Laser Ablation – ICP-MS measurements for high resolution chemical ice core analyses with a first application to an ice core from Skytrain Ice Rise (Antarctica)

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-2023-3071
• Publication Date: 2024-01-05T11:04:44Z
• Authors: Helene Hoffmann; Jason Day; Rachael Rhodes; Mackenzie Grieman; Jack Humby; Isobel Rowell; Christoph Nehrbas...; Robert Mulvaney; Sally Gibson; Eric Wolff
• Keywords: Ice core; Laser Ablation

Abstract. For many ice core related scientific questions, like the analysis of fast changing climate signals, depth resolution conventional methods is not sufficient. In this study we present a setup Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) for high glacier impurity to sub-millimetre scale. This enables chemical ~ 80 μm while consuming only minimal amounts ice. The system was used simultaneous sodium, magnesium and aluminium incorporated in structure. first case within framework WACSWAIN (WArm Climate Stability West Antarctic sheet last INterglacial) project, method applied selection samples from Skytrain (West Antarctica), on total length 6.7 m consisting about 130 single samples. main goal use new LA-ICP-MS extract meaningful signals level beyond limits Continuous Flow Analysis (CFA). A comparison between low CFA data reveals generally good agreement decimetre Stacking parallel laser measurements together with frequency analyse millimetre Spectral revealed that despite effects accumulation crystal grain boundaries, periodic concentration changes scale can be identified 26 ka BP (kilo years before present; 1950 CE) also Last Interglacial (LIG). These findings open possibilities interpretation respect glacial beyond.