Detailed glaciochemical investigations in southern Victoria Land ...
of this ice in the lower part of ice stream B. The differences in 180 fine structure between the 1976 and 1978 records indicate that the large, and as yet unexplained, 8 180 fluctuations in the 1978 core in this interval are a very local (less than 100 meters) phenomenon. We thank the staff of the Central Ice Core Storage Facility at the State University of New York at Buffalo for their assistance in sampling the J-9 1976 core. This work was supported by National Science Foundation grants DPP 84-00574 and DPP 87-16102.
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DEPTH (m) Figure 2. Oxygen isotope fluctuations around 100-meter depth in the Ross Ice Shelf at station J-9.
prevailing over distances of at least 100 meters, led to accumulation of snow with more negative 8 180 values and to more and stronger short-term 6 180 variability in the firn. Ice-flow modeling (e.g., Thomas and MacAyeal 1982) places the origin
Detailed glaciochemical investigations in southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1988-1989A proxy climate record PAUL
A. MAYEWSKI, W. BERRY LYONS, and MARK S. TWICKLER
Glacier Research Group institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Developing environmental change records from ice-core timeseries data is a little-used technique in the Transantarctic 96
Bevington, P.R. 1969. Data reduction and error analysis for the physical sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill. Clausen, H.B., W. Dansgaard, JO. Nielsen, and J.W. Clough. 1979. Surface accumulation on Ross Ice Shelf. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 14(5), 68-72. Grootes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1982. Ross Ice Shelf and Dome C oxygen isotope analysis. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 17(5), 76-78. Groôtes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1986. Ross Ice Shelf oxygen isotopes and West Antarctic climate history. Quaternary Research, 26, 49-67. Grootes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1987. Ice sheet elevation changes from isotope profiles. In E.D. Waddington and J.S. Walder (Eds.), The physical basis of ice sheet modelling. (Proceedings of the Vancouver Symposium, August 1987, IAHS publication number 170). Grootes, P.M., M. Stuiver, T.L. Saling, P.A. Mayewski, M.J. Spencer, R.B. Alley, and D. Jenssen. In press. A 1400-year oxygen isotope history from the Ross Sea area, Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology. Kuivinen, K. 1989. Personal communication. Thomas, R.H., and D.R. MacAyeal. 1982. Derived characteristics of the Ross ice shelf, Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology, 28, 397-412. Zotikov, IA., V.S. Zagorodnov, and J.V. Raikovsky. 1979. Core drilling through the Ross Ice Shelf. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 14(5), 63-64.
Mountains despite the existence of a well-developed lower resolution glacial geologic record for this area that forms the primary basis for understanding the glacial history of East Antarctica. In addition, records derived from marine and lakecore studies of glacier margin fluctuation measures of volcanic activity and meteological data sets from within or close to the Transantarctic Mountains are available for comparison. This emerging environmental database provides the tools needed to define the change characteristics—over a period of thousands of years—of several major dynamic components in this region, e.g., climate, atmospheric chemistry, sea-ice extent, volcanic activity and atmospheric turbidity. During the 1987-1988 austral summer field season, we investigated several sites in southern Victoria Land as potential core sites (Mayewski and Twickler 1988). The site chosen for investigation during the 1988-1989 season was the Newall Glacier (center point: 77°37'S 162°30'E) in the Asgaard Range. The major goal of the 1988-1989 field program was to collect ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
two cores, 150 and 175 meters deep; this was accomplished in conjunction with the Polar Ice Coring Office (University of Alaska at Fairbanks). The drill site was located in a relatively flat portion of the glacier close to the heads of the Lacroix, Suess, and Canada glaciers of Taylor Valley. One core will be dedicated to measurements of major anions, major cations, and radionuclides to be conducted in our laboratory and oxygen isotope measurements to be conducted by P. Grootes (University of Washington). The other core will be sampled in a similar fashion for purposes of calibration and for gas studies (carbon dioxide and methane) by M. Whalen (New York State Department of Health). Prior to final site selection a series of studies was undertaken: • radio echo sounding—to further define the three-dimensional configuration of the glacier; • surveying—to establish radio echo sounding sites and reoccupy stakes emplaced in 1987; • mass balancing—to measure stakes set out in 1987; • snow-pit sampling—a 4-meter snowpit was excavated close to the core site to allow detailed, high-resolution (1-centimeter interval), high-volume sampling for the measurement of several properties (major anions, major cations, stratigraphy, density, hydrogen peroxide, dissolved organic carbon, sulfur isotopes, and radionuclides) for examination in conjunction with and as calibration for the cores; • shallow-core sampling—to conduct detailed density and radionuclide investigations; and • air sampling—for collection of aerosol major anions and cations to assess air/snow fractionation. As an addition to our Newall Glacier glaciochemical program, we conducted a pilot glaciochemical program at a site 33.6 kilometers east of South Pole. The primary emphasis of this work was the retrieval of a high-resolution nitrate and
1989 REVIEW
chloride time series since these chemical species play a role as end products in reactions involved in ozone depletion. As part of this effort, we collected snow samples for major anions and cations, oxygen isotopes, and barium-7 at 1.6-kilometer intervals along the traverse from South Pole to our remote site. At the remote site, we excavated a 6-meter snow pit and collected: • oxygen isotope and major anion and cation samples every 1 centimeter; • continuous stratigraphy and density; • radionuclide samples every 5 centimeters; • sulfur and nitrogen isotope and dissolved organic carbon samples at selected levels. Results of this pilot study will be compared with the South Pole ozone record and with detailed snow-pit records produced by us from Newall Glacier and the Dominion Range, head of the Beardmore Glacier, to yield a spatial view of the major chemistry in the Transantarctic Mountains and possibly as a test for a proxy of ozone depletion. We would like to thank our colleagues in the field Cameron Wake and Michael Morrison (Glacier Research Group), Barry Lopez (Finn Rock, Oregon) and Bruce Koci and Ted Clark (Polar Ice Coring Office, University of Alaska at Fairbanks) for their companionship. We also greatly appreciate the efforts of VXE-6 and ITT Antarctic Support Services. This research was supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 86-13786.
Reference Mayewski, P.A., and M.S. Twickler. 1988. Detailed glaciochemical investigations in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica—A proxy record. Antarctic Journal of the U.S. 23(5), 68-69.
97
-25
—30 0
0 —35
>
—25
References —30
—35
95
100
105
DEPTH (m) Figure 2. Oxygen isotope fluctuations around 100-meter depth in the Ross Ice Shelf at station J-9.
prevailing over distances of at least 100 meters, led to accumulation of snow with more negative 8 180 values and to more and stronger short-term 6 180 variability in the firn. Ice-flow modeling (e.g., Thomas and MacAyeal 1982) places the origin
Detailed glaciochemical investigations in southern Victoria Land, Antarctica, 1988-1989A proxy climate record PAUL
A. MAYEWSKI, W. BERRY LYONS, and MARK S. TWICKLER
Glacier Research Group institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space University of New Hampshire Durham, New Hampshire 03824
Developing environmental change records from ice-core timeseries data is a little-used technique in the Transantarctic 96
Bevington, P.R. 1969. Data reduction and error analysis for the physical sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill. Clausen, H.B., W. Dansgaard, JO. Nielsen, and J.W. Clough. 1979. Surface accumulation on Ross Ice Shelf. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 14(5), 68-72. Grootes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1982. Ross Ice Shelf and Dome C oxygen isotope analysis. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 17(5), 76-78. Groôtes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1986. Ross Ice Shelf oxygen isotopes and West Antarctic climate history. Quaternary Research, 26, 49-67. Grootes, P.M., and M. Stuiver. 1987. Ice sheet elevation changes from isotope profiles. In E.D. Waddington and J.S. Walder (Eds.), The physical basis of ice sheet modelling. (Proceedings of the Vancouver Symposium, August 1987, IAHS publication number 170). Grootes, P.M., M. Stuiver, T.L. Saling, P.A. Mayewski, M.J. Spencer, R.B. Alley, and D. Jenssen. In press. A 1400-year oxygen isotope history from the Ross Sea area, Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology. Kuivinen, K. 1989. Personal communication. Thomas, R.H., and D.R. MacAyeal. 1982. Derived characteristics of the Ross ice shelf, Antarctica. Journal of Glaciology, 28, 397-412. Zotikov, IA., V.S. Zagorodnov, and J.V. Raikovsky. 1979. Core drilling through the Ross Ice Shelf. Antarctic Journal of the U.S., 14(5), 63-64.
Mountains despite the existence of a well-developed lower resolution glacial geologic record for this area that forms the primary basis for understanding the glacial history of East Antarctica. In addition, records derived from marine and lakecore studies of glacier margin fluctuation measures of volcanic activity and meteological data sets from within or close to the Transantarctic Mountains are available for comparison. This emerging environmental database provides the tools needed to define the change characteristics—over a period of thousands of years—of several major dynamic components in this region, e.g., climate, atmospheric chemistry, sea-ice extent, volcanic activity and atmospheric turbidity. During the 1987-1988 austral summer field season, we investigated several sites in southern Victoria Land as potential core sites (Mayewski and Twickler 1988). The site chosen for investigation during the 1988-1989 season was the Newall Glacier (center point: 77°37'S 162°30'E) in the Asgaard Range. The major goal of the 1988-1989 field program was to collect ANTARCTIC JOURNAL
two cores, 150 and 175 meters deep; this was accomplished in conjunction with the Polar Ice Coring Office (University of Alaska at Fairbanks). The drill site was located in a relatively flat portion of the glacier close to the heads of the Lacroix, Suess, and Canada glaciers of Taylor Valley. One core will be dedicated to measurements of major anions, major cations, and radionuclides to be conducted in our laboratory and oxygen isotope measurements to be conducted by P. Grootes (University of Washington). The other core will be sampled in a similar fashion for purposes of calibration and for gas studies (carbon dioxide and methane) by M. Whalen (New York State Department of Health). Prior to final site selection a series of studies was undertaken: • radio echo sounding—to further define the three-dimensional configuration of the glacier; • surveying—to establish radio echo sounding sites and reoccupy stakes emplaced in 1987; • mass balancing—to measure stakes set out in 1987; • snow-pit sampling—a 4-meter snowpit was excavated close to the core site to allow detailed, high-resolution (1-centimeter interval), high-volume sampling for the measurement of several properties (major anions, major cations, stratigraphy, density, hydrogen peroxide, dissolved organic carbon, sulfur isotopes, and radionuclides) for examination in conjunction with and as calibration for the cores; • shallow-core sampling—to conduct detailed density and radionuclide investigations; and • air sampling—for collection of aerosol major anions and cations to assess air/snow fractionation. As an addition to our Newall Glacier glaciochemical program, we conducted a pilot glaciochemical program at a site 33.6 kilometers east of South Pole. The primary emphasis of this work was the retrieval of a high-resolution nitrate and
1989 REVIEW
chloride time series since these chemical species play a role as end products in reactions involved in ozone depletion. As part of this effort, we collected snow samples for major anions and cations, oxygen isotopes, and barium-7 at 1.6-kilometer intervals along the traverse from South Pole to our remote site. At the remote site, we excavated a 6-meter snow pit and collected: • oxygen isotope and major anion and cation samples every 1 centimeter; • continuous stratigraphy and density; • radionuclide samples every 5 centimeters; • sulfur and nitrogen isotope and dissolved organic carbon samples at selected levels. Results of this pilot study will be compared with the South Pole ozone record and with detailed snow-pit records produced by us from Newall Glacier and the Dominion Range, head of the Beardmore Glacier, to yield a spatial view of the major chemistry in the Transantarctic Mountains and possibly as a test for a proxy of ozone depletion. We would like to thank our colleagues in the field Cameron Wake and Michael Morrison (Glacier Research Group), Barry Lopez (Finn Rock, Oregon) and Bruce Koci and Ted Clark (Polar Ice Coring Office, University of Alaska at Fairbanks) for their companionship. We also greatly appreciate the efforts of VXE-6 and ITT Antarctic Support Services. This research was supported by National Science Foundation grant DPP 86-13786.
Reference Mayewski, P.A., and M.S. Twickler. 1988. Detailed glaciochemical investigations in Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica—A proxy record. Antarctic Journal of the U.S. 23(5), 68-69.
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