Summary
Trace ion analysis for a suite of chemistry species (including chloride, sodium, sulphate, nitrate and methanesulphonic acid) has been performed on the deep Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core from Law Dome, East Antarctica covering the period 9000 years before present. The relatively high accumulation at the Law Dome (0.70 m/ice equivalent/ year) has enabled analysis at sub-annual resolution, and for the record to be annually layer counted for 2,300 years before present. The older part of the record is dated via modeling derived from accumulation rates. Here we present the initial findings from this analysis work, and explore the variability in trace chemistry at Law Dome through the Holocene. Examination of the sulphate chemistry has yielded a record of major Holocene volcanic eruptions. During the past 2000 years, signatures of 45 volcanic eruptions have been identified. Comparisons with the NGRIP (Greenland) volcanic record has demonstrated exceptional agreement between the dating of events present in both records, suggesting a high degree of accuracy in the Law Dome dating. The Law Dome volcanic record is being extended through the Holocene, and the results of this work will be presented also.
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