Are the past variations of the stratospheric sulfate burden recorded in central Antarctic snow and ice layers

Journal Article · Mon Oct 20 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC085iC10p05645· OSTI ID:6901156

Delmas, R; Boutron, C

Thirty-two snow samples, taken from a pit dug at Dome C (central Antarctica) and covering a continuous time period of about 100 years from 1880 ( +- 5 years) up to the present, have been subjected to sulfate analysis. The concentrations determined range from 50 to 150x10/sup -9/g g,/sup -1/ of snow, with no apparent increase because of global sulfur pollution. The more important fluctuations observed on the sulfate concentration profile seem to be linked to major volcanic eruptions which occurred in the southern hemisphere during the studied time period, in particular Krakatoa in 1883 and Agung in 1963. The experimental and calculated contributions of this last eruption to the sulfate deposition in Antarctica agree satisfactorily. The sulfate background (about 2/3 of the overall sulfate deposition during the last 100 years) has most likely a marine origin ('excess sulfate'). It is suggested that the past variations of the stratospheric sulfate burden are recorded in Antarctic snow and ice layers and that they could be reconstructed by analyzing the sulfate content in deep ices cores.

• Research Organization: Laboratoire de Glaciologie du CNRS, 38031 Grenoble-Cedex, France
• OSTI ID: 6901156
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 85:C10; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ANTARCTIC REGIONS
ANTARCTICA
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
ERUPTION
FLUCTUATIONS
GLACIERS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
QUANTITY RATIO
SNOW
STRATOSPHERE
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VARIATIONS
VOLCANOES