Document Type

Article

Publication Title

Geophysical Research Letters

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Publication Date

8-15-2000

First Page

2517

Last Page

2520

Issue Number

16

Volume Number

27

Abstract/ Summary

Annually‐dated snowpit and ice core records from two areas of West Antarctica are used to investigate spatial accumulation patterns and to evaluate temporal accumulation rate/glaciochemical concentration and flux relationships. Mean accumulation rate gradients in Marie Byrd Land (11–23 gcm−2yr−1 over 150 km, decreasing to the south) and Siple Dome (10–18 gcm−2yr−1 over 60 km, decreasing to the south) are consistent for at least the last several decades, and demonstrate the influence of the offshore quasi‐permanent Amundsen Sea low pressure system on moisture flux into the region. Local and regional‐scale topography in both regions appears to affect orographic lifting, air mass trajectories, and accumulation distribution. Linear regression of mean annual soluble ion concentration and flux data vs. accumulation rates in both regions indicates that 1) concentrations are independent of and thus not a rescaling of accumulation rate time‐series, and 2) chemical flux to the ice sheet surface is mainly via wet deposition, and changes in atmospheric concentration play a significant role. We therefore suggest that, in the absence of detailed air/snow transfer models, ice core chemical concentration and not flux time‐series provide a better estimate of past aerosol loading in West Antarctica.

Citation/Publisher Attribution

Kreutz, K. J., P. A. Mayewski, L. D. Meeker, M. S. Twickler, and S. I. Whitlow (2000), The effect of spatial and temporal accumulation rate variability in west Antarctica on soluble ion deposition, Geophysical Research Letters, 27(16), 2517–2520, doi:10.1029/2000GL011499. http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2000/2000GL011499.shtml

Publisher Statement

© Copyright American Geophysical Union

DOI

10.1029/2000GL011499

Version

publisher's version of the published document

Download

Share

 

Rights Statement

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted.