins, P, Liedl, A, Polese, C, D’Elia, A, Macis, S, Grilli, A, Raco, A
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI 2019
• Subjects: Atmospheric mineral dust; Ice core; Synchrotron radiation; X-ray absorption spectroscopy; ice core
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10281/234476; 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.