A 1000 Year Glaciochemical Study at the South Pole

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Abstract
Major soluble chemical impurities have been measured along a 130 m firn core from the Amundsen–Scott Station in order to assess Southern Hemisphere environmental variability over the last millennium. Particular attention is given to the possible impact of the Little Ice Age, a well-known climatic disturbance which occurred in the Northern Hemisphere between about A.D. 1500 and 1900. Na+, K+, NH4 +, Cl+, SO4 2− and NO3 − concentrations were carefully determined in forty-two 40 cm firn sections. Stringent precautions were taken to ensure the analytical reliability of the data set obtained. The average concentrations are (in ng g−1): 11.0 ± 2.5, 0.7 ± 0.4, 0.5 ± 0.2, 31 ± 5.6, 58 ± 11.6 and 103 ± 11.6 respectively (the scatter represents the standard deviation). No definite trend is detected which could be linked to the Little Ice Age disturbance.