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The aeolian flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys landscape: evidence from snow pit analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2006

Rebecca A. Witherow ,
W. Berry Lyons ,
Nancy A.N. Bertler ,
Kathleen A. Welch ,
Paul A. Mayewski ,
Sharon B. Sneed ,
Thomas Nylen ,
Michael J. Handley  and
Andrew Fountain
Rebecca A. Witherow
Affiliation:
Byrd Polar Research Center and the Department of Geological Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1002, USA
W. Berry Lyons
Affiliation:
Byrd Polar Research Center and the Department of Geological Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1002, USA
Nancy A.N. Bertler
Affiliation:
Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, PO Box 600, Wellington, New Zealand Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA GNS Science, 1 Fairway Drive, Avalon, Lower Hutt 5010, New Zealand
Kathleen A. Welch
Affiliation:
Byrd Polar Research Center and the Department of Geological Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1002, USA
Paul A. Mayewski
Affiliation:
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Sharon B. Sneed
Affiliation:
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Thomas Nylen
Affiliation:
Departments of Geology and Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA
Michael J. Handley
Affiliation:
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Andrew Fountain
Affiliation:
Departments of Geology and Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207-0751, USA
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Abstract

We have determined the flux of calcium, chloride and nitrate to the McMurdo Dry Valleys region by analysing snow pits for their chemical composition and their snow accumulation using multiple records spanning up to 48 years. The fluxes demonstrate patterns related to elevation and proximity to the ocean. In general, there is a strong relationship between the nitrate flux and snow accumulation, indicating that precipitation rates may have a great influence over the nitrogen concentrations in the soils of the valleys. Aeolian dust transport plays an important role in the deposition of some elements (e.g. Ca2+) into the McMurdo Dry Valleys' soils. Because of the antiquity of some of the soil surfaces in the McMurdo Dry Valleys regions, the accumulated atmospheric flux of salts to the soils has important ecological consequences. Although precipitation may be an important mechanism of salt deposition to the McMurdo Dry Valley surfaces, it is poorly understood because of difficulties in measurement and high losses from sublimation.

Keywords

elementsfluxesglaciersLatitudinal Gradient Projectsalts in soils
Type
Research Article
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 18 , Issue 4: Special Issue: The Latitudinal Gradient Project (LGP) , December 2006 , pp. 497 - 505
Copyright
Antarctic Science Ltd 2006

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