Nordic Hydrology, 25, 1994, 371-388 No Part May Be Reproduced by Any Process Wlthout Complete Rekrence
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Nordic Hydrology, 25, 1994, 371-388 No part may be reproduced by any process wlthout complete rekrence Assessment of Spatial Variability of Major-Ion Concentrations and DEL Oxygen-18 Values in Surface Snow, Upper Fremont Glacier, Wyoming, U.S.A. D. L. Naftz U.S. Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, UT 84104, U.S.A. P. F. Schuster and M. M. Reddy U.S. Geological Survey, Boulder, CO 80303, U.S.A. One hundred samples were collected from the surface of the Upper Fremont Glacier at equally spaced intervals defined by an 8,100 m 2 snow grid to assess the significance of lateral variability in major-ion concentrations and del oxy- gen-18 values. For the major ions, the largest concentration range within the snow grid was sodium (0.5056 mgll) and the smallest concentration range was sulfate (0.125 mgll). Del oxygen-18 values showed a range of 7.45 per mil. Comparison of the observed variability of each chemical constituent to the variability expected by measurement error indicated substantial lateral variab- ility within the surface-snow layer. Results of the nested ANOVA indicate most of the variance for every constituent is in the values grouped at the two smaller geographic scales (between 506 m2 and within 506 m2 sections). Cal- cium and sodium concentrations and del oxygen-18 values displayed the largest amount of variance at the largest geographic scale (between 2,025 m 2 sections) within the grid and ranged from 14 to 26 per cent of the total variance. The variance data from the snow grid were used to develop equations to evaluate the significance of both positive and negative concentrationlvalue peaks of nitrate and del oxygen-18 with depth, in a 160 m ice core. Solving the equations indicates that both the nitrate and del oxygen-18 ice-core profiles have concen- trationlvalue trends that exceed the limits expected from lateral variability. Values of del oxygen-18 in the section from 110-150 m below the surface consistently vary outside the expected limits and possibly represents cooler temperatures during the Little Ice Age from about 1810 to 1725 A.D. Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/hr/article-pdf/25/5/371/3734/371.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 D. L. Naftz, P. E Schuster, and M. M. Reddy Introduction High-altitude, mid- and low-latitude glaciers and snowfields in Kenya, Peru, Chi- na, Canada, Russia, Switzerland, and the United States recently have been cored and sampled to provide useful and geographically diverse paleoenvironmental re- cords (Thompson and Hastenrath 1981; Thompson 1981; Thompson et al. 1984; 1986; 1988a; 1988b; and 1989; Holdsworth and Peak 1985; Wagenbach 1989; Ferronsky et al. 1991; Naftz et al. 1991a; 1991b; Naftz 1993; and Naftz et al. 1993) and data on chemical loadings to high-altitude ecosystems (Galbraith et al. 1991). Because of the diverse geographic locations of these sites, they provide important global linkages to the existing and future ice-core and snow-pit records in Nordic areas. To date (1993), the expense and logistical constraints of sampling these remote, high-altitude glaciers and snowfields have limited the number of drilling and sampl- ing sites. With a limited number of sampling locations, researchers have assumed that individual snow and ice layers have uniform chemical composition (Metcalf and Peck 1991). Unfortunately, the conditions typical of high-altitude glaciers and snowfields favor large lateral variability in chemical composition. High winds dur- ing the winter season can transport snow from high-altitude ridges and deposit the snow in more protected bowls and cirques. This process could result in wide vari- ability in snow chemistry from the ridge top to lower altitudes. For example, the high-velocity winter winds at the Colle Gnifetti site in Switzerland prevented pre- servation of the winter del oxygen-18 signature in ice cores taken at the site (Wagenbach 1989). Large seasonal fluctuations in air temperature can cause redistribution or re- moval of solutes in the snowpack and ice during the springlsummer melt season (Davies et al. 1982). For example, because of temperature gradients with altitude and different slope aspects, the extent of solute redistribution could vary substan- tially over the surface of the glacier or snowfield. Without additional information on the lateral variability of the constituent of interest, the snow or ice core samples may not represent the average chemical condition of that particular ice or surface- snow layer. Previous studies (Kumai 1985; Brimblecombe et al. 1985; Schemenauer et al. 1985; Jones 1985; Laird et al. 1986; Holdsworth and Peake 1985; and Andersson et al. 1990) have addressed the problem of lateral variability in surface snow samples qualitatively and have evaluated only selected chemical constituents. An excellent summary of these studies is given by Metcalf and Peck (1990), who concluded that lateral variability is substantial enough to mask much of the temporal variation in pH and conductivity in ice-core records. Metcalf and Peck (1990) recommend, at a minimum, a cursory examination of lateral variability in the snow chemistry of surface layers before drill-site selection in future drilling programs. Following the suggestion of Metcalf and Peck (1990), the first objective of this Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/hr/article-pdf/25/5/371/3734/371.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 Assessment of Spatial Variability ! cr" Wyoming \ L.2 I 1 wind R ver Ranr> Fretno"; Glacier , study area 1 i ,,dl, C.SPBI 1 Rock SDrnQn Cheyenne - SURFACE-SNOW GRID Bare from U S Geolog~calSuwey 1.24.000quadrangle: 0 0 5 KILOMETERS Flemont Rak Norm. Wyommg. 1966 -0.5 MILES EXPLANATION -4.085 - TOPOGRAPHIC CONTOUR--Shows -BOUNDARY OF GLACIER alt~tudeof Ice surface Contour Interval IS about 12 meters and IS varlable because of conversion from feet Nat~onalGeodetlc Vertical Datum of 1929 Fig. 1. Location of surface-snow grid and ice-coring site on Upper Fremont Glacier. paper is to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the spatial variabili- ty of major-ion concentrations and del oxygen-18 values in surface snow near the end of the ablation season adjacent to a high-altitude drilling site in the Wind River Range of Wyoming (Fig. 1). The second objective is to utilize these results to assess the significance of variability of selected chemical constituents with depth at the same site. The late-season snow surface was sampled to best correspond to the snow chemistry potentially preserved after the firn-to-ice transition at the site. Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/hr/article-pdf/25/5/371/3734/371.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 D. L. Naftz, P. E Schuster, and M. M. Reddy Fig. 2. Photograph with superimposed schematic of the surface-snow grid and ice-coring site on Upper Fremont Glacier. Site Description The study site is located on Upper Fremont Glacier, within the Wind River Range of Wyoming (Fig. 1). Meier (1951) gives a complete description of Fremont Glacier, which is summarized as follows. Total area of Fremont Glacier in 1950 was about 2.7 km2. Median elevation of Fremont Glacier is about 3,924 m a.s.l., the highest median elevation of any major glacier in the Wind River Range. Fre- mont Glacier is composed of an upper ice mass designated "Upper Fremont Glacier" connected to a lower ice mass designated "Lower Fremont Glacier" by a narrow ice neck (Fig. 1). Only limited recession from the maximum extent of Upper Fremont Glacier in the Little Ice Age was observed in 1950. Collection locations of surface-snow samples were determined by using an 8,100 m2 grid superimposed on the glacier (Fig. 2). The east corner of the sample grid is located about 15 m southwest of the site where a 160 m continuous ice core to bedrock was collected during 1991 (American Geophysical Union 1992). Eleva- tions of the sample grid range from about 4,000 to 4,012 m a.s.1. Both the sample grid and ice-coring site were located above the August 1991 firn limit on Upper Fremont Glacier. Accumulated seasonal snow depth adjacent to the sample grid Downloaded from http://iwaponline.com/hr/article-pdf/25/5/371/3734/371.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 Assessment of Spatial Variability (measured in April 1990) ranged from 70 to more than more than 370 cm (Naftz 1993). Snow depth increases toward the cirque wall, probably from wind loading on the leeward slopes. Cumulative ablation (including snow, firn, and ice) mea- sured for the 1990-91 budget year ranged from 68 to 119 cm on Upper Fremont Glacier. Methodology On-Site The criteria for selection of the grid area were a location that 1) eliminated anticip- ated disturbances to the surface by ice drilling and helicopter operations, 2) had minimal topographic relief, 3) was not subjected to differential solar effects (such as shading from the cirque walls), and 4) was above the firn line. The surface snow was sampled on Upper Fremont Glacier on August 18,1991, at 100 equally spaced points within the 8,100 m2 grid area (Fig. 2). Each sample consisted of the top 2-3 cm of snow and was composited from a 1 m2 area using a large plastic spoon. A total of approxilnately 500 g of sample was collected from each sampling point. All sample containers and equipment were pre-soaked and pre-rinsed in 17.8 megaohm water before sampling. Composited samples were placed in plastic bags and stored in snow vaults until transport off site by helicopter to a freezer truck. Sample Processing and Analysis Snow samples were extruded from the plastic bags into covered plastic containers and allowed to melt at room temperature (20 "C).