Abstract:

Snow samples recovered from two snow pits (2.5m and 3.5m deep) along the route of the 1996/1997 Chinese Traverse in Princess Elizabeth Land,East Antarctica, have been measured for chemical composition and oxygen isotope ratio. In the two snow pits,the seasonal variations of NO - 3 concentrations are partly in phase with the variations of δ 18 O values, while the peaks of Cl - are at the troughs in δ 18 O, but both variations of Cl - and NO - 3 formed the same seasonal variation stratum as the variations of δ 18 O.However, no obvious seasonal variations of cation concentrations were found in the profiles. The results provide a useful tool for dating the snow stratum in this region. Elevated sulfate(SO 2- 4) concentrations found in the profiles of the two snow pits for the period, 1992-1995 may be due to the June 1991 Pinatubo(Philippines) volcanic eruption and August 1991 Cerro Hudson eruption.