Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers

Abstract Investigation of organic compounds in ice cores can potentially unlock a wealth of new information in these climate archives. We present results from the first ever ice core drilled on sub‐Antarctic island Bouvet, representing a climatologically important but understudied region. We analyze...

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Main Authors: A. C. F. King, E. R. Thomas, J. B. Pedro, B. Markle, M. Potocki, S. L. Jackson, E. Wolff, M. Kalberer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2019-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084249
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author A. C. F. King
E. R. Thomas
J. B. Pedro
B. Markle
M. Potocki
S. L. Jackson
E. Wolff
M. Kalberer
author_facet A. C. F. King
E. R. Thomas
J. B. Pedro
B. Markle
M. Potocki
S. L. Jackson
E. Wolff
M. Kalberer
author_sort A. C. F. King
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Investigation of organic compounds in ice cores can potentially unlock a wealth of new information in these climate archives. We present results from the first ever ice core drilled on sub‐Antarctic island Bouvet, representing a climatologically important but understudied region. We analyze a suite of novel and more familiar organic compounds in the ice core, alongside commonly measured ions. Methanesulfonic acid shows a significant, positive correlation to winter sea ice concentration, as does a fatty acid compound, oleic acid. Both may be sourced from spring phytoplankton blooms, which are larger following greater sea ice extent in the preceding winter. Oxalate, formate, and acetate are positively correlated to sea ice concentration in summer, but sources of these require further investigation. This study demonstrates the potential application of organic compounds from the marine biosphere in generating multiproxy sea ice records, which is critical in improving our understanding of past sea ice changes.
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publishDate 2019-08-01
publisher Wiley
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-4eba0e3344e84c64987fef3abe4d55942025-08-20T02:12:20ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072019-08-0146169930993910.1029/2019GL084249Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice MarkersA. C. F. King0E. R. Thomas1J. B. Pedro2B. Markle3M. Potocki4S. L. Jackson5E. Wolff6M. Kalberer7British Antarctic Survey Cambridge UKBritish Antarctic Survey Cambridge UKAntarctic Climate and Ecosystems University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania AustraliaDivision of Geological and Planetary Sciences California Institute of Technology Pasadena CA USAClimate Change Institute University of Maine Orono ME USABritish Antarctic Survey Cambridge UKDepartment of Earth Sciences University of Cambridge Cambridge UKDepartment of Chemistry University of Cambridge Cambridge UKAbstract Investigation of organic compounds in ice cores can potentially unlock a wealth of new information in these climate archives. We present results from the first ever ice core drilled on sub‐Antarctic island Bouvet, representing a climatologically important but understudied region. We analyze a suite of novel and more familiar organic compounds in the ice core, alongside commonly measured ions. Methanesulfonic acid shows a significant, positive correlation to winter sea ice concentration, as does a fatty acid compound, oleic acid. Both may be sourced from spring phytoplankton blooms, which are larger following greater sea ice extent in the preceding winter. Oxalate, formate, and acetate are positively correlated to sea ice concentration in summer, but sources of these require further investigation. This study demonstrates the potential application of organic compounds from the marine biosphere in generating multiproxy sea ice records, which is critical in improving our understanding of past sea ice changes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084249ice coresea icesub‐AntarcticbiomarkersBouvet
spellingShingle A. C. F. King
E. R. Thomas
J. B. Pedro
B. Markle
M. Potocki
S. L. Jackson
E. Wolff
M. Kalberer
Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
Geophysical Research Letters
ice core
sea ice
sub‐Antarctic
biomarkers
Bouvet
title Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
title_full Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
title_fullStr Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
title_full_unstemmed Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
title_short Organic Compounds in a Sub‐Antarctic Ice Core: A Potential Suite of Sea Ice Markers
title_sort organic compounds in a sub antarctic ice core a potential suite of sea ice markers
topic ice core
sea ice
sub‐Antarctic
biomarkers
Bouvet
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084249
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AT bmarkle organiccompoundsinasubantarcticicecoreapotentialsuiteofseaicemarkers
AT mpotocki organiccompoundsinasubantarcticicecoreapotentialsuiteofseaicemarkers
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