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Glaciochemical Investigations In Three Southern Hemisphere Mountain Sites, Mariusz Potocki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research presented in this dissertation focuses on glaciochemical records of trace elements, major ions, and stable water isotopes from three mountain regions: the Antarctic Peninsula, the Central Chilean Andes, and South Georgia Island.

The first section reports a significant increase in U concentration over 27 years on Detroit Plateau, Antarctic Peninsula. U concentrations in the ice core increase by as much as 102 between the 1980s and 2000s, accompanied by increased variability in recent years. The U concentration increase coincides with expanded open pit mining in the Southern Hemisphere, most notably Australia. Since other land-source dust elements do not …

Sources And Deposition Processes Linking Atmospheric Chemistry And Firn Records From Four Glacier Accumulation Zones In The Mcmurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Bruce R. Williamson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Samples of snow and firn from accumulation zones on the Victoria Upper Glacier, the Clark Glacier, the Commonwealth Glacier and the Blue Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys (~77 to 78º S and 161 to 164º E), Antarctica, are evaluated chemically and isotopically to determine the relative importance of local (site-specific) factors versus regional-scale climatic influences in defining regional glaciochemistry. Two approaches for distinguishing these controls are examined: comparing chemical concentrations using multivariate statistical analysis, and examining the effect of physical filtration (capturing particulate material largely originating in close proximity to each site) on sample values. These techniques provide constraints …