Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Anthropogenic Sulfate And Asian Dust Signals In Snow From Tien Shan, Northwest China, Cameron P. Wake, Paul Andrew Mayewski, Wang Ping, Yang Qinzhao, Han Jiankang, Xie Zichu

Earth Science Faculty Scholarship

Snow samples were collected from a 0.5 m snowpack at Glacier No. 1 and near Bogda Feng, eastern Tien Shan, northwest China. Samples that were melted in the field were analyzed for chloride, nitrate, sulfate, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, and microparticles. Eight samples were returned frozen and were analyzed for the above ions plus ammonium, acetate, formate, methylsulfonate, and hydrogen peroxide. There was no significant difference in measured major ion concentrations between the melted and frozen samples. Measured cations in both sets of samples were two to three times greater than measured anions. Calcium and sodium are the dominant cations …