Chronological characteristics for snow accumulation on Styx Glacier in northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Issue 260 (26th December 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nyamgerel, Yalalt; Han, Yeongcheol; Kim, Songyi; Hong, Sang-Bum; Lee, Jeonghoon; Hur, Soon Do
• Is Part Of: Journal of Glaciology. Volume 66:Issue 260(2020)
• Page Start: 916
• Page End: 926
• Publication Date: 2020-12-26
• Subjects: Annual layer counting, -- ionic species, -- snow accumulation, -- stable water isotopes, -- Styx Glacier
• DOI: 10.1017/jog.2020.53
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-1430

Abstract

Abstract: Under the potential to reconstruct the past climatic and atmospheric conditions from a deep ice core in the coastal Antarctic site (Styx Glacier), an 8.84 m long firn core (73°50.975′ S, 163°41.640′ E; 1623 m a.s.l.) was initially studied to propose a reliable age scale for the local estimation of snow accumulation rate. The seasonal variations of δ 18 O, methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and non-sea-salt sulfate (nssSO4 2– ) were used for the firn core dating and revealed 25 annual peaks (from 1990 to 2014) with volcanic sulfate signal. The observed declining trend in annual accumulation rate with a mean value of 146 ± 60 kg m –2 a –1 is likely to be linked to the changes of sea-ice extent in the Ross Sea region. Moreover, the temporal variation of the annual mean δ 18 O, an annual flux of MSA and nssSO4 2– also likely to be under the influence of ice-covered and open water area. This study suggests a potential to recover past changes in an oceanic environment and will be useful for the interpretation of the long ice core drilled at the same site.