Lead isotopes and heavy metals in highly resolved Law Dome accumulation and Talos Dome firn and as tracers of Australian/Southern African dust input to East Antarctica during present mild climatic conditions

Project aim

Studies of metals in Antarctic ice show that dust levels in the Antarctic atmosphere are strongly linked to the climatic cycle and are greater in the colder glacial periods. Current dust levels are relatively low and variable. This project will use newly available high resolution sampling techniques together with high sensitivity mass spectrometry to investigate the nature and origin of this dust arriving at Antarctica during the current warm conditions seeking evidence of seasonal cycles and inputs from specific geographic sources.