Ice-core evidence for a small solar-source of atmospheric nitrate

A precision-dated ice-core nitrate record from Law Dome, coastal East Antarctica is compared to the timing of known solar proton events and geomagnetic storms over the period 1888 to 1995. We find statistical evidence for a significant (P < 0.03) but small elevation in mean nitrate concentrations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Palmer, AS, van Ommen, TD, Curran, MAJ, Morgan, VI
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union 2001
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience
Glaciology
East Antarctica
Law Dome
Antarc*
Antarctica
ice core
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2000GL012207
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/23446
Description
Summary:A precision-dated ice-core nitrate record from Law Dome, coastal East Antarctica is compared to the timing of known solar proton events and geomagnetic storms over the period 1888 to 1995. We find statistical evidence for a significant (P < 0.03) but small elevation in mean nitrate concentrations following the solar events (~ 11% over the 12 months beginning 3 months post-event). While some solar events are identifiable in the nitrate record, most are not distinguishable from the background noisy signal (which has numerous large peaks), and some solar events show no nitrate elevation above even mean levels.

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