Isotopic and Elemental Changes in Winter Snow Accumulation on Glaciers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand

Purdie, Heather, Bertler, Nancy, Mackintosh, Andrew, Baker, Joel and Rhodes, Rachael (2010) Isotopic and Elemental Changes in Winter Snow Accumulation on Glaciers in the Southern Alps of New Zealand. Journal of Climate, 23 (18). pp. 4737-4749. ISSN 0894-8755

Full text not available from this repository.

Abstract

The authors present stable water isotope and trace element data for fresh winter snow from two temperate maritime glaciers located on opposite sides of the New Zealand Southern Alps. The isotopes δ18O and δD were more depleted at the eastern Tasman Glacier site because of prevailing westerly flow and preferential rainout of heavy isotopes as air masses crossed the Alps. The deuterium excess provided some indication of moisture provenance, with the Tasman Sea contributing ∼70% of the moisture received at Franz Josef and Tasman Glaciers. This source signal was also evident in trace elements, with a stronger marine signal (Na, Mg, and Sr) associated with snow from the Tasman Sea and larger concentrations of terrestrial species (Pb, V, and Zr) in air masses from the Southern and Pacific Oceans. Although postdepositional modification of signals was detected, the results indicate that there is exciting potential to learn more about climate trends and moisture source pathways and to learn from geochemical signals contained in snow and ice in the New Zealand region.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Isotopic analysis, Snow, Glaciers, Winter/cool season
Subjects:	F800 Physical and Terrestrial Geographical and Environmental Sciences
Department:	Faculties > Engineering and Environment > Geography and Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	Paul Burns
Date Deposited:	17 Jan 2019 17:44
Last Modified:	10 Oct 2019 21:16
URI:	http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/37642

Downloads