Spatial and seasonal variations of elemental composition in Mt. Everest (Qomolangma) snow/firn |
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| Institution: | 1. Key Laboratory of Mechanics on Disaster and Environment in Western China, the Ministry of Education of China; School of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, PR China;2. Research Center on Landslides, Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University, Gokasho, Uji, Kyoto, 611-0011, Japan;3. Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, PR China;4. Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, PR China;1. Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China;2. State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, China;3. CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;4. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China;5. School of Geography, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China;6. Laboratory of Green Chemistry, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Sammonkatu 12, 50130 Mikkeli, Finland;1. National Engineering Laboratory for High-Speed Railway Construction, School of Civil Engineering, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410075, China;2. Centre of Excellence for Geotechnical Science and Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia |
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| Abstract: | In May 2005, a total of 14 surface snow (0–10 cm) samples were collected along the climbing route from the advanced base camp to the summit (6500–8844 m a.s.l.) on the northern slope of Mt. Everest (Qomolangma). A 108 m firn/ice core was retrieved from the col of the East Rongbuk Glacier (28.03°N, 86.96°E, 6518 m a.s.l.) on the north eastern saddle of Mt. Everest in September 2002. Surface snow and the upper 3.5 m firn samples from the core were analyzed for major and trace elements by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Measurements show that crustal elements dominated both surface snow and the firn core, suggesting that Everest snow chemistry is mainly influenced by crustal aerosols from local rock or prevalent spring dust storms over southern/central Asia.There are no clear trends for element variations with elevation due to local crustal aerosol inputs or redistribution of surface snow by strong winds during the spring. Seasonal variability in snow/firn elements show that high elemental concentrations occur during the non-monsoon season and low values during the monsoon season. Ca, Cr, Cs, and Sr display the most distinct seasonal variations. Elemental concentrations (especially for heavy metals) at Mt. Everest are comparable with polar sites, generally lower than in suburban areas, and far lower than in large cities. This indicates that anthropogenic activities and heavy metal pollution have little effect on the Mt. Everest atmospheric environment. Everest firn core REE concentrations are the first reported in the region and seem to be comparable with those measured in modern and Last Glacial Maximum snow/ice samples from Greenland and Antarctica, and with precipitation samples from Japan and the East China Sea. This suggests that REE concentrations measured at Everest are representative of the background atmospheric environment. |
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