Chemical characteristics of snow in the ablation zone of Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica during the 2016-2017 austral summer

Summary

Abstract: 

This data package contains chemical characteristics of snow in the ablation zone of Canada Glacier, located in Taylor Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica during the 2016-17 austral summer. Specifically, snow samples were collected from the ablation zones of Canada and Commonwealth Glaciers to characterize the chemistry of recent snowfall in the ablation zones of these glaciers. Samples were collected in triplicate near mass balance stakes on the same date ice cores were collected as part of a larger study characterizing the spatial and temporal geochemical evolution of glacial meltwater. A subset of snow samples collected from Canada Glacier have been analyzed and are included here. This package may be amended in the future if analysis of the remaining samples from both Canada and Commonwealth Glaciers occurs.

Date Range: 

November 28, 2016
Data Citation
Bergstrom, A.J., Gooseff, M.N. 2021. Chemical characteristics of snow in the ablation zone of Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica during the 2016-2017 austral summer. Environmental Data Initiative. DOI: 10.6073/pasta/1aea37d5e5a449c7523684587f758b6c. Dataset accessed 19 March 2024.
Dataset(s)

Variables (click to expand): 

DATASET_CODE
  • Label: Dataset code
  • Definition: Internal dataset code.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
GLACIER
  • Label: Glacier
  • Definition: Name of the glacier where the snow sample was collected.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
SAMPLE_DATE
  • Label: Sample date
  • Definition: Date of sample collection (GMT +13).
  • Type: Date/time
  • Date format: MM/DD/YY
  • Missing values: None specified
Latitude
  • Label: Latitude
  • Definition: Latitude of sample collection (GCS WGS1984) in decimal degrees.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: decimalDegrees
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
LONGITUDE
  • Label: Longitude
  • Definition: Longitude of sample collection (GCS WGS1984) in decimal degrees.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: decimalDegrees
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
STAKE_ID
  • Label: Stake ID
  • Definition: Ablation stake number adjacent to sample collection location.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
REPLICATE
  • Label: Replicate
  • Definition: Letter identifying snow sample replicate at each sampling location.
  • Type: Nominal
  • Missing values: None specified
CL_MG_L
  • Label: Chloride concentration
  • Definition: Chloride concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
N-NO3_MG_L
  • Label: Nitrogen (as nitrate) concentration
  • Definition: Nitrogen (N-NO3) concentration in the sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values:
    • BLANK = missing
SO4_MG_L
  • Label: Sulfate concentration
  • Definition: Sulfate concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
CA_MG_L
  • Label: Calcium concentration
  • Definition: Calcium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
MG_MG_L
  • Label: Magnesium concentration
  • Definition: Magnesium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
K_MG_L
  • Label: Potassium concentration
  • Definition: Potassium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified
NA_MG_L
  • Label: Sodium concentration
  • Definition: Sodium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value.
  • Type: Physical quantity
  • Unit: milligramsPerLiter
  • Maximum: Not specified
  • Minimum: Not specified
  • Precision: Not specified
  • Missing values: None specified

Short name: 

GLAC_CHEM_SNOW

Dataset ID: 

2024
People

Principal Investigator(s): 

Contact: 

Associated Personnel: 

Lab Technician
Field Crew
Data Manager