Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 08/14/2008 - 10:44
Forums
High Arctic Change 08

I understand that the ice cores will be melted then stored in bottles at cool temperatures.

Before the melting are the cores cut and depth noted or is depth of the oxygen isotope values not a concern? Also at what temperature does the oxygen isotope change form?

Cathy Burrows

Fri, 08/15/2008 - 23:43

Jesse Burrows

Depth is not of great concern, except to ensure the ice is pure glacier.  Several calibration cores were taken and sampled at 10cm intervals down the core to 70cm depth; testing of those samples will reveal at what depth the isotope signature is consistent.  The isotope ratio in the ice is representative of the atmospheric temperature at the time of deposition, which allows it to be used as a paleoclimatic record.  Bottling water from the melted cores and keeping those samples cool are precautions to help ensure that the isotope ratio is maintained, and the unique signature of the ice is not significantly altered.