Abstract
We have studied the distribution of 327 clay mineral particles retrieved from four Antaretic ice smaples corresponding to present and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) climate conditions. Illite, chlorite, smectite and kaolinite were identified in all samples. Focusing on kaolinite, because of its use as a possible tracer of low latitude soils, we find a significantly smaller amount for LGM samples while the dust concentration in snow during the LGM was about 30 times higher than for present climate conditions. This can be interpreted as change in the contribution of the Australian source with climate.
A second approach was based on the modeling of the desert dust cycle using an Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) under both present-day and ice age conditions. Unlike mineralogical results, the model suggests the prevalence of the Australian dust source in the deposits over East Antarctica under both present-day and LGM climate conditions. However the model fails to reproduce the strong increase in dust deposits during the LGM. This discrepancy could be partly due to the lack of a higher latitude dust source in the model.
The stronger dust input recorded in ice cores for the LGM could be related to an additional active high latitude source (possibly close to South America) overlapping the atmospheric background coming from low latitude areas.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Batifol, F. (1987) ‘Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in Antarctic snow and ice: a contribution to their geochemical cycles’ (in French), Thesis, USMG of Grenoble, France.
Bowler J.M. (1976) ‘Aridity in Australia; age, origin and expression in colian landforms and sediments’, Earth Sc. Rev. 12, 279–310.
Briat M., Royer A., Petit J.R. and Lorius C. (1982) ‘Late glacial input of colian continental dust in the Dome C ice core; additional evidence from individual microparticles analysis’, Ann. of Glaciol. 3, 27–31.
Burckle R.H., Gayley R.I., Ram M. and Petit J.R. (1988) ‘Diatoms in Antaretic ice cores: Some implications for the glacial history of Antaretica’, Geology 16, 326–329.
Cragin, J.M., Herron, M.M., Langway, C.C. and Klouda, G. (1977) ‘Interhemispheric comparison of changes in the composition of atmospheric precipitation during the late cenozoic cra’, in Dunber Maxwell (ed.), Polmar Oceans, Proceed. of the Polar Oceans Conference (1974), Montreal, Canada, 617–631.
De Angells M., Barkov N.I. and Petrov V.N. (1987) ‘Aerosol concentrations over the last climatic cycle (160 kyr) from Antaretic ice core’, Nature 325, 318–321.
De Angelis, M., Barkov, N.I. and Petrov, V.N. ‘Change in continental aerosol sources over Antaretica during the last climatic cycle (this issue).
Gaudichet A., Petit J.R., Lefevre R. and Lorius C. (1986) ‘An investigation by analytical transmission microscopy of individual insoluble microparticles from Antarctic (Dome C) ice core samples’, Tellus 38B, 250–261.
Gaudichet A., De Angelis M., Lefevre R., Petit J.R., Korotkevitch Y.S. and Petrov V.N. (1988) ‘Mineralogy of insoluble particles in the Vostok antaretic ice core over the last climatic cycle (150 kyr)’, Geophys. Res. Letters 15, 1471–1474.
Gaudichet A., Lefevre R., Gaudry A., Ardouin B., Lambert G. and Miller J.M. (1989) ‘Mineralogical composition at Amsterdam island’, Tellus 41B, 344–352.
Griffin J.J., Windom H. and Golberg E.D. (1968) ‘The distribution of clay minerals in the world ocean’, Deep Sea Res. 15, 433–459.
Joussaume, S. (1989) ‘Climate simulations for the last glacial maximum using a general circulation model including isotopes and desert dust modeling’ (in French), Thesis, University of Paris VI, France.
Joussaume S. (1990) ‘Three-dimensional simulation of desert dust particles using a general circulation model’, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 1909–1941.
Joussaume, S. 'Paleoclimatic tracers: ‘an investigation using an atmospheric general circulation model under ice age conditions, part 1: desert dust’, submitted to
Jouzel J., Lorius C., Petit J.R., Genthon C., Barkov N.I., Kotlyakov V.M. and Petrov V.M. (1987) ‘Vostok ice core: a continuous isotope temperature record over the last climatic cycle (160,000 years)’, Nature 329, 403–408.
Kumai M. (1976) ‘Identification of nuclei and concentrations of chemical species in snow crystals sampled at South Pole’, J. Atm. Sc. 33, 833–841.
Legrand M.R., Lorius C., Barkov N.I. and Petrov V.N. (1988) ‘Vostok (Antarctica) ice core: atmospheric chemistry changes over the last climatic cycle (160,000 years)’, Atm. Env. 22, 317–331.
Moriarty K.C. (1977) ‘Clay minerals in the southeast Indian Ocean sediments, transport mechanisms and depositional environments’, Marine Geolog. 25, 149–174.
Petit J.R., Briat M. and Royer A. (1981) ‘Ice Age aerosol content from East-Antaretica ice core samples and past wind strength’, Nature 293, 391–393.
Petit J.R., Mounier L., Jouzel J., Korotkevitch Y.S., Kotlyakov V.I. and Lorius C. (1990) ‘Palcoclimatological and chronological implications of the Vostok dust record’, Nature 343, 56–58.
Pourchet M., Pinglot F. and Lorius C. (1983) ‘Some meteorological applications of the radioactive fallout measurements in Antaretic snows’, J. Geophys. Res. 88, 6013–6020.
Schlesinger, M.E. (1984) ‘Atmospheric general circulation model simulations of the modern Antarctic climate’, in ‘Environment of West Antaretica: potential CO2-induced climate’, Committee on Glaciology, Polar Research Board, National Research Council, 151–196, National Academy Press.
Thompson L. and Mosley-Thompson E. (1981) ‘Microparticle concentration variations linked with climatic change. Evidence from polar ice cores’, Science 212, 912–815.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gaudichel, A., De Angelis, M., Joussaume, S. et al. Comments on the origin of dust in East Antarctica for present and ice age conditions. J Atmos Chem 14, 129–142 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00115229
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00115229