Late Holocene Climate Variability, Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Summary
This data set includes high-resolution ice core records from the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica, and provides interpretations of interannual to decadal-scale climate variability during the last 2000 years (late Holocene). Intermediate-length ice cores (100 to 200 meters) were drilled at four sites along transects in the Taylor and Wright valleys, and analyzed for stable isotopes and major ions. The data set includes high-resolution ice core data for each study site. It also includes mass balance, borehole temperature, and snow pit data for each site, and Global Positioning System (GPS) velocity data for some of the sites. Snow pit data from three additional sites in the same region are also available.
Data are available via FTP, in ASCII text (.txt), Microsoft Excel (.xls) , and Microsoft Word (.doc) file formats.
Citing These Data
The following example shows how to cite the use of this data set in a publication. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.
The following example shows how to cite the use of this data set in a publication. List the principal investigators, year of data set release, publisher: NSIDC, and digital media.
Kreutz, K. and P. Mayewski. 2009. Late Holocene Climate Variability, Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Boulder, Colorado, USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5FF3Q92.
Overview Table
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Data format | ASCII text files (.txt) Microsoft Excel files (.xls) Microsoft Word files (.doc) |
| Spatial coverage and resolution | Southernmost Latitude: 78.08šS Northernmost Latitude: 77.3°S Westernmost Longitude: 161.04°W Easternmost Longitude: 163.03°W |
| Temporal coverage and resolution | Data were collected during three Antarctic field seasons from 2003 to 2005. |
| File naming convention | cl2005massbalance.xls vu2005core2log.xls Clark_GPS_metadata.doc cl2005core2ions_copy.txt |
| File size | The data set is 21.5 MB total. |
| Parameter(s) | High-resolution ice core data, including density, melting, run lengths, and chemistry Borehole temperature Automatic Weather Station (AWS) measurements GPS velocity Mass balance |
| Procedures for obtaining data | Data are available via FTP. |
Table of Contents
- Contacts and Acknowledgments
- Detailed Data Description
- Data Access and Tools
- Data Acquisition and Processing
- References and Related Publications
- Document Information
1. Contacts and Acknowledgments
Investigators
Dr. Karl Kreutz
Climate Change Institute
236 Sawyer Environmental
Research Center
University of Maine
Orono, Maine 04469 USA
Dr. Paul Mayewski
Climate Change Institute
133 Sawyer Environmental
Research Center
University of Maine
Orono, Maine 04469 USA
Technical Contact
NSIDC User Services
National Snow and Ice Data Center
CIRES, 449 UCB
University of Colorado
Boulder, CO 80309-0449 USA
phone: +1 303.492.6199
fax: +1 303.492.2468
form: Contact NSIDC User Services
e-mail: nsidc@nsidc.org
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by NSF OPP grant 0228052 .
2. Detailed Data Description
Format
Data are available as ASCII text files (.txt) and Microsoft Excel files (.xls). Detailed metadata are available in Microsoft Word files (.doc).
File and Directory Structure
Data are available on the FTP site in the ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/pub/DATASETS/AGDC/kreutz_nsidc_0399/ directory. The directory is divided into seven main subdirectories, as described in Table 1. The subdirectories are divided into folders for each experimental location, which contain data files and metadata specific to those measurements.
| Directory Name | Directory Contents |
|---|---|
| AWS | Automatic Weather Station (AWS) data for Clark and Commonwealth glaciers, 2004 and 2005 |
| Borehole_temperature | Borehole temperature data for the four ice core sites, as measured in 2005 |
| GPS_velocity | GPS velocity data for Clark and Commonwealth glaciers, 2004 and 2005 Metadata describing GPS velocity data, in Microsoft Word (.doc) format |
| Ice_Core_Data | Ice core melting, density, and chemistry data for each of the four ice core sites |
| Mass_Balance_Pole_Data | Mass balance pole data for each of the four ice core sites Metadata file describing mass balance measurement method, in Microsoft Word (.doc) format |
| Site_Coordinates | Detailed latitude, longitude, and elevation coordinates for each site |
| Snowpit_Data | Snow pit data from the four ice core sites plus three additional sites |
File Naming Convention
Files are named according to the following convention:
xxYYYYmeasurementname.zzz
-
where:
- cl: Clark Glacier
- cm: Commonwealth Glacier
- bl: Blue Glacier
- vu: Upper Victoria Glacier
- ms: Meserve Glacier
- nw: Newall Glacier
- rh: Rhone Glacier
| Variable | Description |
| xx | Site location:
|
| YYYY | Four-digit year |
| measurementname | Measurement type |
| .zzz | File extension |
The Site_Coordinates folder contains latitude, longitude, and elevation coordinates for each site.
File Size
This data set is 21.5 MB total.
Spatial Coverage
Ice core data were collected at four sites in the Dry Valleys region of Antarctica: Blue Glacier, Clark Glacier, Commonwealth Glacier, and Upper Victoria Glacier. Snow pit data were collected at three additional sites: Meserve Glacier, Newall Glacier, and Rhone Glacier. Detailed location information for each site is available in the Site_Coordinates folder.
Southernmost Latitude: 78.08ºS
Northernmost Latitude: 77.3°S
Westernmost Longitude: 161.04°W
Easternmost Longitude: 163.03°W
Spatial Coverage Map
Location of Dry Valleys Region, Antarctica
Temporal Coverage
Data in this collection were obtained during three Antarctic field seasons from 2003 to 2005.
Parameter or Variable
The data set contains high-resolution ice core data, including chemistry, bore hole temperatures, mass balance, AWS weather data, and snow pit data. Detailed location information for each site is available in the Site_Coordinates folder. Metadata pertaining to specific measurements are available in the respective folders or data spreadsheets. For example, the Clark_GPS_metadata.doc file provides metadata for the GPS velocity measurements of Clark Glacier. Parameters in the main data file types are described below and in Tables 3 through 7.
1. AWS Data
AWS data are available for two sites, Clark Glacier and Commonwealth Glacier. Table 3 lists the parameters for files in the AWS directory:
| Parameter | Description |
| Daily Meteorological Data | |
| Year | Four-digit year |
| Month | Two-digit month |
| Day | Day of month |
| AvgIce1T | Average ice temperature |
| AvgIce2T | Average ice temperature |
| AvgIce3T | Average ice temperature |
| AvgAirT | Average air temperature |
| AvgAirRH | Average air relative humidity |
| AirTMax | Maximum air temperature |
| MaxTime | Time maximum |
| AirMinT | Minimum air temperature |
| MinTime | Time minimum |
| Wndspd (S[ms-1]) | Wind speed in meters per second |
| Wndspd (U) | Horizontal wind speed |
| AvgWnddir | Average wind direction |
| Sdwnddir | Wind direction standard deviation |
| Snow Depth | |
| Distance (m) | Snow depth in meters to snow surface, measured twice daily |
| Pressure | |
| Pressure (mbar) | Pressure in millibars, measured every three hours |
| Metadata | |
| Latitude, Longitude | AWS station location |
| Deployed, Collected | Dates of station measurement begin and end (DD-MMM-YY) |
| Sensors | Sensor descriptions |
3. Borehole Temperature Data
The directory Borehole_Temperatures contains one data file, DV_Borehole_Temperatures.xls. These data were collected in the Dry Valleys, Antarctica during the 2005 to 2006 Antarctic field season, using a RBR TR-1050 temperature logger. The file includes borehole data for ice core sites at Clark, Commonwealth and Upper Victoria glaciers.
3. GPS Velocity Data
GPS velocity data were processed in the Trimble Geomatics Office in both WGS84 coordinates (latitude and longitude) and height above ellipsoid (HAE). Additional information relating to GPS data is available in the Clark_GPS_metadata.doc and Commonwealth_2005_metadata.doc files. Table 4 lists the parameters in the GPS_Velocity directory:
| Parameter | Description |
| Time | Date and time of measurement, in format: mm/dd/yy hh:ss |
| Point name | Arbitrary name given to each survey point |
| Latitude, Longitude | Latitude and longitude (degrees) of point location |
| Northing, Easting | Universal Transverse Mercator zone 58 |
| Semi-major axis (m) | Longest radius of the ellipse |
| Semi-minor axia (m) | Shortest radius of the ellipse |
| Orientation | Degrees from north of the semi-major axis |
| HAE (m) | Height above ellipsoid, referring here to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) ellipsoid, which approximates the Earth's surface |
| Sigma HAE (m) | Formal error, in meters, excluding setup errors |
| Elevation (m) | Elevation above the geoid, which approximates mean sea level. This elevation is based on a global geoid model and is subject to both the error of the HAE measurement and the error in the geoid model, which is often on the order of meters |
4. Ice Core Data
Table 5 describes the data files in the Ice_Core_Data directory:
| File Type | Description |
| Core density | Depth, weight, tare, and diameter measurements for approximately 1-meter thick ice core sections |
| Core run lengths | Run number and run length for ice core measurements |
| Chemistry: isoions | Sample ID, sample depth, and measurements of the following ions in ug/L:
|
| Chemistry: trace metals | Sample number, sample depth, and measurements of the following trace metals:
|
5. Mass Balance Pole Data
Mass balance data were collected by freezing one-inch aluminum conduit poles into the surface of the glacier accumulation zone. The sites were surveyed via static GPS, and a height measurement was taken from the snow surface to the pole top. Height to pole top was re-measured after one year, and the height difference taken to represent net accumulation in that time period. Error in height measurement is estimated to be ±0.5 cm for any given measurement. Table 6 provides parameter information for mass balance data files.
| Parameter | Description |
| Pole # | Pole number |
| Height above surface (11/11/2003 10/29/2004 10/26/2005) |
Height of pole above firn surface, in meters or centimeters |
| Accumulation (ice) | Annual accumulation of ice in centimeters |
| Accumulation (we) | Annual accumulation measured in snow water equivalent |
| Comments | Details of pole position with respect to sastrugi and other features |
6. Site Coordinates
Site coordinate data files contain latitude, longitude, and HAE measurements for each snow pit, ice core site, and mass balance pole in the study. The file 2005regionalpitsLatLonElev.xls contains location information for the snow pits at Meserve, Newall, and Rhone glaciers. Additional files contained detailed site information for each measurement at Blue, Clark, Commonwealth, and Upper Victoria glaciers.
7. Snow Pit Data
Snow pit data files include density, sample logs, stratigraphy, temperature, and chemistry measurements for snow pits at seven sites: Blue, Clark, Commonwealth, Meserve, Newall, Rhone, and Upper Victoria glaciers. Table 7provides details on the files and parameter in the Snowpit_Data directory.
| Parameter | Description |
| Snow Pit Densities | |
| Snow pit density | File containing depth, weight, and volume measurements and density calculations for samples with a 4cm resolution |
| Snow Pit Sample Logs | |
| Snow pit sample logs | File containing sample codes, depth, and collection date for snow samples |
| Pit Stratigraphy | |
| Observation | Firn type:
|
| Depth (cm) | Snow pit depth at measurement, in centimeters |
| Collection date | Date, in format DD-MM-YY |
| Snow Pit Temperatures | |
| Depth (cm) | Depth of measurement, in centimeters |
| Temp (°C) | Temperature, degrees Celsius |
| Chemistry | |
| Isoions | File containing ion measurement and measurement depth for the following ions:
|
| Trace Metals | File containing sample id, sample depth, and sample concentration in micrograms per liter (ug/L) for the following trace metals:
|
3. Data Access and Tools
Data Access
Data are available via FTP.
Volume
The total volume of the data set is 2.5 MB.
Software and Tools
Data are accessible using standard spreadsheet software.
Related Data Collections
- Newall Glacier Ice Core and Snow Pit Beta Profiles, Chemistry, and Stratigraphy
- Newall Glacier Snow Pit and Ice Core, 1987 to 1989
4. Data Acquisition and Processing
Theory of Measurements
Intermediate-length ice cores (100-200m) were collected at four sites along transects in Taylor Valley and Wright Valley, and analyzed at high resolution for stable isotopes (d18O, dD), major ions (Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, NH4+, Cl-, NO3-, SO42-, MSA), and trace elements (Al, Fe, S, Sr, B). Additional measurements include mass balance, borehole temperature, and snow pit data for each site, and Global Positioning System (GPS) velocity data for the Clark and Commonwealth glacier sites. Snow pit data from three additional sites in the same region are also available.
Data Acquisition Methods
Detailed data acquisition methods are available in the metadata files within the seven data folders, and in the references and related publications listed below.
5. References and Related Publications
Arcone, S. A. and K. J. Kreutz. 2009. GPR reflection profiles of Clark and Commonwealth Glaciers, Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology 50(51): 112-120: http://www.igsoc.org/annals/V50/51/published.html.
Bertler, N. A. N., P. J. Barrett, P. A. Mayewski, R. L. Fogt, K. J. Kreutz, and J. Shulmeister. 2004. El Nino Suppresses Antarctic Warming. Geophysical Research Letters 31(L15207): doi: 10.1029/2004GL020749.
Bertler, N. A. N., P. Barrett, P. A. Mayewski, R. Fogt, K. J. Kreutz, and J. Shulmeister. 2005. Reply to comment by Doran et al. on “El Nino Suppresses Antarctic Warming. Geophysical Research Letters 32: doi: 10.1029/2005GL022595.
Bertler, N. A. N., P. A. Mayewski, A. Aristarain, P. Barrett, S. Becagli, R. Bernardo, S. Bo, M. Curran, D. Qin, D. Dixon, F. Ferron, H. Fischer, M. Frey, M. Frezzoti, F. Fundel, C. Genthon, R. Gragnani, G. Hamilton, M. Handley, S. Hong, E. Isaksson, J. Kang, J. Ren, K. Kamiyama, S. Kanamori, E. Karkas, L. Karlof, S. Kaspari, K. J. Kreutz, A. Kurbatov, E. Meyerson, Y. Ming, M. Zhang, H. Motoyama, R. Mulvaney, H. Oerter, E. Osterberg, M. Proposito, A. Pyne, U. Ruth, J. Simoes, B. Smith, S. Sneed, K. Teinila, F. Traufetter, R. Udisti, A. Virkkula, O. Watanabe, B. Williamson, J.-G. Winther, Y. Li, E. Wolff, Z. Li, and A. Zielinski. 2005. Snow Chemistry Across Antarctica. Annals of Glaciology 41: 167-179: doi: 10.3189/172756405781813320
Bertler, N. A. N., P. A. Mayewski, P. J. Barrett, S. Sneed, M. Handley, and K. J. Kreutz. 2004. Monsoonal Circulation of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Ross Sea Region, Antarctica: Signal from the Snow Chemistry. Annals of Glaciology 39: 135-145: doi: 10.3189/172756404781814087.
Bertler, N. A. N., T. R. Naish, H. Oerter, J. Kipfstuhl, P. Barrett, P. A. Mayewski, and K. J. Kreutz. 2006. The Effects ofJoint ENSO-Antarctic Oscillation Forcing on the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Antarctic Science 18(4): 507-514: doi: 10.1017/S0954102006000551.
Kreutz, K. J. 2006. Glaciochemistry. Encyclopedia of Quaternary Science. S. Elias, Elsevier. 2: 1192-1198.
Williamson, B. R., K. J. Kreutz, P. Mayewski, N. Bertler, S. Sneed, L. Handley, and D. Introne. 2007. A Coastal Transect of McMurdo Dry Valleys Snow and Firn: Marine and Terrestrial Influences on Glaciochemistry. Journal of Glaciology 53(183): 1-13: doi: 10.3189/002214307784409225.
6. Document Information
Acronyms
The following acronyms are used in this document:
| Acronym | Description |
|---|---|
| AWS | Automatic Weather Station |
| HAE | Height Above Ellipsoid |
| FTP | File Transfer Protocol |
| GPS | Global Positioning System |
| NSIDC | National Snow and Ice Data Center |
| URL | Uniform Resource Locator |
| VSMOW | Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water |
| WGS84 | World Geodetic System 1984 |
| XLS | Microsoft Excel file format extension |
| ng | Nanogram: one billionth (10^-9) of a gram |
| pg | Picogram: one trillionth (10^-12) of a gram |
| ug | Microgram: one millionth (10^-6) of a gram |
Document Creation Date
23 April 2009
Document URL
http://nsidc.org/data/docs/agdc/nsidc0399_kreutz/index.html
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