Volcanic fluxes over the last millennium as recorded in the GV7 ice core (Northern Victoria Land, Antarctica)

Abstract

<p>Explosive volcanic eruptions are able to affect significantly the atmosphere for 2‐3 years. During this time, volcanic products (mainly H2SO4) with high residence 
time are stored in the stratosphere/troposphere, and eventually deposited onto polar ice caps; snow layers may thus record signals providing a history of past 
volcanic events. A high resolution sulphate concentration profile along a 197 m long ice core drilled at GV7 (Northern Victoria Land) was obtained by Ion Chromatography. The relatively high accumulation rate (241±13 mm we yr<sup>-1</sup>) and the 5‐cm resolution allowed a preliminary counted age scale. The obtained stratigraphy covers roughly the last millennium and 24 major volcanic eruptions were identified, dated and 
ascribed to a source volcano. The deposition flux of volcanic sulfate was calculated and the results were compared with data from other Antarctic ice cores at regional and continental scale. Our results show that the regional variability is of the same order of magnitude 
of the continental scale.</p>