Trace elements in basal ice at dye-3

Abstract

A suite of 14 individual debris and silt-laden samples were selected from teh bottom 30 m increment of 2035 m deep Dye-3 Greenland ice core. Concentrations of trace elements in these samples were measured by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The results show characteristics elemental patterns for the embedded particles and debris from two different sources. The upper samples contain trace element marker species identifying atmospherically transported material; the lower samples contain marker species identifying particles originating from continental crustal lithologies from two different sub-ice source areas. This study supports the theory that bedrock scouring is the origin of particles in the bottom 23.6 m of the Dye-3 core, and atmospheric transport and deposition is the origin of the particles above this depth; some particles may be of volcanic origin.