Elemental composition determined by PIXE analysis of the insoluble aerosol particles in EPICA‐Dome C ice core samples representing the last 27000 years

Ghermandi, Grazia; Cecchi, Rodolfo; Capotosto, M.; Marino, F.

doi:10.1029/2003gl018169

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…The PIXE measurements on EPICA samples follow a previous study on the Greenland Ice Core Project (GRIP) ice core (Laj and others, 1997), in which the authors discuss the soluble/insoluble partition of some elements, and continue the preliminary results obtained by Ghermandi and others (2003) on the first 581 m of the EDC ice core.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Elemental composition (Si, Fe, Ti) of atmospheric dust over the last 220 kyr from the EPICA ice core (Dome C, Antarctica)

et al. 2004

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ABSTRACT. In this work, we present the records of insoluble silicon (Si), iron (Fe) and titanium (Ti) from continental mineral particles (dust) archived in the first 2200 m of the EPICA Dome C (EDC) ice core. More than 200 samples covering the last 220 kyr, back to marine isotopic stage 7.4, were analyzed using the particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique, applied here for the first time to the investigation of the mineral content of an Antarctic ice core. The measurements were made exclusively on the insoluble fraction, obtained from filtration of the melted ice samples. The mineral fraction of the particle mass determined from the PIXE measurements is highly correlated to the total dust mass determined by particle counting using a Coulter # Counter. The principal variations during the different climatic periods are very coherent between the PIXE analysis results and the total dust mass determined by counting. Both sets of results show increasing concentration values during glacial stages 2, 4 and 6 and very low particle content during interglacials (Holocene and stage 5e). The large increase in atmospheric dustiness during cold stages is assumed to be caused by several factors, among which are the enhanced vigour of atmospheric transport. However, the PIXE results from this work highlight some slight differences in Si, Fe and Ti concentrations with respect to the total dust mass during the different climatic periods. As a hypothesis, such variations could reflect either different atmospheric processes affecting particles during transport, or changes that occurred in the dust source regions.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Elemental composition (Si, Fe, Ti) of atmospheric dust over the last 220 kyr from the EPICA ice core (Dome C, Antarctica)

et al. 2004

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“…Measurements were performed on selected intervals of the EPICA (European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica) ice core, drilled at Dome C (further on referred to as EDC, East Antarctic Plateau, 75°06′S; 123°24 E; 3233 m above sea level). Preliminary data obtained by PIXE analyses on Antarctic ice core dust samples were presented elsewhere [ Ghermandi et al , 2003; Marino et al , 2004]. In this paper we discuss the PIXE results providing, for the first time, the whole major element composition of dust deposited at Dome C during the last glacial cycle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Defining the geochemical composition of the EPICA Dome C ice core dust during the last glacial‐interglacial cycle

Marino

Castellano

Ceccato

et al. 2008

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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International audienceThe major element composition of the insoluble, windborne long-range dust archived in the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica Dome C ice core has been determined by Particle Induced X-ray Emission analyses. The geochemistry of dust from the last glacial maximum (LGM) and from the Holocene is discussed in terms of past environmental changes, throughout the last climatic cycle. Antarctic dust from glacial and interglacial climate clearly reveals different geochemical compositions. The weathered crustal-like signature of LGM dust is characterized by a low compositional variability, suggesting a dominant source under the glacial regime. The close correspondence between the major element composition of Antarctic glacial dust and the composition of southern South American sediments supports the hypothesis of a dominant role of this area as major dust supplier during cold conditions. Conversely, the major element composition of Holocene dust displays high variability and high Al content on average. This implies that an additional source could also play some role. Comparison with size-selected sediments suggests that a contribution from Australia is likely during warm times, when a reduced glacial erosion decreases the primary dust production and a more intense hydrological cycle and larger vegetation cover inactivates dust mobility in a large part of southern South America, weakening its contribution as a massive dust supplier to Antarctica

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“…Since large fractions of the total Ca and almost all Na (and Cl) in central Antarctic ice cores are water soluble [ de Angelis et al , 1992; Ghermandi et al , 2003], and the deposition of Ca and Na onto the ice sheet is irreversible (whereas this is usually not the case for Cl [ Röthlisberger et al , 2003]; see section 3.4) records of [nssCa 2+ ] and [ssNa + ] serve as proxies for continental and sea‐salt aerosol input. However, source separation of [Ca 2+ ] and [Na + ] measurements on Antarctic ice cores has so far been based on literature values of elemental bulk mass ratios of mean crust, often (Na/Ca) crust or (Na/Al) crust [e.g., de Angelis et al , 1987; Legrand et al , 1988; Röthlisberger et al , 2002], although the true ratios could differ significantly from these values.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Aerosol deposited in East Antarctica over the last glacial cycle: Detailed apportionment of continental and sea‐salt contributions

Bigler¹,

Röthlisberger²,

Lambert³

et al. 2006

J. Geophys. Res.

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The major ions, sodium (Na+), calcium (Ca2+), and chloride (Cl−), deposited in central Antarctica and preserved in ice cores originate from both marine and continental sources. They provide important proxy records, helping to reconstruct past climatic processes. However, it is difficult to clearly separate the individual contributions from the two sources, particularly the continental one during glacial periods. On the basis of Na+ and Ca2+ records at an unprecedented resolution from the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) Dome C ice core back to the penultimate glacial period, mean ion mass ratios were deduced for the continental and the sea‐salt aerosol body over East Antarctica. The sea‐salt ion mass ratios are in the range predicted for both wind‐induced bubble bursting of breaking waves on the open ocean and sea ice brine‐derived aerosols, respectively, thus allowing no clear decision on the contribution of sea ice to the central Antarctic sea‐salt aerosol. The continental ion mass ratios point to a substantial contribution by halide aerosols, which is in agreement with the source properties in southern South America, although these ratios do not rule out the continental shelf exposed during glacial stages as an additional source. While during cold glacial periods continental sources accounted for more than 90% of the total Ca2+ input, this contribution was highly variable during the remaining glacial periods covarying with the Antarctic warm events. During the Holocene it was less than 50%, but it was significantly higher during the last interglacial period. The sea‐salt aerosol contribution to the total Na+ input, which was mostly dominant and higher than 90%, was reduced to only two thirds during the last two glacial maxima and the period around 60 ka. Thus the glacial continental Na+ contribution appears to be more important than previously assumed, implying that Na+ records not corrected for continental Na+ do not represent a pure marine signal at the East Antarctic plateau during glacial times.

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Elemental composition determined by PIXE analysis of the insoluble aerosol particles in EPICA‐Dome C ice core samples representing the last 27000 years

Cited by 6 publications

References 12 publications

Elemental composition (Si, Fe, Ti) of atmospheric dust over the last 220 kyr from the EPICA ice core (Dome C, Antarctica)

Elemental composition (Si, Fe, Ti) of atmospheric dust over the last 220 kyr from the EPICA ice core (Dome C, Antarctica)

Defining the geochemical composition of the EPICA Dome C ice core dust during the last glacial‐interglacial cycle

Aerosol deposited in East Antarctica over the last glacial cycle: Detailed apportionment of continental and sea‐salt contributions

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