Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview
210Pb is an environmental radionuclide with a half-life of 22.3 years, formed in the atmosphere via radioactive decay of radon (222Rn). 222Rn itself is a noble gas with a half-life of 3.8 days and is formed via radioactive decay of uranium (238U) contained in the Earth crust from where it constantly...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2020-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000192/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827994440601436160 |
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| author | Heinz W. Gäggeler Leonhard Tobler Margit Schwikowski Theo M. Jenk |
| author_facet | Heinz W. Gäggeler Leonhard Tobler Margit Schwikowski Theo M. Jenk |
| author_sort | Heinz W. Gäggeler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 210Pb is an environmental radionuclide with a half-life of 22.3 years, formed in the atmosphere via radioactive decay of radon (222Rn). 222Rn itself is a noble gas with a half-life of 3.8 days and is formed via radioactive decay of uranium (238U) contained in the Earth crust from where it constantly emanates into the atmosphere. 210Pb atoms attach to aerosol particles, which are then deposited on glaciers via scavenging with fresh snow. Due to its half-life, ice cores can be dated with this radionuclide over roughly one century, depending on the initial 210Pb activity concentration. Optimum 210Pb dating is achieved for cold glaciers with no – or little – influence by percolating meltwater. This paper presents an overview which not only includes dating of cold glaciers but also some special cases of 210Pb applications in glaciology addressing temperate glaciers, glaciers with negative mass balance, sublimation processes on glaciers in arid regions, determination of annual net snow accumulation as well as glacier flow rates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:40:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9baf11a59a014cc99a13b99bcfd55211 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:40:57Z |
| publishDate | 2020-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9baf11a59a014cc99a13b99bcfd552112023-03-09T12:40:55ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522020-06-016644745610.1017/jog.2020.19Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overviewHeinz W. Gäggeler0Leonhard Tobler1Margit Schwikowski2Theo M. Jenk3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6820-8615Laboratory for Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232Villigen, Switzerland Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, 3012Bern, SwitzerlandLaboratory for Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232Villigen, SwitzerlandLaboratory for Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232Villigen, Switzerland Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Bern, 3012Bern, Switzerland Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012Bern, SwitzerlandLaboratory for Environmental Chemistry, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232Villigen, Switzerland Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, 3012Bern, Switzerland210Pb is an environmental radionuclide with a half-life of 22.3 years, formed in the atmosphere via radioactive decay of radon (222Rn). 222Rn itself is a noble gas with a half-life of 3.8 days and is formed via radioactive decay of uranium (238U) contained in the Earth crust from where it constantly emanates into the atmosphere. 210Pb atoms attach to aerosol particles, which are then deposited on glaciers via scavenging with fresh snow. Due to its half-life, ice cores can be dated with this radionuclide over roughly one century, depending on the initial 210Pb activity concentration. Optimum 210Pb dating is achieved for cold glaciers with no – or little – influence by percolating meltwater. This paper presents an overview which not only includes dating of cold glaciers but also some special cases of 210Pb applications in glaciology addressing temperate glaciers, glaciers with negative mass balance, sublimation processes on glaciers in arid regions, determination of annual net snow accumulation as well as glacier flow rates.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000192/type/journal_articlemountain glaciersice coreice chronology/datingglaciological instruments and methodsaccumulation |
| spellingShingle | Heinz W. Gäggeler Leonhard Tobler Margit Schwikowski Theo M. Jenk Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview Journal of Glaciology mountain glaciers ice core ice chronology/dating glaciological instruments and methods accumulation |
| title | Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview |
| title_full | Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview |
| title_fullStr | Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview |
| title_full_unstemmed | Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview |
| title_short | Application of the radionuclide 210Pb in glaciology – an overview |
| title_sort | application of the radionuclide 210pb in glaciology an overview |
| topic | mountain glaciers ice core ice chronology/dating glaciological instruments and methods accumulation |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000192/type/journal_article |
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