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Continuous ice core melter system with discrete sampling for major ion, trace element and stable isotope analyses
Erich C Osterberg1, Michael J Handley, Sharon B Sneed
1Climate Change Institute, Sawyer Environmental Research Center, and Department of Earth Sciences, Bryand Global Sciences Building, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469, USA. erich.osterberg@maine.edu
Environmental Science & Technology
|June 6, 2006
Summary
A new ice core melter system (CMDS) provides high-resolution, continuous meltwater samples for detailed chemical and isotopic analysis. This advanced system improves data precision and reliability for paleoclimate research.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Environmental Science
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Ice and firn cores are crucial archives for reconstructing past environmental conditions.
- Previous ice core melter systems faced limitations in sample resolution, data precision, and particle dissolution.
- Accurate and high-resolution chemical and isotopic analysis of ice cores is essential for climate reconstruction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel Continuous Melting with Discrete Sampling (CMDS) system for ice/firn cores.
- To enable high-resolution, coregistered meltwater sample collection for multi-elemental and isotopic analysis.
- To improve the precision and reliability of trace element and major ion data from ice cores.
Main Methods:
- Development of a novel ice/firn core melter system with fraction collectors.
- Collection of discrete, high-resolution meltwater samples (<1 cm/sample).
- Analysis using ion chromatography (IC), inductively coupled plasma sectorfield mass spectrometry (ICP-SMS), and isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS).
Main Results:
- The CMDS system allows for continuous, coregistered meltwater sample collection.
- It achieves high-resolution analysis of major ions, trace elements, and stable isotopes.
- Data from Mt. Logan and GISP2 D ice cores confirm the system's accuracy and reproducibility.
Conclusions:
- The CMDS system offers significant improvements in ice core meltwater analysis.
- It provides precise and reliable data suitable for polar and mid-low-latitude ice core studies.
- This technology enhances our ability to reconstruct past climate and environmental changes from ice archives.