Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica

Oxygen isotopic contents of fresh snow drifts in the katabatic wind zone were measured. The samples were collected at a stage before forming deposited snow layers throughout the year. Besides, the oxygen isotope profiles of deposited snow layers at the same place were obtained. The δ^<18>O con...

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Main Author: Yutaka Ageta
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: National Institute of Polar Research 1993-03-01
Series:Antarctic Record
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.15094/00008799
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author Yutaka Ageta
author_facet Yutaka Ageta
author_sort Yutaka Ageta
collection DOAJ
description Oxygen isotopic contents of fresh snow drifts in the katabatic wind zone were measured. The samples were collected at a stage before forming deposited snow layers throughout the year. Besides, the oxygen isotope profiles of deposited snow layers at the same place were obtained. The δ^<18>O contents of the snow drifts had high values in summer (-30~-40‰); in winter, values were generally low (above -50‰) but sometimes there were high values similar to those in summer. Deviation of relations between air temperature at sampling time and δ^<18>O contents of the snow drifts under different weather conditions is discussed. Vertical profiles of δ^<18>O contents of deposited snow are supposed to show a wide annual range and complicated annual variation, if such snow drifts accumulated continuously. However, those of deposited snow actually seen in the surface layers usually show a narrow range (-35~-45‰) and simplified pattern. Positions of maxima and minima in δ^<18>O profiles of deposited snow have good correlations with layering of ice crusts which were formed during hiatus periods of snow deposition. These results indicate the importance of change of the isotopic contents after snow deposition for understanding the isotope profiles of deposited snow.
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spelling doaj.art-745be2deebff44fdbf474337dd6c944e2022-12-21T23:16:13ZengNational Institute of Polar ResearchAntarctic Record0085-72892432-079X1993-03-01371243110.15094/00008799Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, AntarcticaYutaka Ageta0Water Research Institute, Nagoya UniversityOxygen isotopic contents of fresh snow drifts in the katabatic wind zone were measured. The samples were collected at a stage before forming deposited snow layers throughout the year. Besides, the oxygen isotope profiles of deposited snow layers at the same place were obtained. The δ^<18>O contents of the snow drifts had high values in summer (-30~-40‰); in winter, values were generally low (above -50‰) but sometimes there were high values similar to those in summer. Deviation of relations between air temperature at sampling time and δ^<18>O contents of the snow drifts under different weather conditions is discussed. Vertical profiles of δ^<18>O contents of deposited snow are supposed to show a wide annual range and complicated annual variation, if such snow drifts accumulated continuously. However, those of deposited snow actually seen in the surface layers usually show a narrow range (-35~-45‰) and simplified pattern. Positions of maxima and minima in δ^<18>O profiles of deposited snow have good correlations with layering of ice crusts which were formed during hiatus periods of snow deposition. These results indicate the importance of change of the isotopic contents after snow deposition for understanding the isotope profiles of deposited snow.http://doi.org/10.15094/00008799
spellingShingle Yutaka Ageta
Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
Antarctic Record
title Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
title_full Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
title_fullStr Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
title_full_unstemmed Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
title_short Annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at Mizuho Station, Antarctica
title_sort annual variation of oxygen isotopic contents of drifting snow and the isotopic contents of deposited snow layers at mizuho station antarctica
url http://doi.org/10.15094/00008799
work_keys_str_mv AT yutakaageta annualvariationofoxygenisotopiccontentsofdriftingsnowandtheisotopiccontentsofdepositedsnowlayersatmizuhostationantarctica