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Glaciochemistry of surface snow from the Ingrid Christensen Coast, East Antarctica, and its environmental implications

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2010

M. Thamban ,
C.M. Laluraj ,
K. Mahalinganathan ,
B.L. Redkar ,
S.S. Naik  and
P.K. Shrivastava
M. Thamban*
Affiliation:
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India
C.M. Laluraj
Affiliation:
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India
K. Mahalinganathan
Affiliation:
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India
B.L. Redkar
Affiliation:
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India
S.S. Naik
Affiliation:
National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India
P.K. Shrivastava
Affiliation:
Geological Survey of India (Antarctica Division), NH-5P, N.I.T., Faridabad 121001, India
*
*meloth@ncaor.org
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Abstract

Spatial variations in the ion composition were studied in 55 surface snow samples collected along three transects in the Ingrid Christensen Coast of East Antarctica. The sea-salt ion constituents revealed a drastic reduction from the ice edge to inland sites. The computed sea-salt sodium and non-sea-salt calcium concentrations suggest that while sea spray primarily contributes to the Na+, the crustal contribution dominates the Ca2+ in snow samples. The Cl-/ssNa+ ratios of the snow samples from the Larsemann transect varied between 4.7 and 1.05, indicating that additional Cl- sources like soil dust are important in the inland sites. The enrichment factors (Ef) confirm a dominant crustal source for Ca2+ in all transects. The Ef(K+) values indicate a dominant sea spray source for K+ in the coastal stations of the Larsemann and Publications transects. The Ef(Mg2+) values indicate the absence of any significant Mg2+ enrichment compared to seawater values. Secondary sulphur species (nssSO42- and MSA) within the snow samples suggest that both vary independently of each other, possibly influenced by the local biological activities. The nssSO42- data revealed that several summer snow deposits in the study region are significantly fractionated, apparently related to the sea ice existence during summer.

Keywords

ion compositionLarsemann Hillsnon-sea-salt sulphatesea-salt aerosol
Type
Physical Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 22 , Issue 4 , August 2010 , pp. 435 - 441
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2010

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