Articles | Volume 22, issue 24
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15637-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-15637-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Dec 2022
Research article |
| 14 Dec 2022
| 14 Dec 2022
Photolytic modification of seasonal nitrate isotope cycles in East Antarctica
Discipline of Geography, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
Joël Savarino
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
Nicolas Caillon
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
Olivier Magand
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
Emmanuel Le Meur
Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, IRD, Grenoble INP, IGE, Grenoble, France
Related authors
Agnese Petteni, Mathieu Casado, Christophe Leroy-Dos Santos, Amaelle Landais, Niels Dutrievoz, Cécile Agosta, Pete D. Akers, Joel Savarino, Andrea Spolaor, Massimo Frezzotti, and Barbara Stenni
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3188, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3188, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the isotopic composition of surface snow in a previously unexplored region of East Antarctica to understand how differences in air mass origin influence its variability. By comparing observations with model data, we validated the model and quantified the impact of post-depositional processes at the snow–atmosphere interface. Our results offer valuable insights for reconstructing past temperatures from ice cores.
Adrien Ooms, Mathieu Casado, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Maria Hörhold, Andrea Spolaor, Rita Traversi, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, Pete Akers, Birthe Twarloh, and Valérie Masson-Delmotte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
This work presents a new approach to the estimation of accumulation rates at Concordia Station, East-Antarctica, for the last 20 years, from a new data set of chemical tracers and snow micro-scale properties measured in a snow trench. Multi-annual and meter to decameter scale variability of accumulation rates are compared again in-situ measurements of surface laser scanner and stake farm, with very good agreement. This further constrains SMB estimation for Antarctica at high temporal resolution.
Agnese Petteni, Elise Fourré, Elsa Gautier, Azzurra Spagnesi, Roxanne Jacob, Pete D. Akers, Daniele Zannoni, Jacopo Gabrieli, Olivier Jossoud, Frédéric Prié, Amaëlle Landais, Titouan Tcheng, Barbara Stenni, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, and Mathieu Casado
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3335, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3335, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our research compares three CFA-CRDS systems from Venice, Paris, and Grenoble for measuring water isotopes in ice cores, crucial for reconstructing past climate. We quantify each system’s mixing and measurement noise effects, which impact the achievable resolution of isotope continuous records. Our findings reveal specific configurations and procedures to enhance measurement accuracy, providing a framework to optimise water isotope analysis.
Alexis Lamothe, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, Lison Soussaintjean, Elsa Gautier, Pete D. Akers, Nicolas Caillon, and Joseph Erbland
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4015–4030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4015-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4015-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ammonia is a reactive gas in our atmosphere that is key in air quality issues. Assessing its emissions and how it reacts is a hot topic that can be addressed from the past. Stable isotopes (the mass of the molecule) measured in ice cores (glacial archives) can teach us a lot. However, the concentrations in ice cores are very small. We propose a protocol to limit the contamination and apply it to one ice core drilled in Mont Blanc, describing the opportunities our method brings.
Pete D. Akers, Ben G. Kopec, Kyle S. Mattingly, Eric S. Klein, Douglas Causey, and Jeffrey M. Welker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13929–13955, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Water vapor isotopes recorded for 2 years in coastal northern Greenland largely reflect changes in sea ice cover, with distinct values when Baffin Bay is ice covered in winter vs. open in summer. Resulting changes in moisture transport, surface winds, and air temperature also modify the isotopes. Local glacial ice may thus preserve past changes in the Baffin Bay sea ice extent, and this will help us better understand how the Arctic environment and water cycle responds to global climate change.
Ben G. Kopec, Pete D. Akers, Eric S. Klein, and Jeffery M. Welker
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-276, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-276, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Significant mass loss to the Greenland Ice Sheet has occurred over recent decades, marked by a record summer melt season in 2019. Water vapor fluxes from the ice sheet surface, including sublimation and meltwater evaporation, are a growing component of the mass balance. Using water vapor isotope measurements in northwest Greenland, we identify the signal of these fluxes and show how they correspond with melt extent. These vapor fluxes contribute ~20 % of water vapor advected off the ice sheet.
Agnese Petteni, Mathieu Casado, Christophe Leroy-Dos Santos, Amaelle Landais, Niels Dutrievoz, Cécile Agosta, Pete D. Akers, Joel Savarino, Andrea Spolaor, Massimo Frezzotti, and Barbara Stenni
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3188, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3188, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the isotopic composition of surface snow in a previously unexplored region of East Antarctica to understand how differences in air mass origin influence its variability. By comparing observations with model data, we validated the model and quantified the impact of post-depositional processes at the snow–atmosphere interface. Our results offer valuable insights for reconstructing past temperatures from ice cores.
Adrien Ooms, Mathieu Casado, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Maria Hörhold, Andrea Spolaor, Rita Traversi, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, Pete Akers, Birthe Twarloh, and Valérie Masson-Delmotte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
This work presents a new approach to the estimation of accumulation rates at Concordia Station, East-Antarctica, for the last 20 years, from a new data set of chemical tracers and snow micro-scale properties measured in a snow trench. Multi-annual and meter to decameter scale variability of accumulation rates are compared again in-situ measurements of surface laser scanner and stake farm, with very good agreement. This further constrains SMB estimation for Antarctica at high temporal resolution.
Lison Soussaintjean, Jochen Schmitt, Joël Savarino, J. Andy Menking, Edward J. Brook, Barbara Seth, Vladimir Lipenkov, Thomas Röckmann, and Hubertus Fischer
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3108, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3108, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Biogeosciences (BG).
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrous oxide (N2O) produced in dust-rich Antarctic ice complicates the reconstruction of past atmospheric levels from ice core records. Using isotope analysis, we show that N2O forms from two nitrogen precursors, one being nitrate. For the first time, we demonstrate that the site preference (SP) of N2O reflects the isotopic difference between these precursors, not the production pathway, which challenges the common interpretation of SP.
Titouan Tcheng, Elise Fourré, Christophe Leroy-Dos-Santos, Frédéric Parrenin, Emmanuel Le Meur, Frédéric Prié, Olivier Jossoud, Roxanne Jacob, Bénédicte Minster, Olivier Magand, Cécile Agosta, Niels Dutrievoz, Vincent Favier, Léa Baubant, Coralie Lassalle-Bernard, Mathieu Casado, Martin Werner, Alexandre Cauquoin, Laurent Arnaud, Bruno Jourdain, Ghislain Picard, Marie Bouchet, and Amaëlle Landais
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2863, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2863, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Studying Antarctic ice cores is crucial to assess past climate changes, as they hold historical climate data. This study examines multiple ice cores from three sites in coastal Adélie Land to see if combining cores improves data interpretability. It does at two sites, but at a third, wind-driven snow layer mixing limited benefits. We show that using multiple ice cores from one location can better uncover climate history, especially in areas with less wind disturbance.
Filip Pastierovic, Roberto Grilli, Nicolas Caillon, and Joel Savarino
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3115, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3115, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The development of an open detector based on absorption spectroscopy, enhanced by high-reflectivity mirrors, for the simultaneous measurement of NO2, IO, and CHOCHO is reported. The instrument shows good correlation with a closed system during both indoor and outdoor measurements. An open system is able to measure NO2, IO, and CHOCHO with high precision.
Zhao Wei, Shohei Hattori, Asuka Tsuruta, Zhuang Jiang, Sakiko Ishino, Koji Fujita, Sumito Matoba, Lei Geng, Alexis Lamothe, Ryu Uemura, Naohiro Yoshida, Joel Savarino, and Yoshinori Iizuka
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 5727–5742, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-5727-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrate isotope records in ice cores reveal changes in NOₓ emissions and atmospheric oxidation chemistry driven by human activity. However, UV-driven postdepositional processes can alter nitrate in snow, making snow accumulation rates critical for preserving these records. This study examines nitrate isotopes in a southeastern Greenland ice core, where high snow accumulation minimizes these effects, providing a reliable archive of atmospheric nitrogen cycling.
Brice Barret, Patrice Medina, Natalie Brett, Roman Pohorsky, Kathy S. Law, Slimane Bekki, Gilberto J. Fochesatto, Julia Schmale, Steve R. Arnold, Andrea Baccarini, Maurizio Busetto, Meeta Cesler-Maloney, Barbara D'Anna, Stefano Decesari, Jingqiu Mao, Gianluca Pappaccogli, Joel Savarino, Federico Scoto, and William R. Simpson
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 18, 1163–1184, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1163-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-18-1163-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The Fairbanks area experiences severe pollution episodes in winter because of enhanced emissions of pollutants trapped near the surface by strong temperature inversions. Low-cost sensors were deployed on board a car and a tethered balloon to measure the concentrations of gaseous pollutants (CO, O3, and NOx) in Fairbanks during winter 2022. Data calibration with reference measurements and machine learning methods enabled us to document pollution at the surface and power plant plumes aloft.
Natalie Brett, Kathy S. Law, Steve R. Arnold, Javier G. Fochesatto, Jean-Christophe Raut, Tatsuo Onishi, Robert Gilliam, Kathleen Fahey, Deanna Huff, George Pouliot, Brice Barret, Elsa Dieudonné, Roman Pohorsky, Julia Schmale, Andrea Baccarini, Slimane Bekki, Gianluca Pappaccogli, Federico Scoto, Stefano Decesari, Antonio Donateo, Meeta Cesler-Maloney, William Simpson, Patrice Medina, Barbara D'Anna, Brice Temime-Roussel, Joel Savarino, Sarah Albertin, Jingqiu Mao, Becky Alexander, Allison Moon, Peter F. DeCarlo, Vanessa Selimovic, Robert Yokelson, and Ellis S. Robinson
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 25, 1063–1104, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1063-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-25-1063-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Processes influencing dispersion of local anthropogenic pollution in Arctic wintertime are investigated with Lagrangian dispersion modelling. Simulated power plant plume rise that considers temperature inversion layers improves results compared to observations (interior Alaska). Modelled surface concentrations are improved by representation of vertical mixing and emission estimates. Large increases in diesel vehicle emissions at temperatures reaching −35°C are required to reproduce observed NOx.
Agnese Petteni, Elise Fourré, Elsa Gautier, Azzurra Spagnesi, Roxanne Jacob, Pete D. Akers, Daniele Zannoni, Jacopo Gabrieli, Olivier Jossoud, Frédéric Prié, Amaëlle Landais, Titouan Tcheng, Barbara Stenni, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, and Mathieu Casado
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3335, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3335, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Our research compares three CFA-CRDS systems from Venice, Paris, and Grenoble for measuring water isotopes in ice cores, crucial for reconstructing past climate. We quantify each system’s mixing and measurement noise effects, which impact the achievable resolution of isotope continuous records. Our findings reveal specific configurations and procedures to enhance measurement accuracy, providing a framework to optimise water isotope analysis.
Amna Ijaz, Brice Temime-Roussel, Benjamin Chazeau, Sarah Albertin, Stephen R. Arnold, Brice Barrett, Slimane Bekki, Natalie Brett, Meeta Cesler-Maloney, Elsa Dieudonne, Kayane K. Dingilian, Javier G. Fochesatto, Jingqiu Mao, Allison Moon, Joel Savarino, William Simpson, Rodney J. Weber, Kathy S. Law, and Barbara D'Anna
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3789, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3789, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Fairbanks is among the most polluted cities with the highest particulate matter (PM) levels in the US during winters. Highly time-resolved measurements of the sub-micron PM elucidated residential heating with wood and oil and hydrocarbon-like organics from traffic, as well as sulphur-containing organic aerosol, to be the key pollution sources. Remarkable differences existed between complementary instruments, warranting the deployment of multiple tools at sites with wide-ranging influences.
Floriane Provost, Dimitri Zigone, Emmanuel Le Meur, Jean-Philippe Malet, and Clément Hibert
The Cryosphere, 18, 3067–3079, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3067-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3067-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The recent calving of Astrolabe Glacier in November 2021 presents an opportunity to better understand the processes leading to ice fracturing. Optical-satellite imagery is used to retrieve the calving cycle of the glacier ice tongue and to measure the ice velocity and strain rates in order to document fracture evolution. We observed that the presence of sea ice for consecutive years has favoured the glacier extension but failed to inhibit the growth of fractures that accelerated in June 2021.
V. Holly L. Winton, Robert Mulvaney, Joel Savarino, Kyle R. Clem, and Markus M. Frey
Clim. Past, 20, 1213–1232, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-1213-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-1213-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In 2018, a new 120 m ice core was drilled in a region located under the Antarctic ozone hole. We present the first results including a 1300-year record of snow accumulation and aerosol chemistry. We investigate the aerosol and moisture source regions and atmospheric processes related to the ice core record and discuss what this means for developing a record of past ultraviolet radiation and ozone depletion using the stable isotopic composition of nitrate measured in the same ice core.
Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Joel Savarino, and Lei Geng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 4895–4914, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4895-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-4895-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-core nitrate could track the past atmospheric NOx and oxidant level, but its interpretation is hampered by the post-depositional processing. In this work, an inverse model was developed and tested against two polar sites and was shown to well reproduce the observed nitrate signals in snow and atmosphere, suggesting that the model can properly correct for the effect of post-depositional processing. This model offers a very useful tool for future studies on ice-core nitrate records.
Sarah Albertin, Joël Savarino, Slimane Bekki, Albane Barbero, Roberto Grilli, Quentin Fournier, Irène Ventrillard, Nicolas Caillon, and Kathy Law
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 1361–1388, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1361-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-1361-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study reports the first simultaneous records of oxygen (Δ17O) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotopes in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitrate (NO3−). These data are combined with atmospheric observations to explore sub-daily N reactive chemistry and quantify N fractionation effects in an Alpine winter city. The results highlight the necessity of using Δ17O and δ15N in both NO2 and NO3− to avoid biased estimations of NOx sources and fates from NO3− isotopic records in urban winter environments.
Alexis Lamothe, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, Lison Soussaintjean, Elsa Gautier, Pete D. Akers, Nicolas Caillon, and Joseph Erbland
Atmos. Meas. Tech., 16, 4015–4030, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4015-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-16-4015-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ammonia is a reactive gas in our atmosphere that is key in air quality issues. Assessing its emissions and how it reacts is a hot topic that can be addressed from the past. Stable isotopes (the mass of the molecule) measured in ice cores (glacial archives) can teach us a lot. However, the concentrations in ice cores are very small. We propose a protocol to limit the contamination and apply it to one ice core drilled in Mont Blanc, describing the opportunities our method brings.
Aymeric P. M. Servettaz, Anaïs J. Orsi, Mark A. J. Curran, Andrew D. Moy, Amaelle Landais, Joseph R. McConnell, Trevor J. Popp, Emmanuel Le Meur, Xavier Faïn, and Jérôme Chappellaz
Clim. Past, 19, 1125–1152, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-1125-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-19-1125-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The temperature of the past 2000 years is still poorly known in vast parts of the East Antarctic plateau. In this study, we present temperature reconstructions based on water and gas stable isotopes from the Aurora Basin North ice core. Spatial and temporal significance of each proxy differs, and we can identify some cold periods in the snow temperature up to 2°C cooler in the 1000–1400 CE period, which could not be determined with water isotopes only.
Simone Ventisette, Samuele Baldini, Claudio Artoni, Silvia Becagli, Laura Caiazzo, Barbara Delmonte, Massimo Frezzotti, Raffaello Nardin, Joel Savarino, Mirko Severi, Andrea Spolaor, Barbara Stenni, and Rita Traversi
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-393, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-393, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
The paper reports the spatial variability of concentration and fluxes of chemical impurities in superficial snow over unexplored area of the East Antarctic ice sheet. Pinatubo and Puyehue-Cordón Caulle volcanic eruptions in non-sea salt sulfate and dust snow pits record were used to achieve the accumulation rates. Deposition (wet, dry and uptake from snow surface) and post deposition processes are constrained. These knowledges are fundamental in Antarctic ice cores stratigraphies interpretation.
Alkuin M. Koenig, Olivier Magand, Bert Verreyken, Jerome Brioude, Crist Amelynck, Niels Schoon, Aurélie Colomb, Beatriz Ferreira Araujo, Michel Ramonet, Mahesh K. Sha, Jean-Pierre Cammas, Jeroen E. Sonke, and Aurélien Dommergue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 23, 1309–1328, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1309-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-23-1309-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The global distribution of mercury, a potent neurotoxin, depends on atmospheric transport, chemistry, and interactions between the Earth’s surface and the air. Our understanding of these processes is still hampered by insufficient observations. Here, we present new data from a mountain observatory in the Southern Hemisphere. We give insights into mercury concentrations in air masses coming from aloft, and we show that tropical mountain vegetation may be a daytime source of mercury to the air.
Yanzhi Cao, Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Jihong Cole-Dai, Joel Savarino, Joseph Erbland, and Lei Geng
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13407–13422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13407-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13407-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the potential of ice-core preserved nitrate isotopes as proxies of stratospheric ozone variability by measuring nitrate isotopes in a shallow ice core from the South Pole. The large variability in the snow accumulation rate and its slight increase after the 1970s masked any signals caused by the ozone hole. Moreover, the nitrate oxygen isotope decrease may reflect changes in the atmospheric oxidation environment in the Southern Ocean.
Albane Barbero, Roberto Grilli, Markus M. Frey, Camille Blouzon, Detlev Helmig, Nicolas Caillon, and Joël Savarino
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 12025–12054, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12025-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-12025-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The high reactivity of the summer Antarctic boundary layer results in part from the emissions of nitrogen oxides produced during photo-denitrification of the snowpack, but its underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. The results of this study suggest that more NO2 is produced from the snowpack early in the photolytic season, possibly due to stronger UV irradiance caused by a smaller solar zenith angle near the solstice.
Zhuang Jiang, Joel Savarino, Becky Alexander, Joseph Erbland, Jean-Luc Jaffrezo, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 16, 2709–2724, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2709-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2709-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A record of year-round atmospheric nitrate isotopic composition along with snow nitrate isotopic data from Summit, Greenland, revealed apparent enrichments in nitrogen isotopes in snow nitrate compared to atmospheric nitrate, in addition to a relatively smaller degree of changes in oxygen isotopes. The results suggest that at this site post-depositional processing takes effect, which should be taken into account when interpreting ice-core nitrate isotope records.
Saehee Lim, Meehye Lee, Joel Savarino, and Paolo Laj
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 5099–5115, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5099-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-5099-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We determined δ15N(NO3−) and Δ17O(NO3−) of PM2.5 in Seoul during 2018–2019 and estimated quantitatively the contribution of oxidation pathways to NO3− formation and NOx emission sources. The nighttime pathway played a significant role in NO3− formation during the winter, and its contribution further increased up to 70 % on haze days when PM2.5 was greater than 75 µg m−3. Vehicle emissions were confirmed as a main NO3− source with an increasing contribution from coal combustion in winter.
Sharmine Akter Simu, Yuzo Miyazaki, Eri Tachibana, Henning Finkenzeller, Jérôme Brioude, Aurélie Colomb, Olivier Magand, Bert Verreyken, Stephanie Evan, Rainer Volkamer, and Trissevgeni Stavrakou
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 17017–17029, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17017-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-17017-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The tropical Indian Ocean (IO) is expected to be a significant source of water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC), which is relevant to cloud formation. Our study showed that marine secondary organic formation dominantly contributed to the aerosol WSOC mass at the high-altitude observatory in the southwest IO in the wet season in both marine boundary layer and free troposphere (FT). This suggests that the effect of marine secondary sources is important up to FT, a process missing in climate models.
Laura Crick, Andrea Burke, William Hutchison, Mika Kohno, Kathryn A. Moore, Joel Savarino, Emily A. Doyle, Sue Mahony, Sepp Kipfstuhl, James W. B. Rae, Robert C. J. Steele, R. Stephen J. Sparks, and Eric W. Wolff
Clim. Past, 17, 2119–2137, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-2119-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-2119-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The ~ 74 ka eruption of Toba was one of the largest eruptions of the last 100 ka. We have measured the sulfur isotopic composition for 11 Toba eruption candidates in two Antarctic ice cores. Sulfur isotopes allow us to distinguish between large eruptions that have erupted material into the stratosphere and smaller ones that reach lower altitudes. Using this we have identified the events most likely to be Toba and place the eruption on the transition into a cold period in the Northern Hemisphere.
Zhuang Jiang, Becky Alexander, Joel Savarino, Joseph Erbland, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 15, 4207–4220, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4207-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4207-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We used a snow photochemistry model (TRANSITS) to simulate the seasonal nitrate snow profile at Summit, Greenland. Comparisons between model outputs and observations suggest that at Summit post-depositional processing is active and probably dominates the snowpack δ15N seasonality. We also used the model to assess the degree of snow nitrate loss and the consequences in its isotopes at present and in the past, which helps for quantitative interpretations of ice-core nitrate records.
Sarah Albertin, Joël Savarino, Slimane Bekki, Albane Barbero, and Nicolas Caillon
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 10477–10497, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10477-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-10477-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We report an efficient method to collect atmospheric NO2 adapted for multi-isotopic analysis and present the first NO2 triple oxygen and double nitrogen isotope measurements. Atmospheric samplings carried out in Grenoble, France, highlight the NO2 isotopic signature sensitivity to the local NOx emissions and chemical regimes. These preliminary results are very promising for using the combination of Δ17O and δ15N of NO2 as a probe of the atmospheric NOx emissions and chemistry.
Alkuin Maximilian Koenig, Olivier Magand, Paolo Laj, Marcos Andrade, Isabel Moreno, Fernando Velarde, Grover Salvatierra, René Gutierrez, Luis Blacutt, Diego Aliaga, Thomas Reichler, Karine Sellegri, Olivier Laurent, Michel Ramonet, and Aurélien Dommergue
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 21, 3447–3472, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3447-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-21-3447-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The environmental cycling of atmospheric mercury, a harmful global contaminant, is still not sufficiently constrained, partly due to missing data in remote regions. Here, we address this issue by presenting 20 months of atmospheric mercury measurements, sampled in the Bolivian Andes. We observe a significant seasonal pattern, whose key features we explore. Moreover, we deduce ratios to constrain South American biomass burning mercury emissions and the mercury uptake by the Amazon rainforest.
Romie Tignat-Perrier, Aurélien Dommergue, Alban Thollot, Olivier Magand, Timothy M. Vogel, and Catherine Larose
Biogeosciences, 17, 6081–6095, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-6081-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-6081-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The adverse atmospheric environmental conditions do not appear suited for microbial life. We conducted the first global comparative metagenomic analysis to find out if airborne microbial communities might be selected by their ability to resist these adverse conditions. The relatively higher concentration of fungi led to the observation of higher proportions of stress-related functions in air. Fungi might likely resist and survive atmospheric physical stress better than bacteria.
Pete D. Akers, Ben G. Kopec, Kyle S. Mattingly, Eric S. Klein, Douglas Causey, and Jeffrey M. Welker
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 13929–13955, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-13929-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Water vapor isotopes recorded for 2 years in coastal northern Greenland largely reflect changes in sea ice cover, with distinct values when Baffin Bay is ice covered in winter vs. open in summer. Resulting changes in moisture transport, surface winds, and air temperature also modify the isotopes. Local glacial ice may thus preserve past changes in the Baffin Bay sea ice extent, and this will help us better understand how the Arctic environment and water cycle responds to global climate change.
Ben G. Kopec, Pete D. Akers, Eric S. Klein, and Jeffery M. Welker
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-276, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-276, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Significant mass loss to the Greenland Ice Sheet has occurred over recent decades, marked by a record summer melt season in 2019. Water vapor fluxes from the ice sheet surface, including sublimation and meltwater evaporation, are a growing component of the mass balance. Using water vapor isotope measurements in northwest Greenland, we identify the signal of these fluxes and show how they correspond with melt extent. These vapor fluxes contribute ~20 % of water vapor advected off the ice sheet.
Cited articles
Agosta, C., Favier, V., Genthon, C., Gallée, H., Krinner, G., Lenaerts, J. T. M., and van den Broeke, M. R.:
A 40-year accumulation dataset for Adelie Land, Antarctica and its application for model validation, Clim. Dynam., 38, 75–86, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1103-4, 2012.
Agosta, C., Amory, C., Kittel, C., Orsi, A., Favier, V., Gallée, H., van den Broeke, M. R., Lenaerts, J. T. M., van Wessem, J. M., van de Berg, W. J., and Fettweis, X.:
Estimation of the Antarctic surface mass balance using the regional climate model MAR (1979–2015) and identification of dominant processes, The Cryosphere, 13, 281–296, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-281-2019, 2019.
Akers, P. D.: pete-d-akers/chictaba-nitrate: CHICTABA transect, Antarctica, snow nitrate analysis (v1.1), Zenodo [code], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7287413, 2022.
Akers, P. D., Savarino, J., Caillon, N., Magand, O., and Le Meur, E.: Nitrate isotopic data from snow collected along the CHICTABA traverse, East Antarctica, 2013–2014, PANGAEA [data set], https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.948355, 2022a.
Akers, P. D., Savarino, J., Caillon, N., Servettaz, A. P. M., Le Meur, E., Magand, O., Martins, J., Agosta, C., Crockford, P., Kobayashi, K., Hattori, S., Curran, M., van Ommen, T., Jong, L., and Roberts, J. L.:
Sunlight-driven nitrate loss records Antarctic surface mass balance, Nat. Commun., 13, 4274, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31855-7, 2022b.
Alexander, B., Hastings, M. G., Allman, D. J., Dachs, J., Thornton, J. A., and Kunasek, S. A.:
Quantifying atmospheric nitrate formation pathways based on a global model of the oxygen isotopic composition (Δ17O) of atmospheric nitrate, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 5043–5056, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-5043-2009, 2009.
Amory, C., Kittel, C., Le Toumelin, L., Agosta, C., Delhasse, A., Favier, V., and Fettweis, X.:
Performance of MAR (v3.11) in simulating the drifting-snow climate and surface mass balance of Adélie Land, East Antarctica, Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 3487–3510, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-3487-2021, 2021.
Baertschi, P.:
Absolute 18O content of standard mean ocean water, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 31, 341–344, 1976.
Barbero, A., Savarino, J., Grilli, R., Blouzon, C., Picard, G., Frey, M. M., Huang, Y., and Caillon, N.:
New estimation of the NOx snow-source on the Antarctic Plateau, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2021JD035062, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD035062, 2021.
Berhanu, T., Meusinger, C., Erbland, J., Jost, R., Bhattacharya, S., Johnson, M., and Savarino, J.:
Laboratory study of nitrate photolysis in Antarctic snow. II. Isotopic effects and wavelength dependence, J. Chem. Phys., 140, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4882899, 2014.
Berhanu, T. A., Savarino, J., Erbland, J., Vicars, W. C., Preunkert, S., Martins, J. F., and Johnson, M. S.:
Isotopic effects of nitrate photochemistry in snow: a field study at Dome C, Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 11243–11256, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-11243-2015, 2015.
Blunier, T., Floch, G. L., Jacobi, H.-W., and Quansah, E.:
Isotopic view on nitrate loss in Antarctic surface snow, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L13501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL023011, 2005.
Buizert, C., Cuffey, K. M., Severinghaus, J. P., Baggenstos, D., Fudge, T. J., Steig, E. J., Markle, B. R., Winstrup, M., Rhodes, R. H., Brook, E. J., Sowers, T. A., Clow, G. D., Cheng, H., Edwards, R. L., Sigl, M., McConnell, J. R., and Taylor, K. C.:
The WAIS Divide deep ice core WD2014 chronology – Part 1: Methane synchronization (68–31 ka BP) and the gas age–ice age difference, Clim. Past, 11, 153–173, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-153-2015, 2015.
Cao, Y., Jiang, Z., Alexander, B., Cole-Dai, J., Savarino, J., Erbland, J., and Geng, L.:
On the potential fingerprint of the Antarctic ozone hole in ice-core nitrate isotopes: a case study based on a South Pole ice core, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 22, 13407–13422, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-22-13407-2022, 2022.
Casciotti, K. L., Sigman, D. M., Hastings, M. G., Böhlke, J. K., and Hilkert, A.:
Measurement of the oxygen isotopic composition of nitrate in seawater and freshwater using the denitrifier method, Anal. Chem., 74, 4905–4912, https://doi.org/10.1021/ac020113w, 2002.
COMNAP:
Antarctic station catalogue, Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programs, Christchurch, NZ, 2017.
Davis, D., Chen, G., Buhr, M., Crawford, J., Lenschow, D., Lefer, B., Shetter, R., Eisele, F., Mauldin, L., and Hogan, A.:
South Pole NOx chemistry: an assessment of factors controlling variability and absolute levels, Atmos. Environ., 38, 5375–5388, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2004.04.039, 2004.
Davis, D. D., Seelig, J., Huey, G., Crawford, J., Chen, G., Wang, Y., Buhr, M., Helmig, D., Neff, W., Blake, D., Arimoto, R., and Eisele, F.:
A reassessment of Antarctic plateau reactive nitrogen based on ANTCI 2003 airborne and ground based measurements, Atmos. Environ., 42, 2831–2848, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2007.07.039, 2008.
Djoumna, G. and Holland, D. M.:
Atmospheric rivers, warm air intrusions, and surface radiation balance in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2020JD034119, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD034119, 2021.
Erbland, J., Vicars, W. C., Savarino, J., Morin, S., Frey, M. M., Frosini, D., Vince, E., and Martins, J. M. F.:
Air–snow transfer of nitrate on the East Antarctic Plateau – Part 1: Isotopic evidence for a photolytically driven dynamic equilibrium in summer, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 6403–6419, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-6403-2013, 2013.
Erbland, J., Savarino, J., Morin, S., France, J. L., Frey, M. M., and King, M. D.:
Air–snow transfer of nitrate on the East Antarctic Plateau – Part 2: An isotopic model for the interpretation of deep ice-core records, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 12079–12113, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-12079-2015, 2015.
Fahey, D. W., Kelly, K. K., Kawa, S. R., Tuck, A. F., Loewenstein, M., Chan, K. R., and Heidt, L. E.:
Observations of denitrification and dehydration in the winter polar stratospheres, Nature, 344, 321–324, https://doi.org/10.1038/344321a0, 1990.
Fibiger, D. L., Hastings, M. G., Dibb, J. E., and Huey, L. G.:
The preservation of atmospheric nitrate in snow at Summit, Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 3484–3489, https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50659, 2013.
France, J. L., King, M. D., Frey, M. M., Erbland, J., Picard, G., Preunkert, S., MacArthur, A., and Savarino, J.:
Snow optical properties at Dome C (Concordia), Antarctica; implications for snow emissions and snow chemistry of reactive nitrogen, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 9787–9801, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-11-9787-2011, 2011.
France, J. L., King, M. D., Lee-Taylor, J., Beine, H. J., Ianniello, A., Domine, F., and MacArthur, A.:
Calculations of in-snow NO2 and OH radical photochemical production and photolysis rates: A field and radiative-transfer study of the optical properties of Arctic (Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard) snow, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 116, F04013, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002019, 2020.
Frey, M. M., Savarino, J., Morin, S., Erbland, J., and Martins, J. M. F.:
Photolysis imprint in the nitrate stable isotope signal in snow and atmosphere of East Antarctica and implications for reactive nitrogen cycling, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 9, 8681–8696, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-9-8681-2009, 2009.
Freyer, H. D., Kobel, K., Delmas, R. J., Kley, D., and Legrand, M. R.:
First results of
Frezzotti, M., Gandolfi, S., Marca, F. L., and Urbini, S.:
Snow dunes and glazed surfaces in Antarctica: new field and remote-sensing data, Ann. Glaciol., 34, 81–88, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756402781817851, 2002.
Fudge, T. J., Markle, B. R., Cuffey, K. M., Buizert, C., Taylor, K. C., Steig, E. J., Waddington, E. D., Conway, H., and Koutnik, M.:
Variable relationship between accumulation and temperature in West Antarctica for the past 31,000 years, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 3795–3803, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068356, 2016.
Gautier, E., Savarino, J., Erbland, J., Lanciki, A., and Possenti, P.:
Variability of sulfate signal in ice core records based on five replicate cores, Clim. Past, 12, 103–113, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-12-103-2016, 2016.
Geng, L., Zatko, M., Alexander, B., Fudge, T., Schauer, A., Murray, L., and Mickley, L.:
Effects of postdepositional processing on nitrogen isotopes of nitrate in the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 ice core, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 5346–5354, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL064218, 2015.
Gorodetskaya, I. V., Tsukernik, M., Claes, K., Ralph, M. F., Neff, W. D., and Van Lipzig, N. P. M.:
The role of atmospheric rivers in anomalous snow accumulation in East Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 6199–6206, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014GL060881, 2014.
Grannas, A. M., Jones, A. E., Dibb, J., Ammann, M., Anastasio, C., Beine, H. J., Bergin, M., Bottenheim, J., Boxe, C. S., Carver, G., Chen, G., Crawford, J. H., Dominé, F., Frey, M. M., Guzmán, M. I., Heard, D. E., Helmig, D., Hoffmann, M. R., Honrath, R. E., Huey, L. G., Hutterli, M., Jacobi, H. W., Klán, P., Lefer, B., McConnell, J., Plane, J., Sander, R., Savarino, J., Shepson, P. B., Simpson, W. R., Sodeau, J. R., von Glasow, R., Weller, R., Wolff, E. W., and Zhu, T.:
An overview of snow photochemistry: evidence, mechanisms and impacts, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 4329–4373, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-4329-2007, 2007.
Hastings, M. G., Steig, E. J., and Sigman, D. M.:
Seasonal variations in N and O isotopes of nitrate in snow at Summit, Greenland: Implications for the study of nitrate in snow and ice cores, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 109, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004991, 2004.
Howat, I. M., Porter, C., Smith, B. E., Noh, M.-J., and Morin, P.:
The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 13, 665–674, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-665-2019, 2019.
Ishino, S., Hattori, S., Savarino, J., Jourdain, B., Preunkert, S., Legrand, M., Caillon, N., Barbero, A., Kuribayashi, K., and Yoshida, N.:
Seasonal variations of triple oxygen isotopic compositions of atmospheric sulfate, nitrate, and ozone at Dumont d'Urville, coastal Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 17, 3713–3727, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-17-3713-2017, 2017.
Jacobi, H.-W. and Hilker, B.:
A mechanism for the photochemical transformation of nitrate in snow, J. Photoch. Photobio. A, 185, 371–382, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jphotochem.2006.06.039, 2007.
Jiang, S., Shi, G., Cole-Dai, J., Geng, L., Ferris, D. G., An, C., and Li, Y.:
Nitrate preservation in snow at Dome A, East Antarctica from ice core concentration and isotope records, Atmos. Environ., 213, 405–412, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.06.031, 2019.
Kaiser, J., Hastings, M. G., Houlton, B. Z., Röckmann, T., and Sigman, D. M.:
Triple oxygen isotope analysis of nitrate Using the denitrifier method and thermal decomposition of N2O, Anal. Chem., 79, 599–607, https://doi.org/10.1021/ac061022s, 2007.
Kamezaki, K., Hattori, S., Iwamoto, Y., Ishino, S., Furutani, H., Miki, Y., Uematsu, M., Miura, K., and Yoshida, N.:
Tracing the sources and formation pathways of atmospheric particulate nitrate over the Pacific Ocean using stable isotopes, Atmos. Environ., 209, 152–166, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2019.04.026, 2019.
Lee, H.-M., Henze, D. K., Alexander, B., and Murray, L. T.:
Investigating the sensitivity of surface-level nitrate seasonality in Antarctica to primary sources using a global model, Atmos. Environ., 89, 757–767, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.03.003, 2014.
Legrand, M., Wolff, E., Wagenbach, D., and Jacka, T.:
Antarctic aerosol and snowfall chemistry: implications for deep Antarctic ice-core chemistry, Ann. Glaciol., Vol 29, 1999, 29, 66–72, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756499781821094, 1999.
Libois, Q., Picard, G., Arnaud, L., Morin, S., and Brun, E.:
Modeling the impact of snow drift on the decameter-scale variability of snow properties on the Antarctic Plateau, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 119, 11662–11681, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JD022361, 2014.
Lilien, D. A., Steinhage, D., Taylor, D., Parrenin, F., Ritz, C., Mulvaney, R., Martín, C., Yan, J.-B., O'Neill, C., Frezzotti, M., Miller, H., Gogineni, P., Dahl-Jensen, D., and Eisen, O.:
Brief communication: New radar constraints support presence of ice older than 1.5 Myr at Little Dome C, The Cryosphere, 15, 1881–1888, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1881-2021, 2021.
Mariotti, A.:
Atmospheric nitrogen is a reliable standard for natural 15N abundance measurements, Nature, 303, 685–687, https://doi.org/10.1038/303685a0, 1983.
McCabe, J. R., Boxe, C. S., Colussi, A. J., Hoffmann, M. R., and Thiemens, M. H.:
Oxygen isotopic fractionation in the photochemistry of nitrate in water and ice, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 110, D15310, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD005484, 2005.
McCabe, J. R., Thiemens, M. H., and Savarino, J.:
A record of ozone variability in South Pole Antarctic snow: Role of nitrate oxygen isotopes, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 112, D12303, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jd007822, 2007.
Meusinger, C., Berhanu, T. A., Erbland, J., Savarino, J., and Johnson, M. S.:
Laboratory study of nitrate photolysis in Antarctic snow. I. Observed quantum yield, domain of photolysis, and secondary chemistry, J. Chem. Phys., 140, 244305, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4882898, 2014.
Michalski, G., Bockheim, J., Kendall, C., and Thiemens, M.:
Isotopic composition of Antarctic Dry Valley nitrate: Implications for NOy sources and cycling in Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L13817, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL022121, 2005.
Morin, S., Savarino, J., Frey, M., Domine, F., Jacobi, H., Kaleschke, L., and Martins, J.:
Comprehensive isotopic composition of atmospheric nitrate in the Atlantic Ocean boundary layer from 65∘ S to 79∘ N, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 114, D05303, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JD010696, 2009.
Neubauer, J. and Heumann, K.:
Determination of nitrate at the ng/g level in Antarctic snow samples with ion chromatography and isotope-dilution mass-spectrometry, Fresen. Z. Anal. Chem., 331, 170–173, https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01105161, 1988.
Noro, K., Hattori, S., Uemura, R., Fukui, K., Hirabayashi, M., Kawamura, K., Motoyama, H., Takenaka, N., and Yoshida, N.:
Spatial variation of isotopic compositions of snowpack nitrate related to post-depositional processes in eastern Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, Geochem. J., 52, e7–e14, https://doi.org/10.2343/geochemj.2.0519, 2018.
Picard, G., Arnaud, L., Caneill, R., Lefebvre, E., and Lamare, M.:
Observation of the process of snow accumulation on the Antarctic Plateau by time lapse laser scanning, The Cryosphere, 13, 1983–1999, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1983-2019, 2019.
Röthlisberger, R., Bigler, M., Hutterli, M., Sommer, S., Stauffer, B., Junghans, H. G., and Wagenbach, D.:
Technique for continuous high-resolution analysis of trace substances in firn and ice cores, Environ. Sci. Technol., 34, 338–342, https://doi.org/10.1021/es9907055, 2000.
Röthlisberger, R., Hutterli, M. A., Wolff, E. W., Mulvaney, R., Fischer, H., Bigler, M., Goto-Azuma, K., Hansson, M. E., Ruth, U., Siggaard-Andersen, M.-L., and Steffensen, J. P.:
Nitrate in Greenland and Antarctic ice cores: a detailed description of post-depositional processes, Ann. Glaciol., 35, 209–216, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756402781817220, 2002.
Santee, M. L., Manney, G. L., Livesey, N. J., and Read, W. G.:
Three-dimensional structure and evolution of stratospheric HNO3 based on UARS Microwave Limb Sounder measurements, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 109, D15306, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JD004578, 2004.
Savarino, J., Kaiser, J., Morin, S., Sigman, D. M., and Thiemens, M. H.:
Nitrogen and oxygen isotopic constraints on the origin of atmospheric nitrate in coastal Antarctica, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 7, 1925–1945, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-7-1925-2007, 2007.
Savarino, J., Vicars, W. C., Legrand, M., Preunkert, S., Jourdain, B., Frey, M. M., Kukui, A., Caillon, N., and Gil Roca, J.:
Oxygen isotope mass balance of atmospheric nitrate at Dome C, East Antarctica, during the OPALE campaign, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 2659–2673, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-2659-2016, 2016.
Scarchilli, C., Frezzotti, M., Grigioni, P., De Silvestri, L., Agnoletto, L., and Dolci, S.:
Extraordinary blowing snow transport events in East Antarctica, Clim. Dynam., 34, 1195–1206, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-009-0601-0, 2010.
Shi, G., Buffen, A. M., Hastings, M. G., Li, C., Ma, H., Li, Y., Sun, B., An, C., and Jiang, S.:
Investigation of post-depositional processing of nitrate in East Antarctic snow: isotopic constraints on photolytic loss, re-oxidation, and source inputs, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 15, 9435–9453, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-15-9435-2015, 2015.
Shi, G., Buffen, A., Ma, H., Hu, Z., Sun, B., Li, C., Yu, J., Ma, T., An, C., Jiang, S., Li, Y., and Hastings, M.:
Distinguishing summertime atmospheric production of nitrate across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 231, 1–14, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2018.03.025, 2018a.
Shi, G., Hastings, M. G., Yu, J., Ma, T., Hu, Z., An, C., Li, C., Ma, H., Jiang, S., and Li, Y.:
Nitrate deposition and preservation in the snowpack along a traverse from coast to the ice sheet summit (Dome A) in East Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 12, 1177–1194, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1177-2018, 2018b.
Shi, G., Chai, J., Zhu, Z., Hu, Z., Chen, Z., Yu, J., Ma, T., Ma, H., An, C., Jiang, S., Tang, X., and Hastings, M.:
Isotope fractionation of nitrate during volatilization in snow: A field investigation in Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 3287–3297, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL081968, 2019.
Shi, G., Li, C., Li, Y., Chen, Z., Ding, M., Ma, H., Jiang, S., An, C., Guo, J., Sun, B., and Hastings, M. G.:
Isotopic constraints on sources, production, and phase partitioning for nitrate in the atmosphere and snowfall in coastal East Antarctica, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 578, 117300, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2021.117300, 2022a.
Shi, G., Hu, Y., Ma, H., Jiang, S., Chen, Z., Hu, Z., An, C., Sun, B., and Hastings, M. G.:
Snow nitrate isotopes in central Antarctica record the prolonged period of stratospheric ozone depletion from ∼ 1960 to 2000, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL098986, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098986, 2022b.
Sigman, D. M., Casciotti, K. L., Andreani, M., Barford, C., Galanter, M., and Böhlke, J. K.:
A bacterial method for the nitrogen isotopic analysis of nitrate in seawater and freshwater, Anal. Chem., 73, 4145–4153, https://doi.org/10.1021/ac010088e, 2001.
Thiemens, M. H. and Heidenreich, J. E.:
The mass-independent fractionation of oxygen: a novel isotope effect and its possible cosmochemical implications, Science, 219, 1073, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.219.4588.1073, 1983.
Traversi, R., Udisti, R., Frosini, D., Becagli, S., Ciardini, V., Funke, B., Lanconelli, C., Petkov, B., Scarchilli, C., Severi, M., and Vitale, V.:
Insights on nitrate sources at Dome C (East Antarctic Plateau) from multi-year aerosol and snow records, Tellus B, 66, 22550, https://doi.org/10.3402/tellusb.v66.22550, 2014.
Van Allen, R., Liu, X., and Murcray, F. J.:
Seasonal variation of atmospheric nitric acid over the South Pole in 1992, Geophys. Res. Lett., 22, 49–52, https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL02794, 1995.
Wagenbach, D., Legrand, M., Fischer, H., Pichlmayer, F., and Wolff, E. W.:
Atmospheric near-surface nitrate at coastal Antarctic sites, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 103, 11007–11020, https://doi.org/10.1029/97jd03364, 1998.
Walters, W. W., Michalski, G., Böhlke, J. K., Alexander, B., Savarino, J., and Thiemens, M. H.:
Assessing the seasonal dynamics of nitrate and sulfate aerosols at the South Pole utilizing stable isotopes, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 124, 8161–8177, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JD030517, 2019.
Wille, J. D., Favier, V., Gorodetskaya, I. V., Agosta, C., Kittel, C., Beeman, J. C., Jourdain, N. C., Lenaerts, J. T. M., and Codron, F.:
Antarctic atmospheric river climatology and precipitation impacts, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 126, e2020JD033788, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033788, 2021.
Winton, V. H. L., Ming, A., Caillon, N., Hauge, L., Jones, A. E., Savarino, J., Yang, X., and Frey, M. M.:
Deposition, recycling, and archival of nitrate stable isotopes between the air–snow interface: comparison between Dronning Maud Land and Dome C, Antarctica , Atmos. Chem. Phys., 20, 5861–5885, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-20-5861-2020, 2020.
Wolff, E. W.:
Nitrate in Polar Ice, in: Ice Core Studies of Global Biogeochemical Cycles, edited by: Delmas, R. J., Springer-Verlag, Berlin, ISBN 978-3-642-51172-1, 1995.
Wolff, E. W., Jones, A. E., Martin, T., and Grenfell, T.:
Modelling photochemical NOX production and nitrate loss in the upper snowpack of Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29, 1944, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002GL015823, 2002.
Wolff, E. W., Hutterli, M., and Jones, A. E.:
Past atmospheric composition and chemistry from ice cores – progress and prospects, Environ. Chem., 4, 211–216, https://doi.org/10.1071/EN07031, 2007.
Xu, G., Chen, L., Zhang, M., Zhang, Y., Wang, J., and Lin, Q.:
Year-round records of bulk aerosol composition over the Zhongshan Station, Coastal East Antarctica, Air Qual. Atmos. Hlth., 12, 271–288, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11869-018-0642-9, 2019.
Zatko, M. C., Grenfell, T. C., Alexander, B., Doherty, S. J., Thomas, J. L., and Yang, X.:
The influence of snow grain size and impurities on the vertical profiles of actinic flux and associated NOx emissions on the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 13, 3547–3567, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-13-3547-2013, 2013.
Zatko, M. C., Geng, L., Alexander, B., Sofen, E., and Klein, K.:
The impact of snow nitrate photolysis on boundary layer chemistry and the recycling and redistribution of reactive nitrogen across Antarctica and Greenland in a global chemical transport model, Atmos. Chem. Phys., 16, 2819–2842, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-16-2819-2016, 2016.
Short summary
Nitrate isotopes in Antarctic ice do not preserve the seasonal isotopic cycles of the atmosphere, which limits their use to study the past. We studied nitrate along an 850 km Antarctic transect to learn how these cycles are changed by sunlight-driven chemistry in the snow. Our findings suggest that the snow accumulation rate and other environmental signals can be extracted from nitrate with the right sampling and analytical approaches.
Nitrate isotopes in Antarctic ice do not preserve the seasonal isotopic cycles of the...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint