WAIS Divide Ice Core Annual Layer Thickness Averages from Visual Stratigraphy

Visual stratigraphy of the entire WAIS Divide main ice core was conducted by Matthew K. Spencer at the National Ice Core Lab. The dataset contains annual-layer thickness averages derived from this analysis, with averages calculated over approximately 50-meter intervals. The data is associated with the SCIOPS organization and is hosted on NASA Earthdata.

Use Cases

• Reconstructing past climate variability based on annual layer thickness records.
• Comparing visual stratigraphy dating methods with independent techniques like electrical measurements.
• Studying the evolution of the visible annual signal in ice cores from firn to deep ice.
• Analyzing changes in layer detection difficulty and clarity across different depth ranges (e.g., 550-1000 m, below 2800 m).

Strengths

• Analysis performed by a single, experienced stratigrapher with prior work on the Siple Dome core, promoting consistency.
• Annual layer thicknesses were averaged over ~50-meter intervals to reduce local variability.
• The description details specific depth ranges where detection was difficult (~550-1000 m) and where the signal became clearer (below 1100 m, below 2800 m).

Limitations

• Description metadata is limited; actual data quality requires manual inspection after download.
• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count and file formats are unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.

Provenance

Source

NASA Earthdata, SCIOPS organization.

Collection Method

Visual stratigraphy using diffuse transmitted light on planed ice core surfaces in a light-shielded booth.

Time Range

null

Freshness

Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Geography

WAIS Divide, Antarctica.