Some results on oxygen isotope stratigraphy in the deep drilling at King Baudouin Station, Antarctica

Abstract

Measured oxygen isotope variations for determining net accumulation rates in three sections of snow and ice core from a drilling project, at King Baudouin Station on Princesse Ragnhild Coast, Antarctica, are reported and discussed. Results of this investigation show that the 6.10-m surface core section was deposited during 7.5 years, with a yearly mean accumulation of 38.5 cm of water. The intermediate section, from 43.70- to 52.26-m depth, was deposited during 16 to 18 years (depending on interpretation), with a yearly mean accumulation of 41.5 to 36.9 cm of water. The deepest section, from 98.70- to 101.60-m depth, was deposited during 10 years, with a yearly mean accumulation of 24.6 cm of water. The decrease of the mean yearly accumulation measured in the deepest section is probably due to the plastic deformation of the expanding shelf and possibly to a different accumulation rate in the past. The differences among the mean δ values in the three sections are attributed to climatic change and are consistent with the temperature increase observed in Antarctica during the last 60 years.