As part of a geochemical study of the Commonwealth Glacier in Taylor Valley, Antarctica, two 3-meter snow pits were dug in the accumulation zone and analyzed for major ions by ion chromatography. This dataset shows the mean annual atmospheric flux of chloride, sulfate, nitrate, and calcium to the Commonwealth Glacier. Determination of the atmospheric flux of these ions to the glacier surface aids in assessing the chemical composition of precipitation to the McMurdo Dry Valleys and the role of glaciers in the geochemical cycles of the region.
Dataset Results
The chemistry of various glaciers (Canada, Commonwealth, Howard, Suess, Taylor) in Taylor Valley was measured for the following analytes between 1993 and 1997: Alkalinity, Ca, Cl, F, K, Mg, Na, NO3, Si, and SO4.
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We used sediment incubations to quantify and compare nutrient uptake rates from biota living in sediment across glaciers in Taylor Valley, Antarctica. Hughes Glacier is located towards the polar plateau on the western edge of the valley and flows from the southern Kukri Hills north into the valley. Canada and Commonwealth glaciers flow south into the valley from the Asgard range. Commonwealth glacier is located closest to the ocean on the east end of the valley. Canada glacier is located mid-valley, between Hughes and Commonwealth glaciers.
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This data package contains chemical and sediment characteristics of ice cores collected from the ablation zones of five glaciers in Taylor Valley, located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys region of Antarctica, during the 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18, and 2018-19 austral summers. Specifically, shallow ice cores were collected from the ablation zones of Hughes, Howard, Seuss, Commonwealth, and Canada Glaciers in order to characterize the spatial and temporal evolution of ice chemistry and sediment concentration across Taylor Valley.