Abstract
The easily accessible ice at Paakitsoq offers a favourable opportunity to study the major climatic events that occurred during the last glacial cycle, since large samples of ice with a limited age-range can be obtained. In this sense the ice margin record is an alternative to the deep ice-core records where the number of environmental parameters that can be studied is limited by the amount of ice available, each parameter requiring a certain amount of ice for its analysis (Reeh et al., 1993). This possibility has attracted the attention of scientists working with environmental parameters requiring large ice samples. A Danish, American, Canadian and German joint project was therefore initiated, and in April 1994 a programme of retrieving ice samples for studies of pollen, dust, chemistry, textures, fabric and visual stratigraphy was carried out. Furthermore, measurements of mass balance, ice velocity and deformation were made. In addition to the possibility of studying the variation of environmental parameters over a full glacial cycle, the project will also support the establishment of a better chronology along the Paakitsoq profile.
Highlights
Deep ice-core drilling programmes on the central part of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have demonstrated that large ice sheets contain unique sources of information about climate and environment during the past c. 250 000 years (Dansgaard et al, 1982, 1993; Lorius et al, 1985; Jouzel et al, 1987, 1993)
The accessible ice at Paakitsoq offers a favourable opportunity to study the major climatic events that occurred during the last glacial cycle, since large samples of ice with a limited age-range can be obtained. In this sense the ice margin record is an alternative to the deep ice-core records where the number of environmental parameters that can be studied is limited by the amount of ice available, each parameter requiring a certain amount of ice for its analysis (Reeh et al, 1993)
This possibility has attracted the atten tion of scientists working with environmental parameters requiring large ice samples
Summary
The Paakitsoq ice margin area lies c. 40 km north-east of the town of Ilulissat/Jakobshavn in West Greenland (Fig. 1). Comparison of the foliation banding and the oxygen isotope values of surface ice samples shows that light and dark coloured ice is associated with respectively relatively high and low 8180 values. Dirt bands, consisting of small pocket-like inclusions of fine debris, are common and seem to be located in zones; these can be followed laterally over distances of several hundred metres. Both blue bands and dirt bands dip 70° SE along the whole profile. The bedding in the ice, but it is still an open question whether this is the case. or whether they represent a sec ondary phenomenon
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
