Methanesulfonic acid in south polar snow layers: A record of strong El Nino
In this paper, the authors present a detailed study of methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and non-sea-salt sulfate (nss-SO{sub 4}) content in recent south polar precipitation. These two species are major oxidation products of dimethylsulfide (DMS) which is mainly produced by marine biota. The nss-SO{sub 4} content of south polar snow layers deposited over the 1922-1984 time period remained rather stable except short-term increases after the Mt Agung (1963) and the El Chichon (1982) eruptions. At the opposite, the MSA profile shows over the same time period several sporadic, 0.5 to 2 years, increases (2 to 10 times background level). Taking into account an uncertainty of 1-3 years in the dating of snow layers, all the MSA events seem to be correlated to major ENSO (El Nino-Southern oscillation) events having occurred over the last sixty years (1925-26, 1941, 1957-58, 1972-73 and 1982-83). The relatively high MSA/nssSO{sub 4} weight ratios (R) observed in the corresponding snow layers suggest that these events reflect enhanced DMS emissions from the Antarctic ocean. This suggested connection between ENSO and high DMS marine emissions at high southern latitudes is discussed in terms of atmospheric and oceanic circulation.
- OSTI ID:
- 5401418
- Journal Information:
- Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 18:2; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540110*
AGE ESTIMATION
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMISTRY
CORRELATIONS
DEPOSITION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
EMISSION
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
QUANTITY RATIO
SEAS
SNOW
SOUTHERN OSCILLATION
SULFATES
SULFIDES
SULFONIC ACIDS
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
VOLCANOES
WATER CHEMISTRY