Heavy Metals in Antarctic and Greenland Snow and Ice Cores: Man Induced Changes During the Last Millennia and Natural Variations During the Last Climatic Cycles

Abstract

In this chapter, we give an overview of some of the most interesting results which have been obtained by studying the changing occurrence of heavy metals in Antarctic and Greenland snow and ice cores. After recalling the pioneering role of Clair Patterson in this field, we describe first briefly the conditions which must be fulfilled to obtain fully reliable data, especially regarding the cleanliness of the samples and the use of specially designed clean laboratories. We present then some of the most interesting data which have been obtained on man induced changes during the past millennia/centuries. They show clear evidence of a global pollution of the atmosphere of our planet for heavy metals, which can be detected even in the most remote areas of the Southern Hemisphere and can be traced back to Roman times in the Northern Hemisphere. Finally, we present some recent data on past natural changes in heavy metals in ice dated back to 670 kyr BP, with pronounced variations during the successive interglacial/glacial climatic cycles.