GLAC_CHEM_SNOW English utf8 dataset McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager im@mcmlter.org pointOfContact 2021-05-06 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - North American Profile Metadata - Data with Biological Extensions ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Chemical characteristics of snow in the ablation zone of Canada Glacier in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica during the 2016-2017 austral summer 2021-05-06 publication Anna Bergstrom Boise State University https://www.boisestate.edu/ annabergstrom@boisestate.edu pointOfContact Michael Gooseff University of Colorado Boulder http://www.colorado.edu/ michael.gooseff@colorado.edu http://goosefflab.weebly.com pointOfContact documentDigital 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. Name: Kathleen A. Welch Role: lab technician Name: Marci J. Beitch Role: field crew Name: Renée F. Brown Role: data manager completed McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER Information Manager im@mcmlter.org pointOfContact inorganic nutrients theme LTER Core Areas English The Canada Glacier a small glacier flowing south-east into the northern side of Taylor Valley.  The glacier receives less than 10 cm of snowfall annually. Its seasonal melting feeds Lake Hoare to the west and Lake Fryxell to the east. 163.057708740234 162.894287109375 -77.632133483887 -77.598403930664 2016-11-28 Funding for these data was provided by the National Science Foundation Grant #OPP-1637708 for Long Term Ecological Research. https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-bergstrom-chem-snow-20210601.csv GLAC_CHEM_SNOW eng; US McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER GLAC_CHEM_SNOW Number of Header Lines : 1 Orientation : Column Quote Character : "Field Delimiter : , false DATASET_CODE Internal dataset code. GLACIER Name of the glacier where the snow sample was collected. SAMPLE_DATE Date of sample collection (GMT +13). Date Time Format: MM/DD/YY Latitude Latitude of sample collection (GCS WGS1984) in decimal degrees. LONGITUDE Longitude of sample collection (GCS WGS1984) in decimal degrees. STAKE_ID Ablation stake number adjacent to sample collection location. REPLICATE Letter identifying snow sample replicate at each sampling location. CL_MG_L Chloride concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. N-NO3_MG_L Nitrogen (N-NO3) concentration in the sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. SO4_MG_L Sulfate concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. CA_MG_L Calcium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. MG_MG_L Magnesium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. K_MG_L Potassium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. NA_MG_L Sodium concentration in the snow sample. Value of -100 is below detection limit, while -9999 indicates an unanalyzed sample and/or missing value. DBF https://mcm.lternet.edu/sites/default/files/data/mcmlter-glac-bergstrom-chem-snow-20210601.csv dataset Snow collection occurred at five locations (2 on Canada Glacier and 3 on Commonwealth Glacier) co-located with ice cores and seasonal mass balance measurement locations (ablation stakes). However, this package only includes data from the subset of samples that have been analyzed. Snow samples were collected within several meters of ice core collections (these data are in an accompanying data package) and mass balance stakes. Samples were collected using a clean scoop and gloved hands and placed in a clean whirlpack. Upon collection, samples were placed in a cooler that was transported back to a field camp and stored at -20º C. Samples were later transported to the Crary Lab at McMurdo Station where they were melted and poured into a triple DI-washed polyethylene bottle and refrozen. Samples were then shipped back to Boulder, Colorado and stored at -20º C.The samples collected from Canada Glacier on 28 November 2016 were thawed at 4º C and analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy for Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and Na+, and by ion chromatography (IC) for Cl-, NO3-, and SO4-.While the remaining samples have not yet been processed, additional notes regarding sample collection are provided here for reference. 28 November 2016, Canada Glacier: Snow was collected from snowfall that began on 21 November 2016. Total accumulation was approximately 6 inches. Some snow melt was observed on the glacier at the time of sampling, particularly in more sloped locations. Samples were collected integrating the entire depth of snow, approximately 3 inches. 6 December 2016, Canada Glacier: Additional snow samples were collected at the #52 and #54 ablation stakes (same as on 28 November 2016). Snow was crusty and had been redistributed as a result of a Foehn wind event that had occurred on 1 December 2016. More sediment was visible in the snow. 12 December 2016, Canada Glacier: Snow was collected from the #52 and #54 ablation stakes in depressions that had collected/maintained wind-blown snow. 13 December 2016, Commonwealth Glacier: Snow was collected from the #5, #6 and #10 ablation stakes. There was approximately 2 inches of snow on top of ice at the time of collection. Metadata Access Constraints: none Metadata Use Constraints: none annually McMurdo Dry Valleys LTER http://mcmlter.org/ pointOfContact