Thursday, November 9, 2023, 16:00
WBGB/019
Theo Jenk, PSI
Abstract:
High-alpine glaciers and polar ice sheets are invaluable archives of
past air pollution and climate. Since direct measurements of the
atmospheric composition are basically not available before the 1970s,
these natural archives are unique to put recent observations into a
longer-term context, allowing to assess the anthropogenic impact in
relation to natural changes in atmospheric constituents and natural
climate variability. The information contained is unlocked from the ice
cores by determining a range of tracers using state-of-the-art
analytical techniques. This presentation will give an overview of how
ice cores are collected and analyzed. The focus will be particularly on
ice cores from high-alpine glaciers. Examples of air pollution and
climate records as well as the challenges involved to derive them will
be discussed.