Glaciochemical investigations of the ice deposit of Vukušić Ice Cave, Velebit Mountain, Croatia
The <sup>3</sup>H activity and the concentration of 23 metals and metalloids have been analysed in cave ice samples from the perennial cave ice deposit of Vukušić Ice Cave, Velebit Mt., Croatia. The results of tritium measurements exclude a secular age for the upper 2.4 m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2011-06-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/485/2011/tc-5-485-2011.pdf |
| Summary: | The <sup>3</sup>H activity and the concentration of 23 metals and metalloids have been analysed in cave ice samples from the perennial cave ice deposit of Vukušić Ice Cave, Velebit Mt., Croatia. The results of tritium measurements exclude a secular age for the upper 2.4 m of ice deposition, and provide clear arguments that the sampled ice sequence consists of frozen post-1950 precipitation. Measured concentrations of most of the analysed elements have largely surmounted reported concentrations of similar elements from local precipitation or Alpine snow/firn/ice records, whereas three metals (Cr, Cu, Pb) show concentrations comparable to them. Principal component analysis was used to select three groups of elements. The Ca-Mg-governed group (PC1) encompasses the bedrock-related components; their fluctuation might thus reflect the past intensity of dissolution in the epikarst. PC2, with the most characteristic elements being Na, Cr and Pb, probably preserved an atmospheric depositional signal. PC3 is governed by Al and Fe. This probably carries the distal, non-karstic crustal signal and hence might be related to atmospheric circulation (i.e., wind direction and speed). |
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| ISSN: | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |