Isotopic composition of snow and ice on the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya

V. N. Mikhalenko; S. S. Kutuzov; A. A. Ekaykin; A. A. Lavrantiev; A. V. Kozachek; R. A. Chernov

doi:10.15356/2076-6734-2017-3-293-306

Isotopic composition of snow and ice on the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya

V. N. Mikhalenko, S. S. Kutuzov, A. A. Ekaykin, A. A. Lavrantiev, A. V. Kozachek, R. A. Chernov

https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2017-3-293-306

Full Text:

Abstract

In 2015–2016 during the research expeditions of Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences the study of stable water isotopes (18O and D) was conducted on glaciers of Novaya Zemlya. As a result, first data on isotopic composition of seasonal snow cover and glacial ice of different ages were obtained and its connection to recent climate change has been shown. The first studies of the isotopic composition of snow cover and glacial ice at Novaya Zemlya allowed determine the average values and the range of variability of δ18O and δD. It shown that for the Northern ice cap glacial ice δ18O vary within −13.91 ÷ −15.83 ‰ with an average value of −14.93 ‰ and −103,95 ÷ −116.75 ‰ for δD at −109.88 ‰ mean value. The maximum variations were recorded for summer snow samples (−8.35 ‰ for δ18O and −55.79 ‰ for δD), as well as for the horizon of superimposed ice (−20.67 ‰ for δ18O and −151.48 ‰ for δD) where isotopic composition has been inherited from winter precipitation. Insignificant differences in the coefficients of the meteoric water regression equation for precipitation on GNIP stations and glacial ice at Novaya Zemlya indicate similar conditions of air masses and precipitation formation both at GNIP station and on glaciers. Deuterium excess showed no seasonal fluctuations, and its values did not exceed 15 ‰, which shows that the proportion of continental precipitation of moisture is very low. Analysis of isotopic profiles obtained on the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya indicated the presence of significant melting. This applies not only to the modern shallow horizons, but also to the part of the glacial strata that formed in the highest part of the archipelago close to ice divide and came to the surface at the Serp i Molot Glacier tongue. Therefore, in terms of ice core palaeogeographic reconstructions the most interesting site is the highest part of the Northern ice cap where it is possible to assume the existence of colder horizons formed during the Little Ice Age and where the seasonal geochemical signal may be preserved.

Keywords

Arctic, glaciers, Novaya Zemlya, stable isotopes,

About the Authors

V. N. Mikhalenko

Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Russian Federation
Moscow.

S. S. Kutuzov

Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Russian Federation
Moscow.

A. A. Ekaykin

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
Russian Federation
St . Petersburg.

A. A. Lavrantiev

Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Russian Federation
Moscow.

A. V. Kozachek

Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute.
Russian Federation
St . Petersburg.

R. A. Chernov

Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Russian Federation
Moscow.

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Supplementary files

For citation: Mikhalenko V.N., Kutuzov S.S., Ekaykin A.A., Lavrantiev A.A., Kozachek A.V., Chernov R.A. Isotopic composition of snow and ice on the glaciers of Novaya Zemlya. Ice and Snow. 2017;57(3):293-306. https://doi.org/10.15356/2076-6734-2017-3-293-306

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