Preliminary investigation of palaeoclimate signals recorded in the ice core from Dome Fuji station, east Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica

Abstract

ABSTRACT An ice core to 2503.52 m depth was drilled during 1995 and 1996 at 77°19′01″S, 39°42′12″ E (3810 m a.s.l.), at the summit of Dome Fuji, East Antarctica. Climatic and environmental conditions were observed at the coring site throughout the 2 years of wintering operation. Meteorological and glaciological observations made clear the present surface processes of mass balance. The chemistry of the surface snow layers was observed for investigation of the atmospheric environment reflected in snow deposits. Core analyses have been carried out in Japan. Permeability and density measurements show that air bubbles are completely closed off by densification processes at about 98 m depth. The vertical profile of δ 18O suggests that the core covers two warm stages and one cold stage from the surface down to 1800 m depth. The transition from the cold to the warm period affects the vertical distribution of ice-crystal size. The chemical constituents in the ice core show large differences between warm and cold periods. A depth–age relationship is presented and a study made of palaeoclimatic and core signals.