Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin
The coastal regions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, contain deposits of the Ross Sea Drift, sedimentary material left from the Ross Sea ice sheet from the advance of the West Antarctic ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Much of this deposit is ice-cored, but data on the stable isotop...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2022.2102510 |
| _version_ | 1811322391270260736 |
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| author | Christopher B. Gardner Melisa A. Diaz Devin F. Smith Andrew G. Fountain Joseph S. Levy W. Berry Lyons |
| author_facet | Christopher B. Gardner Melisa A. Diaz Devin F. Smith Andrew G. Fountain Joseph S. Levy W. Berry Lyons |
| author_sort | Christopher B. Gardner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The coastal regions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, contain deposits of the Ross Sea Drift, sedimentary material left from the Ross Sea ice sheet from the advance of the West Antarctic ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Much of this deposit is ice-cored, but data on the stable isotopic composition of water from this ice, which may contain a valuable climate archive, are sparse or incomplete. Widespread thermokarstic ground subsidence in this “coastal thaw zone” of the McMurdo Dry Valleys suggests that these potential records are rapidly being lost due to the melting of ground ice and permafrost. We collected samples of massive buried ice from the Ross Sea Drift in eastern Taylor Valley for δ18O-H2O and δ2H-H2O and measured a broad range of values (δ18O = −27.7 to −37.3 ‰; δ2H = −210 to −295 ‰). These buried ice deposits do not show evidence of alteration through sublimation or evaporation, plot along the local meteoric water line, and have values that indicate ice deposition under a colder climate than present conditions. We propose that this ice was sourced from the Ross Sea ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum and contains a valuable and accessible climate record. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:35:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1eee5cbc68a44a60a7adb827010d7448 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1523-0430 1938-4246 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T13:35:28Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-1eee5cbc68a44a60a7adb827010d74482022-12-22T02:44:48ZengTaylor & Francis GroupArctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research1523-04301938-42462022-12-0154133534510.1080/15230430.2022.2102510Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its originChristopher B. Gardner0Melisa A. Diaz1Devin F. Smith2Andrew G. Fountain3Joseph S. Levy4W. Berry Lyons5School of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USASchool of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USASchool of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USADepartment of Geology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon, USADepartment of Geology, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, USASchool of Earth Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USAThe coastal regions of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, contain deposits of the Ross Sea Drift, sedimentary material left from the Ross Sea ice sheet from the advance of the West Antarctic ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. Much of this deposit is ice-cored, but data on the stable isotopic composition of water from this ice, which may contain a valuable climate archive, are sparse or incomplete. Widespread thermokarstic ground subsidence in this “coastal thaw zone” of the McMurdo Dry Valleys suggests that these potential records are rapidly being lost due to the melting of ground ice and permafrost. We collected samples of massive buried ice from the Ross Sea Drift in eastern Taylor Valley for δ18O-H2O and δ2H-H2O and measured a broad range of values (δ18O = −27.7 to −37.3 ‰; δ2H = −210 to −295 ‰). These buried ice deposits do not show evidence of alteration through sublimation or evaporation, plot along the local meteoric water line, and have values that indicate ice deposition under a colder climate than present conditions. We propose that this ice was sourced from the Ross Sea ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum and contains a valuable and accessible climate record.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2022.2102510Buried iceMcMurdo Dry ValleysLast Glacial Maximumice-cored moraine |
| spellingShingle | Christopher B. Gardner Melisa A. Diaz Devin F. Smith Andrew G. Fountain Joseph S. Levy W. Berry Lyons Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research Buried ice McMurdo Dry Valleys Last Glacial Maximum ice-cored moraine |
| title | Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin |
| title_full | Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin |
| title_fullStr | Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin |
| title_short | Isotopic signature of massive, buried ice in eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Implications for its origin |
| title_sort | isotopic signature of massive buried ice in eastern taylor valley antarctica implications for its origin |
| topic | Buried ice McMurdo Dry Valleys Last Glacial Maximum ice-cored moraine |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/15230430.2022.2102510 |
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