A Review of Antarctic Surface Snow Isotopic Composition: Observations, Atmospheric Circulation, and Isotopic Modeling

V. Masson-Delmotte Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by V. Masson-Delmotte in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
S. Hou Laboratory of Cryosphere and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China

Search for other papers by S. Hou in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
A. Ekaykin Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia

Search for other papers by A. Ekaykin in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. Jouzel Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by J. Jouzel in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
A. Aristarain Laboratorio de Estratigrafía Glaciar y Geoquímica del Agua y de la Nieve, Instituto Antártico Argentino, Mendoza, Argentina

Search for other papers by A. Aristarain in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
R. T. Bernardo Nucleo de Pesquisas Antarcticas e Climaticas, Departmento de Geografia, Instituto de Geociencias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Search for other papers by R. T. Bernardo in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
D. Bromwich The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Search for other papers by D. Bromwich in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
O. Cattani Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by O. Cattani in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. Delmotte Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by M. Delmotte in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
S. Falourd Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by S. Falourd in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. Frezzotti ENEA, Rome, Italy

Search for other papers by M. Frezzotti in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
H. Gallée Laboratoire de Glaciologie et de Géophysique de l’Environnement, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier, Saint Martin d’Hères, France

Search for other papers by H. Gallée in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
L. Genoni Department of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

Search for other papers by L. Genoni in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
E. Isaksson Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø, Norway

Search for other papers by E. Isaksson in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
A. Landais Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Earth Science Institute, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel

Search for other papers by A. Landais in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. M. Helsen Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Search for other papers by M. M. Helsen in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
G. Hoffmann Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by G. Hoffmann in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. Lopez Departamento de Geologica y Geoquimica, Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Search for other papers by J. Lopez in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
V. Morgan Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC, and Australian Antarctic Division, Hobart, Australia

Search for other papers by V. Morgan in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
H. Motoyama National Institute of Polar Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Tokyo, Japan

Search for other papers by H. Motoyama in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
D. Noone Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by D. Noone in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
H. Oerter Alfred-Wegener-Institute für Polar und Meeresforschung, Bremerhaven, Germany

Search for other papers by H. Oerter in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. R. Petit Laboratoire de Glaciologie et de Géophysique de l’Environnement, CNRS-Université Joseph Fourier, Saint Martin d’Hères, France

Search for other papers by J. R. Petit in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
A. Royer Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by A. Royer in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
R. Uemura National Institute of Polar Research, Research Organization of Information and Systems, Tokyo, Japan

Search for other papers by R. Uemura in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
G. A. Schmidt NASA GISS, New York, New York

Search for other papers by G. A. Schmidt in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
E. Schlosser Institute of Meteorology and Geophysics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria

Search for other papers by E. Schlosser in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
J. C. Simões Nucleo de Pesquisas Antarcticas e Climaticas, Departmento de Geografia, Instituto de Geociencias, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Search for other papers by J. C. Simões in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
E. J. Steig Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Search for other papers by E. J. Steig in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
B. Stenni Department of Geological, Environmental and Marine Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy

Search for other papers by B. Stenni in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. Stievenard Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Search for other papers by M. Stievenard in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
M. R. van den Broeke Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Search for other papers by M. R. van den Broeke in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
R. S. W. van de Wal Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Search for other papers by R. S. W. van de Wal in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
W. J. van de Berg Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands

Search for other papers by W. J. van de Berg in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
,
F. Vimeux Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
UR Greatice, IRD, Paris, France

Search for other papers by F. Vimeux in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
, and
J. W. C. White INSTAAR, Boulder, Colorado

Search for other papers by J. W. C. White in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Close
Restricted access

Abstract

A database of surface Antarctic snow isotopic composition is constructed using available measurements, with an estimate of data quality and local variability. Although more than 1000 locations are documented, the spatial coverage remains uneven with a majority of sites located in specific areas of East Antarctica. The database is used to analyze the spatial variations in snow isotopic composition with respect to geographical characteristics (elevation, distance to the coast) and climatic features (temperature, accumulation) and with a focus on deuterium excess. The capacity of theoretical isotopic, regional, and general circulation atmospheric models (including “isotopic” models) to reproduce the observed features and assess the role of moisture advection in spatial deuterium excess fluctuations is analyzed.

Corresponding author address: Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, UMR 1572, Bat 701, L’Orme des Merisiers CEA, Saclay, 91 191 Gif-sur-Yvette CEDEX, France. Email: valerie.masson@cea.fr

Abstract

A database of surface Antarctic snow isotopic composition is constructed using available measurements, with an estimate of data quality and local variability. Although more than 1000 locations are documented, the spatial coverage remains uneven with a majority of sites located in specific areas of East Antarctica. The database is used to analyze the spatial variations in snow isotopic composition with respect to geographical characteristics (elevation, distance to the coast) and climatic features (temperature, accumulation) and with a focus on deuterium excess. The capacity of theoretical isotopic, regional, and general circulation atmospheric models (including “isotopic” models) to reproduce the observed features and assess the role of moisture advection in spatial deuterium excess fluctuations is analyzed.

Corresponding author address: Valérie Masson-Delmotte, Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement, IPSL/CEA-CNRS-UVSQ, UMR 1572, Bat 701, L’Orme des Merisiers CEA, Saclay, 91 191 Gif-sur-Yvette CEDEX, France. Email: valerie.masson@cea.fr

Save
  • Aristarain, A. J., 1980: Etude glaciologique de la calotte de l’île de James Ross (péninsule Antarctique). Ph.D. thesis, Université Joseph Fourier, 130 pp.

  • Aristarain, A. J., R. J. Delmas, and M. Stievenard, 2004: Ice core study of the link between sea-salt aerosol, sea-ice cover and climate in the Antarctic Peninsula area. Climatic Change, 67 , 6386.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Becagli, S., and Coauthors, 2004: Chemical and isotopic snow variability in East Antarctica along the 2001/02 ITASE traverse. Ann. Glaciol., 39 , 473482.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Bromwich, D. H., Z. Guo, L. Bai, and Q-S. Chen, 2004: Modeled Antarctic precipitation. Part I: Spatial and temporal variability. J. Climate, 17 , 427447.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Brook, E. J., and Coauthors, 2005: Timing of millennial-scale climate change at Siple Dome, West Antarctica, during the last glacial period. Quat. Sci. Rev., 24 , 13331343.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Brown, J., and I. Simmonds, 2004: Sensitivity of the δ18O-temperature relationship to the distribution of continents. Geophys. Res. Lett., 31 .L09208, doi:10.1029/2004GL019870.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Caillon, N., J. P. Severinghaus, J. M. Barnola, J. C. Chappellaz, J. Jouzel, and F. Parrenin, 2001: Estimation of temperature change and of gas age−ice age difference, 108 kyr B.P., at Vostok, Antarctica. J. Geophys. Res., 106 , 3189331901.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ciais, P., 1991: Forages profonds et sites cotiers en Antarctique: Données isotopiques et climat des 15 000 dernieres années. Spécilalité: Physique-météorologie-océanologie. Ph.D. thesis, Université Paris 6, 390 pp.

  • Ciais, P., and J. Jouzel, 1994: Deuterium and oxygen 18 in precipitation: An isotopic model including mixed cloud processes. J. Geophys. Res., 99 , 1679316803.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ciais, P., J. Jouzel, J. R. Petit, V. Lipenkov, and J. C. W. White, 1994: Holocene temperature variations inferred from six Antarctic ice cores. Ann. Glaciol., 20 , 427436.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ciais, P., J. W. C. White, J. Jouzel, and J. R. Petit, 1995: The origin of present-day Antarctic precipitation from surface snow deuterium excess data. J. Geophys. Res., 100 , 1891718927.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Connolley, W. M., 1996: The Antarctic temperature inversion. Int. J. Climatol., 16 , 13331342.

  • Craig, H., 1961: Isotopic variations in meteoric waters. Science, 133 , 17021703.

  • Cuffey, K. M., R. B. Alley, P. M. Grootes, and S. Anandakrishnan, 1992: Towards using borehole temperatures to calibrate an isotopic paleothermometer in central Greenland. Global Planet. Change, 6 , 264268.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Dahe, Q., J. R. Petit, J. Jouzel, and M. Stievenard, 1994: Distribution of stable isotopes in surface snow along the route of the 1990 International Trans-Antarctica Expedition. J. Glaciol., 40 , 107118.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Dansgaard, W., 1953: The abundance of 18O in atmospheric water and water vapour. Tellus, 5 , 461469.

  • Dansgaard, W., 1964: Stable isotopes in precipitation. Tellus, 16 , 436468.

  • Dansgaard, W., H. B. Clausen, N. Gundestrup, C. U. Hammer, S. J. Johnsen, P. Kristinsdottir, and N. Reeh, 1973: Stable isotope glaciology. Medd. Grønl., 2 , 153.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Delaygue, G., V. Masson, J. Jouzel, and R. D. Koster, 2000: The origin of Antarctic precipitation: A modelling approach. Tellus, 52B , 1936.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Delmotte, M., 1997: Enregistrements climatiques à Law-Dome: Variabilité pour les périodes récentes et pour la déglaciation. Ph.D. thesis, Université Joseph Fourier, 300 pp.

  • Delmotte, M., V. Masson, J. Jouzel, and V. Morgan, 2000: A seasonal deuterium excess signal at Law Dome, coastal eastern Antarctica: A southern ocean signature. J. Geophys. Res., 105 , 71877197.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ekaykin, A. A., 2003: Meteorological regime of central Antarctic and its role in the isotopic composition of snow thickness. Sciences of Earth and Universe, Université Joseph Fourier, 120 pp.

  • Ekaykin, A. A., V. Y. Lipenkov, N. I. Barkov, J. R. Petit, and V. Masson, 2001: Izotopniy sostav poverhnostnogo sloya snezhnoy tolschi v rayone stantsii Vostok, Tsentral’naya Antarctida (Isotope composition of surface snow in the vicinity of Vostok Station, central Antarctica). Mater. Glyatsiologicheskih Issled., 90 , 6979.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ekaykin, A. A., V. Y. Lipenkov, N. I. Barkov, J. R. Petit, and V. Masson-Delmotte, 2002: Spatial and temporal variability in isotope composition of recent snow in the vicinity of Vostok Station: Implications for ice-core record interpretation. Ann. Glaciol., 35 , 181186.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Ekaykin, A. A., V. Y. Lipenkov, I. Kuzmina, J. R. Petit, V. Masson-Delmotte, and S. J. Johnsen, 2004: The changes in isotope composition and accumulation of snow at Vostok Station, East Antarctica, over the past 200 years. Ann. Glaciol., 39 , 569575.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • EPICA Community Members, 2004: Eight glacial cycles from an Antarctic ice core. Nature, 429 , 623628.

  • EPICA Community Members, 2006: One-to-one coupling of glacial climate variability in Greenland and Antarctica. Nature, 444 , 195198.

  • Epstein, S., and T. Mayeda, 1953: Variations of O18 content of waters from natural sources. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta, 4 , 213224.

  • Epstein, S., R. P. Sharp, and I. Goddard, 1963: Oxygen isotope ratios in Antarctic snow, firn and ice. J. Geol., 71 , 698720.

  • Fisher, D. A., 1990: A zonally averaged stable-isotope model coupled to a regional variable elevation stable isotope model. Ann. Glaciol., 14 , 6572.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Fourré, E., P. Jean-Baptiste, A. Dapoigny, D. Baumier, J. R. Petit, and J. Jouzel, 2006: Past and recent tritium levels in Arctic and Antarctic polar caps. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 245 , 5664.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Frezzotti, M., and Coauthors, 2004: New estimations of precipitation and surface sublimation in East Antarctica from snow accumulation measurements. Climate Dyn., 23 , 803813.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Frezzotti, M., and Coauthors, 2005: Spatial and temporal variability of snow accumulation in East Antarctica from traverse data. J. Glaciol., 51 , 113124.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Frezzotti, M., S. Urbini, M. Proposito, C. Scharchilli, and S. Gandolfi, 2007: Spatial and temporal variability of surface mass balance near Talos Dome, East Antarctica. J. Geophys. Res., 112 .F02032, doi:10.1029/2006JF000638.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Fujita, K., and O. Abe, 2006: Stable isotopes in daily precipitation at Dome Fuji, East Antarctica. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33 .L18503, doi:10.1029/2006GL026936.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gallée, H., and G. Schayes, 1994: Development of a three-dimensional meso-γ primitive equation model: Katabatic wind simulation in the area of Terra Nova Bay, Antarctica. Mon. Wea. Rev., 122 , 671685.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gallée, H., G. Guyomarc’h, and E. Brun, 2001: Impact of snow drift on the Antarctic ice sheet surface mass balance: Possible sensitivity to snow-surface properties. Bound.-Layer Meteor., 99 , 119.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gooseff, M. N., W. B. Lyons, D. M. McKnight, B. H. Vaughn, A. G. Fountain, and C. Dowling, 2006: A stable isotopic investigation of a polar desert hydrologic system, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 38 , 6071.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Goosse, H., and Coauthors, 2004: A late medieval warm period in the Southern Ocean as a delayed response to external forcing? Geophys. Res. Lett., 31 .L06203, doi:10.1029/2003GL019140.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Graf, W., H. Moser, H. Oerter, O. Reinwarth, and W. Stichler, 1988: Accumulation and ice-core studies on Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Ann. Glaciol., 11 , 2331.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Graf, W., H. Moser, O. Reinwarth, J. Kipfstuhl, H. Oerter, A. Minikin, and D. Wagenbach, 1994: Snow-accumulation rates and isotopic content (2H, 3H) of near-surface firn from the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Ann. Glaciol., 20 , 121128.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Graf, W., O. Reinwarth, H. Oerter, C. Mayer, and A. Lambrecht, 1999: Surface accumulation on Foundation Ice Stream, Antarctica. Ann. Glaciol., 29 , 2328.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Graf, W., H. Oerter, O. Reinwarth, W. Stichler, F. Wilhelms, H. Miller, and R. Mulvaney, 2002: Stable isotope records from Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Ann. Glaciol., 35 , 195201.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Gragnani, R., C. Smiraglia, B. Stenni, and S. Torcini, 1998: Chemical and isotopic profiles from snow pits and shallow firn cores on Campbell Glacier, northern Victoria Land, Antarctica. Ann. Glaciol., 27 , 679684.

    • Search Google Scholar
    • Export Citation
  • Helsen, M. M., 2006: On the interpretation of stable isotopes in Antarctic precipitation. Ph.D. thesis, Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht University, 158 pp.

  • Helsen, M. M., R. S. W. van de Wal, M. R. van den Broeke, V. Masson-Delmotte, H. A. J. Meijer, M. P. Scheele, and M. Werner, 2006: Modeling the isotopic composition of Antarctic snow using backward trajectories: Simulation of snow pit records. J. Geophys. Res., 111 .D15109, doi:10.1029/2005JD006524.