Antarctic Firn Air O2/N2/Ar Ratios and Isotopic Composition

Firn air samples from the Megadunes site in Antarctica were analyzed for O2/N2/Ar ratios and the isotopic composition of O2 and N2. The data was collected by a program led by Jeffrey Severinghaus at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography to study convection and gravitational fractionation in snow dunes. The specific temporal coverage and sample size are not provided in the input.

Use Cases

• Modeling gravitational fractionation of atmospheric gases using O2/N2/Ar ratio data.
• Analyzing the extent of convection in Antarctic firn from isotopic composition of O2 and N2.
• Correcting for gravitational effects on other trace gas abundances using the defined gravitational fractionation.
• Studying the age of deep firn air based on isotopic and elemental composition data.

Strengths

• Data provides direct measurements of O2/N2/Ar ratios and isotopic composition from a unique Antarctic site.
• Samples were collected from a scientifically significant location marked by actively migrating snow dunes and large ice crystals.
• Analysis was conducted by a leading research institution, the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Limitations

• The number of samples (rows) and specific measurement columns are unknown.
• Geographic coverage is limited to a single site in Antarctica.
• The temporal coverage and date of last update are not specified.

Provenance

Source

Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SCIOPS), program led by Jeffrey Severinghaus.

Collection Method

Collection and analysis of firn air samples from the Megadunes site, Antarctica.

Geography

Megadunes site, Antarctica.