Recent increase in South Pole snow accumulation

Mosley‐Thompson, Ellen; Thompson, Lonnie G.; Paskievitch, John F.; Pourchet, M.; Gow, Anthony J.; Davis, M. E.; Kleinman, J.

doi:10.3189/s0260305500015718

Cited by 41 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“… Pourchet et al [1983] observed a general increase of 30% in the accumulation at 14 Antarctic sites (including Vostok, Dome C, South Pole, and Ross Ice Shelf) in the period 1960–1975. This general trend was also observed some years later in the South Pole area, with an increase of 32% between 1960 and 1990 [ Mosley‐Thompson et al , 1995]. In Wilkes Land, Goodwin [1991] and Morgan et al [1991] found a decrease in accumulation rate from 1955 to 1960, with an increase during the following period.…”

Section: Accumulation Rate Records and Distributionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica)

et al. 2002

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[1] During the 1996 Programma Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide-International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition traverse, two firn cores were retrieved from the Talos Dome area (East Antarctica) at elevations of 2316 m (TD, 89 m long) and 2246 m (ST556, 19 m long). Cores were dated by using seasonal variations in non-sea-salt (nss) SO 4 2À concentrations coupled with the recognition of tritium marker level (1965 -1966) and nss SO 4 2À spikes due to the most important volcanic events in the past (Pinatubo 1991, Agung 1963, Krakatoa 1883, Tambora 1815, Kuwae 1452, Unknown 1259). The number of annual layers recognized in the TD and ST556 cores was 779 and 97, respectively. The dD record obtained from the TD core has been compared with other East Antarctic isotope ice core records (Dome C EPICA, South Pole, Taylor Dome). These records suggest cooler climate conditions between the middle of 16th and the beginning of 19th centuries, which might be related to the Little Ice Age (LIA) cold period. Because of the high degree of geographical variability, the strongest LIA cooling was not temporally synchronous over East Antarctica, and the analyzed records do not provide a coherent picture for East Antarctica. The accumulation rate record presented for the TD core shows a decrease during part of the LIA followed by an increment of about 11% in accumulation during the 20th century. At the ST556 site, the accumulation rate observed during the 20th century was quite stable.INDEX TERMS: 3344

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Section: Accumulation Rate Records and Distributionsupporting

confidence: 52%

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica)

et al. 2002

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“…The recent increase of accumulation rate and δ 18 O are within the range and rate of change of previous variations. However, the increasing accumulation rate over the last 100 years seems to be the most consistent climatic signal from the Weddell Sea region, as it is also found in studies from the Antarctic Peninsula (Thompson and others, 1994) and also at South Pole (Mosley-Thompson and others, 1995).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 75%

“…enhancement during the period AD 1800–50. There is also an increase during the 20th century, as also seen throughout the Antarctic Peninsula and at South Pole (Thompson and others, 1994; Mosley-Thompson and others, 1995). No clear relationship is seen between δ 18 O and the annual accumulation, underlining the complicated meteorological situation of the Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula region.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Comprehensive 1000 year climatic history from an intermediate-depth ice core from the south dome of Berkner Island, Antarctica: methods, dating and first results

et al. 2004

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A 181 m deep ice core drilled in 1994/95 on the south dome of Berkner Island, Antarctica, was analyzed for stable isotopes, major ions and microparticle concentrations. Samples for ion chromatography were prepared by using a novel technique of filling decontaminated sample from a device for continuous ice-core melting directly into the sample vials. The core was dated through identification of volcanic horizons and interpolative layer counting. The core, together with a similar core from the north dome, reveals a 1000 year history of relatively stable climate. Temporal variations in the two cores deviate from each other owing to changing patterns of regional-scale circulation; the best correspondence between them is found for MSA–. δ18O, accumulation rate and a sea-salt proxy show only negligible correlation, which suggests a complex meteorological setting. Increasing annual accumulation is observed for the last 100 years. A period of increased sea-salt concentrations started around AD 1405, as has also been observed in other cores. Microparticle concentrations are on average 1220 particles (>1.0 μm diameter) mL–1; they are enhanced from AD 1200 to 1350, possibly because of a higher atmospheric mineral dust load or because local volcanic activity was stronger than previously thought. Microparticles and NH4+ show marked but multiple and very irregular sub-annual peaks; long-term stacking of 1 year data intervals yields seasonal maxima in austral spring or mid-summer, respectively. Post-depositional redistribution was observed for MSA, NO3– and F– at volcanic horizons.

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“…These include analysis of ice-core data by Morgan et al (1991), observations of snow accumulation at the South Pole from 1955 to 1992 by Mosley- Thompson et al (1995), and studies based on atmospheric model analysis. Cullather et al (1998) calculated Antarctic net precipitation from ECMWF operational analysis and precipitation from National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis for 1985-1995, and found a positive trend of +2.0 to +2.5 mm yr −2 (our result for the same period for ERA-40 net precipitation is −0.20 mm yr −2 , but the trend is not statistically significant).…”

Section: Precipitation and Evaporationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric moisture budget over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean based on the ERA‐40 reanalysis

Tietäväinen

Vihma

2008

Intl Journal of Climatology

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ABSTRACT:The atmospheric moisture budget over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean was analysed for the period 1979-2001 on the basis of the ERA-40 reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. Meridional transport by transient eddies makes the largest contribution to the southward water vapour transport. The mean meridional circulation contributes to the northward transport in the Antarctic coastal areas, but this effect is compensated by the southward transport by stationary eddies. The convergence of meridional water vapour transport is at its largest at 64-68°S, while the convergence of zonal transport is regionally important in areas of high cyclolysis. Inter-annual variations in water vapour transport are related to the southern annular mode (SAM). The eastward transport has a significant (95% confidence level) positive correlation with the SAM index, while the northward transport has a significant negative correlation with SAM near 60°S. Hydrological balance is well-achieved in the ERA-40 reanalysis: the difference between the water vapour flux convergence (based on analysis) and the net precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation, based on 24-h forecasts) is only 13 mm yr −1 (3%) over the Southern Ocean and −8 mm yr −1 (5%) over the continental ice sheet. Over the open ocean, the analysis methodology favours the accuracy of the flux convergence. For the whole study region, the annual mean flux convergence exceeded net precipitation by 11 mm yr −1 (3%). The ERA-40 result for the mean precipitation over the Antarctic continental ice sheet in 1979-2001 is 177 ± 8 mm yr −1 , while previous estimates range from 173 to 215 mm yr −1 . For the period 1979-2001, the ERA-40 data do not show any statistically significant trend in precipitation over the Antarctic grounded ice sheet and ice shelves. From the ERA-40 data, the annual average net evaporation (evaporation minus condensation) is positive over the whole continent.

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Recent increase in South Pole snow accumulation

Cited by 41 publications

References 19 publications

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica)

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica)

Comprehensive 1000 year climatic history from an intermediate-depth ice core from the south dome of Berkner Island, Antarctica: methods, dating and first results

Atmospheric moisture budget over Antarctica and the Southern Ocean based on the ERA‐40 reanalysis

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