HR: 0830h
AN: A31D-0082    [PDF]
TI: Seasonal differences in snow chemistry from the vicinity of Mt. Everest, central Himalayas
AU: * Kang, S
EM: Shichang.Kang@maine.edu
AF: Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, 303 Bryand GSC, Orono, ME 04469 United States
AU: Mayewski, P A
EM: Paul.Mayewski@maine.edu
AF: Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, 303 Bryand GSC, Orono, ME 04469 United States
AU: Mayewski, P A
EM: Paul.Mayewski@maine.edu
AF: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Maine, 303 Bryand GSC, Orono, ME 04469 United States
AU: Qin, D
EM: qdh@cma.gov.cn
AF: Key Laboratory of Ice Core and Cold Regions Environment, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute, CAS, 260 Donggang West Rd., Lanzhou, GS 730000 China
AU: Sneed, S A
EM: Sharon.Sneed@maine.edu
AF: Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, 303 Bryand GSC, Orono, ME 04469 United States
AU: Ren, J
EM: jwren@ns.lzb.ac.cn
AF: Key Laboratory of Ice Core and Cold Regions Environment, Cold and Arid Regions Environment and Engineering Research Institute, CAS, 260 Donggang West Rd., Lanzhou, GS 730000 China
AU: Zhang, D
EM: Zhangdq@cams.cma.gov.cn
AF: Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences, 46 Nandajie, Zhongguancun, Beijing, BJ 100081 China
AB: During August and September, 1998, fresh snow samples were collected in the East Rongbuk (ER) Glacier on the northern slope of Mt. Everest over an elevation range 5800-6500 m. Three snowpits were sampled in the ER glacier at an elevation of 6400m, 6500m, and 6500 m in August 1998, May 2000, and October 2002, respectively. Snow chemical data from fresh snow and snowpit samples from the ER Glacier are shown to be consistent with earlier results reported by other researches from the vicinity of Mt. Everest. Among major ions, calcium has the most striking seasonal differences: non-monsoon snow calcium concentration is one order of magnitude higher than monsoon value. A large seasonal difference characterizes fresh snow sulfate but does not seem to persist in snowpit samples probably as a consequence of post-depositional ion elution. Non-monsoon snow sodium, potassium, and chloride are close to two times higher than monsoon snow for both fresh snow and snowpit samples. Magnesium has distinct seasonal variations in snowpit samples and a four fold higher concentration in non-monsoon snow than that in monsoon snow. Seasonal differences in major chemical composition in snow over the Mt. Everest region provide a definitive indicator for precisely dating ice cores and as a consequence are essential in reconstructing the history of climate change and atmospheric chemistry in this region.
DE: 0315 Biosphere/atmosphere interactions
DE: 1610 Atmosphere (0315, 0325)
DE: 1863 Snow and ice (1827)
DE: 9320 Asia
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting