Solar Proton Events from a 180 Year Depth Profile of Nitrate Concentrations from the Central Greenland Ice Sheet

Abstract

Operations have been concentrated on the micro-resolution analysis of the 120 meter ice core that was collected in Greenland in June, 1992. Thus far, 64 meters of the ice core have been sampled and a total of over 4000 individual samples have been analyzed for both nitrate and electrical conductivity. It has been possible to identify a number of specific anomalies in both the nitrate and the electrical conductivity records. Strong nitrate anomalies related to known solar flares have been identified, and it will become possible to delineate a signal of solar activity well beyond the known geophysical records. It has also been observed that periods of known low solar activity also correlate with lower than normal nitrate concentration and yearly nitrate flux. A new automatic ice core melting apparatus has been designed and built that will permit sampling the remaining ice cores at a higher resolution than was previously possible. This is a significant advantage because deeper ice cores are more compacted and the higher sampling frequency will maintain nearly the same time resolution as that obtained nearer the surface.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 01, 1993
Accession Number
ADA272888

Entities

People

  • Edward J. Zeller
  • Gisela A. Dreschhoff

Organizations

  • University of Kansas

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Artificial Satellites
  • Atmospheres
  • Charged Particles
  • Conductivity
  • Cosmic Rays
  • Detectors
  • Electrical Conductivity
  • Frequency
  • Glaciers
  • Ionization
  • Magnetic Storms
  • Solar Activity
  • Solar Cosmic Rays
  • Solar Flares
  • Space Systems
  • Sun

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Oceanography.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies
  • Solar Physics