ANSTO :: Browsing by Author "White, DA"

Browsing by Author "White, DA"

Now showing 1 - 14 of 14

Beryllium isotope signatures of ice shelves and sub-ice shelf circulation
(Elsevier, 2019-01-01) White, DA; Fink, D; Post, AL; Simon, KJ; Galton-Fenzi, BK; Foster, S; Fujioka, T; Jeromson, MR; Blaxell, M; Yokoyama, Y
Be isotopes are a useful tracer of sediment source and transport pathways but have not been widely tested in glacio-marine environments. We measured Be isotopes in a range of depositional environments from open marine, sub-ice shelf and subglacial settings throughout Prydz Bay, one of Antarctica's largest ice drainage systems. We find that strong sub-ice shelf and bottom current circulations can advect 10Be-rich open marine sediments into an ice shelf cavity, and 10Be-poor terrestrial sediments onto the continental shelf at the ice shelf outflow, meaning that 10Be concentrations reflect sub-ice shelf circulation patterns rather than depositional environment. However, HCl-extractable 10Be/9Be ratios can provide a more robust discrimination of sediment deposited in open marine and sub-ice shelf settings. Thus, Be isotopes are a useful tracer of both environmental setting and sub-ice shelf circulation strength in both modern and paleo-ice sheet margins. Crown Copyright © 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Cosmogenic nuclide evidence for enhanced sensitivity of an East Antarctic ice stream to change during the last deglaciation
(Geological Society of America, 2011-01-01) White, DA; Fink, D; Gore, DB
Glacial sediments from the Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica, record late Pleistocene ice thickness variability in the Lambert Glacier–Amery Ice Shelf system, one of the world's largest ice drainages. A former glacial limit, demarcated by minimally weathered deposits, follows a concave longitudinal profile, indicating a zone of strong ice streaming through the northernmost 500 km of the Lambert Graben. In situ 10Be and 26Al exposure ages from these relatively unweathered deposits indicate that the most recent phase of ice lowering occurred between ca. 18 and 8 ka, preceding by as many as 6 k.y. the deglaciation of adjacent coastal regions. Earlier onset of deglaciation in an area of strong ice streaming suggests a heightened sensitivity of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet to climate and sea-level changes following the Last Glacial Maximum than previously recognized. © 2011, Geological Society of America
Deglaciation and weathering of Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica
(Cambridge University Press, 2009-08) Kiernan, K; Gore, DB; Fink, D; White, DA; McConnell, A; Sigurdsson, IA
In situ cosmogenic Be-10 exposure dating, radiocarbon determinations, salt and sediment geochemistry, and rock weathering observations indicate that parts of Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica have been subaerially exposed throughout much of the last glacial cycle, with the last glaciation occurring prior to 100ka BP. Salt-enhanced subaerial weathering, coupled with a paucity of glacial erratics, made exposure age dating challenging. Rapid subaerial surface lowering in some places means that some exposure ages may underestimate the true age of deglaciation. Despite this uncertainty, the data are consistent with the absence of overriding by a thick ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum similar to 20-18 ka BP. © 2009, Cambridge University Press
The distribution and fractionation of beryllium isotopes in various reactive phases of Antarctic marine sediments
(Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, 2021-11) Jeromson, MR; Fujioka, T; Fink, D; Post, A; Simon, KJ; Sánchez-Palacios, JT; Blaxell, M; Enge, TG; Wilcken, KM; White, DA
Beryllium isotopes, ¹⁰ Be and ⁹ Be, in Antarctic marine sediments are increasingly being applied as paleoenvironmental proxies and indicators of past ice shelf extent. The evidence base for interpreting meteoric-¹⁰ Be concentrations and ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratios has largely been derived from examining their spatial distribution in modern depositional environments, or by correlation with other proxies in paleo-records, such as diatom abundance. Meteoric-¹⁰ Be is geochemically adsorbed onto sediment grains in the reactive phase during transport from the atmosphere to deposition on the seafloor. Unlike meteoric-¹⁰ Be, ⁹ Be is both available within the reactive phase after crustal weathering and native within mineral lattice in significant quantities. The complexity in fixing and preserving the Be isotopes onto grain surfaces leads to uncertainties in selecting the chemistry methods to consistently extract the reactive phases of ¹⁰ Be and ⁹ Be in different sediments. This gap in understanding the physical behaviour and geochemical forms of reactive Be in Antarctic sediments limits their utility in reconstruction of paleoenvironmental conditions. We conducted a sequential leach procedure on three homogenised sediment grab samples from the front of the Amery Ice Shelf that span a range of water masses. Using different chemical reagents, from very weak to very strong, five phases of Be isotope signatures were extracted sequentially, including : i) water soluble, ii) amorphous oxides leached by 0.5M HCl, iii) crystalline oxides leached by 1M NH₂ OH-HCl in 1M HCl, iv) organic leached by 0.01M HNO₃ and H₂ O₂ , and v) mineral/residual phase dissolved by HF– with the water through to organic leach making the reactive phase. We found that the amorphous and crystalline oxide phases contained the largest fraction of ¹⁰ Be, about 90% of total ¹⁰ Be, with the remaining 10% being in the mineral/residual phase. For ⁹ Be, the oxide phases contained only 10-30%, the majority of ⁹ Be being in the residual phase. The water-soluble and organic chemical treatments were inefficient in extracting any significant reactive Be. This distribution has been observed in other deep marine and continental riverine sediments. However, the proportional distribution of the two isotopes between the amorphous and crystalline oxides differed for our Antarctic sediments compared to those other studies. While reactive ⁹ Be was close to equally split across the two oxide phases, 80% of reactive ¹⁰ Be was located within the amorphous phase, with the remainder within the crystalline oxide phase. The difference in fractionation provides evidence for different sources of each isotope and different processes affecting their deposition. ⁹ Be is sourced primarily from the Earth’s crust and is likely segregated into the different fractions during the process of subglacial chemical weathering. Open water ¹⁰ Be is processed in the water column, where interaction with biogeochemical processes likely segregates it into the more labile phases. These findings inform decisions regarding the selection of procedures for efficient and reproducible extraction of meteoric-¹⁰ Be, and for understanding the processes that drive the source and distribution of different isotopes around ice shelf systems. © The Authors
East Antarctic ice sheet retreat as a response to meltwater pulse 1A
(Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, 2008-07) Mackintosh, A; Domack, E; Leventer, A; White, DA; Fink, D; Gore, DB; Dunbar, R
We develop an empirical model of East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) retreat during the last termination in Mac.Robertson Land. Exposure dating, marine cores and swath bathymetry indicate retreat from the continental shelf and ice sheet drawdown in coastal mountains began ~13 ka. Calving re-entrant bays formed during initial retreat and persisted for 100's years in Iceberg Alley and 10's years at Neilson Basin. Exposure dates in Framnes Mountains within the same drainage basin as Iceberg Alley indicate ~350 m of ice thinning was complete by ~7 ka. EAIS retreat at many sites on the Antarctic perimeter (including these three) immediately post-dated Meltwater Pulse 1A (MWP1A). Rather than being a source of MWP1A, our data support a hypothesis that rapid eustatic sea level rise during this time unhinged the ice-sheet margin from its stability point at the shelf edge. Thereafter, the rate of EAIS retreat depended on trough geometry, akin to the present-day response of fiord glaciers, until retreat ceased when sea level stabilised. Our findings reinforce a concern that marine-based portions of Antarctic Ice Sheets are vulnerable to collapse if sea level rise approaches the rates (~4m/century) achieved during MWP1A, as a consequence of melting ice in Greenland and elsewhere.
Exposure ages from mountain dipsticks in Mac. Robertson Land, East Antarctica, indicate little change in ice-sheet thickness since the Last Glacial Maximum
(Geological Society of America, 2007-06) Mackintosh, AN; White, DA; Fink, D; Gore, DB; Pickard, J; Fanning, PC
Past changes in East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) volume are poorly known and difficult to measure, yet are critical for predicting the response of the ice sheet to modern climate change. In particular, it is important to identify the sources of sea-level rise since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), and ascertain the present-day stability of the world's largest ice sheet. We present altitudinal transects of Be-10 and Al-26 exposure ages across the Framnes Mountains in Mac. Robertson Land that allow the magnitude and timing of EAIS retreat to be quantified. Our data show that the coastal EAIS thinned by at most 350 m in this region during the past 13 k.y. This reduction in ice-sheet volume occurred over a similar to 5 k.y. period, and the present ice-sheet profile was attained ca. 7 ka, in contrast to the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which continues to retreat today. Combined with regional offshore and terrestrial geologic evidence, our data suggest that the reduction in EAIS volume since the LGM was smaller than that indicated by contemporary ice-sheet models and added little meltwater to the global oceans. Stability of the ice margin since the middle Holocene provides support for the hypothesis that EAIS volume changes are controlled by growth and decay of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets and associated global sea-level changes. © 2007, Geological Society of America
Extracting 10Be and 9Be from Antarctic marine sediments – a comparison of different extraction techniques
(Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, 2021-11-17) Jeromson, MR; Fujioka, T; Fink, D; Post, AL; Simon, KJ; Sánchez-Palacios, JT; Blaxell, M; Enge, TG; Wilcken, KM; White, DA
Application of meteoric-¹⁰ Be (M¹⁰ Be) in sediments and soils from diverse geomorphic settings has been active for many decades. In some cases, M¹⁰ Be is normalized by the reactive ⁹ Be from the same sediment sample. Given the complexities in geochemical pathways that M¹⁰ Be is incorporated in the reactive mineral phase of such sediments, very different Be isotope chemistry extraction techniques have been developed. Measurement of M¹⁰ Be and the reactive phase of ⁹ Be in coastal Antarctic marine sediments has increasingly become promising as a paleo-proxy for the presence (or absence) of past ice shelves, and/or subglacial meltwater discharge from grounded outlet glaciers draining the ice sheet. However, published works select different methods to chemically leach Be isotopes from the reactive phase of Antarctic marine sediment and few studies have quantitively compared the efficacy of different leaching recipes. This is problematic because comparisons of ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratios across different Antarctic sites assumes the same chemical fractionation of Be isotopes regardless of the leaching method. We examined three large-volume sediment grabs from near the Amery Ice Shelf front in East Antarctica that represent a range of grainsize and environmental conditions. For Be extraction, homogenised materials from each of the three samples were treated with four different leaching procedures, 1–3 targeting the reactive phase: 1) 6M HCl; 2) 0.5M HCl followed by 1M hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 1M HCl; 3) 0.04M hydroxylamine hydrochloride in 25% acetic acid solution 4) a total extraction dissolving in HF, HNO₃ , and HClO₄ . We also selected one grab to assess the effect of grainsize within the following fractions: <38 um, 38–63 um, 63–90 um, 90–125 um, and >125 um. Each fraction was leached with 6M HCl for 24 hours at room temperature. We found that both the 6M HCl and the 1M hydroxylamine procedures leached the same amount of ¹⁰ Be as the total extraction, while the 0.04M hydroxylamine treatment leached only two thirds. Interestingly, the 6M HCl and the 0.04M hydroxylamine procedures leached the same relative proportion of ⁹ Be to ¹⁰ Be, and thus gave the same ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratio, while the 1M hydroxylamine procedure leached relatively more ⁹ Be in relation to ¹⁰ Be, resulting in a lower ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be than the other two methods. As shown in previous studies, our results indicate that Be-isotope concentrations varied inversely with grainsize, in our case increasing 4- fold from coarsest to finest fractions, critically showing that the ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratio remained constant across all grainsizes. Hence, grainsize can be normalised by applying the reactive ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratio. We conclude that differences in leaching procedures, can lead to significant variations in efficiencies in extracting Be isotopes from the reactive phase of sediment, whereas the ¹⁰ Be/⁹ Be ratio appears to remain the same. This study highlights the importance of careful method selection and its consistent application to allow for comparison between studies and more robust interpretation.
Formation and stability of Pb-, Zn- & Cu-PO4 phases at low temperatures: implications for heavy metal fixation in polar environments
(Elsevier, 2012-02) White, DA; Hafsteinsdóttir, EG; Gore, DB; Thorogood, GJ; Stark, SC
Low temperatures and frequent soil freeze–thaw in polar environments present challenges for the immobilisation of metals. To address these challenges we investigated the chemical forms of Pb, Zn and Cu in an Antarctic landfill, examined in vitro reaction kinetics of these metals and orthophosphate at 2 and 22 °C for up to 185 days, and subjected the products to freeze–thaw. Reaction products at both temperatures were similar, but the rate of production varied, with Cu-PO4 phases forming faster, and the Zn- and Pb-PO4 phases slower at 2 °C. All metal-orthophosphate phases produced were stable during a 2.5 h freeze–thaw cycle to −30 °C. Metal immobilisation using orthophosphate can be successful in polar regions, but treatments will need to consider differing mineral stabilities and reaction rates at low temperatures. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.
Geomorphology and glacial history of Rauer Group, East Antarctica
(University of Washington, 2009-07) White, DA; Bennike, O; Berg, S; Harley, SL; Fink, D; Kiernan, K; McConnell, A; Wagner, B
The presence of glacial sediments across the Rauer Group indicates that the East Antarctic ice sheet formerly covered the entire archipelago and has since retreated at least 15 km from its maximum extent. The degree of weathering of these glacial sediments suggests that ice retreat from this maximum position occurred sometime during the latter half of the last glacial cycle. Following this phase of retreat, the ice sheet margin has not expanded more than ~ 1 km seaward of its present position. This pattern of ice sheet change matches that recorded in Vestfold Hills, providing further evidence that the diminutive Marine Isotope Stage 2 ice sheet advance in the nearby Larsemann Hills may have been influenced by local factors rather than a regional ice-sheet response to climate and sea-level change. © 2009, University of Washington
Late quaternary glacial history constrains glacio-isostatic rebound in Enderby Land, East Antarctica
(AGU Publications, 2014-03-01) White, DA; Fink, D
Measurements of the loss or gain of ice mass from large ice sheets are presently achieved through satellite-based techniques such as GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). The accuracy of these satellite-based measurements to changes in modern ice sheet mass depends on our knowledge of present-day glacio-isostatic crustal uplift rates caused by past ice sheet changes. To improve models of glacio-isostatic rebound in East Antarctica, we investigated ice histories along Rayner Glacier, Enderby Land, and a little explored sector of the ice sheet where GRACE data had suggested significant mass gain during the last decade. Observations from a recent glacial geomorphic reconnaissance coupled with cosmogenic nuclide dating indicate that in the lower part of the Rayner Glacier, Enderby Land, ice heights lowered by at least 300 m and the calving margin retreated by at least 10 km in the early Holocene (~6 to 9 ka B.P.). The magnitude and timing of deglaciation are consistent with ice histories used to model the postglacial rebound corrections for present-day GRACE mass trends. These observations strengthen the body of evidence that suggests ice mass gain in Enderby Land is presently partly offsetting mass loss in other parts of Antarctica.© 2014, American Geophysical Union.
Refinement to the extraction of in-situ cosmogenic C-14
(Australian and New Zealand Institutes of Physics, 2021-11-17) Fülöp, RH; Smith, AM; Yang, B; White, DA; Codilean, AT
In situ C-14 is an important addition to the cosmogenic nuclide toolkit. Its relatively short half-life - 5730 years - as compared to the longer-lived cosmogenic nuclides, means that it is substantially more sensitive to short term variations in process rates or more suitable at investigating recent exposure events. In-situ C-14 used in combination with Al-26 and Be-10 is also particularly well suited to studying the relatively short timescales that characterize fluvial sediment transfer and storage. Despite the above, the extraction of in-situ C-14 from geological samples is still problematic, with recent laboratory intercomparison studies showing considerable overdispersion in both intra and inter laboratory comparisons of standard materials. The discrepancies between laboratories have been attributed to several factors, including the quality of some intercomparison materials, however, clear consensus on the matter is yet to be reached. Here we present results of in-situ cosmogenic C-14 analyses in the Cronus-A and Cronus-R laboratory intercomparison materials and various samples obtained using the ANSTO/UOW in-situ C-14 extraction system, that suggest the presence of carbon containing minerals within these materials. Our results indicate that quartz separates need a different purity measurement that what would normally be acceptable for cosmogenic Be-10 and Al-26 analyses. Further, we do not observe a bias in results on those samples that underwent froth-floatation to remove feldspars, however applying a final 50% HF etch will result in removal of unwanted minerals. Based on analyses on fluid inclusions we adopted cycled in-vacuo 600oC pre-cleaning for samples and observe improvements in reproducibility for material in the 212-500 micron grainsize range.
Retreat history of the East Antarctic ice sheet since the last glacial maximum
(Elsevier, 2014-09-15) Mackintosh, AN; Verleyen, E; O'Brian, PE; White, DA; Jones, RS; McKay, RM; Dunbar, R; Gore, DB; Fink, D; Post, AL; Miura, H; Leventer, A; Goodwin, ID; Hodgson, DA; Lilly, K; Crosta, X; Golledge, NR; Wagner, B; Berg, S; van Ommen, TD; Zwartz, D; Roberts, SJ; Vyverman, W; Massé, G
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) is the largest continental ice mass on Earth, and documenting its evolution since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is important for understanding its present-day and future behaviour. As part of a community effort, we review geological evidence from East Antarctica that constrains the ice sheet history throughout this period (∼30,000 years ago to present). This includes terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dates from previously glaciated regions, 14C chronologies from glacial and post-glacial deposits onshore and on the continental shelf, and ice sheet thickness changes inferred from ice cores and continental-scale ice sheet models. We also include new 14C dates from the George V Land – Terre Adélie Coast shelf. We show that the EAIS advanced to the continental shelf margin in some parts of East Antarctica, and that the ice sheet characteristically thickened by 300–400 m near the present-day coastline at these sites. This advance was associated with the formation of low-gradient ice streams that grounded at depths of >1 km below sea level on the inner continental shelf. The Lambert/Amery system thickened by a greater amount (800 m) near its present-day grounding zone, but did not advance beyond the inner continental shelf. At other sites in coastal East Antarctica (e.g. Bunger Hills, Larsemann Hills), very little change in the ice sheet margin occurred at the LGM, perhaps because ice streams accommodated any excess ice build up, leaving adjacent, ice-free areas relatively unaffected. Evidence from nunataks indicates that the amount of ice sheet thickening diminished inland at the LGM, an observation supported by ice cores, which suggest that interior ice sheet domes were ∼100 m lower than present at this time. Ice sheet recession may have started ∼18,000 years ago in the Lambert/Amery glacial system, and by ∼14,000 years ago in Mac.Robertson Land. These early pulses of deglaciation may have been responses to abrupt sea-level rise events such as Meltwater Pulse 1a, destabilising the margins of the ice sheet. It is unlikely, however, that East Antarctica contributed more than ∼1 m of eustatic sea-level equivalent to post-glacial meltwater pulses. The majority of ice sheet recession occurred after Meltwater Pulse 1a, between ∼12,000 and ∼6000 years ago, during a period when the adjacent ocean warmed significantly. Large tracts of East Antarctica remain poorly studied, and further work is required to develop a robust understanding of the LGM ice sheet expansion, and its subsequent contraction. Further work will also allow the contribution of the EAIS to post-glacial sea-level rise, and present-day estimates of glacio-isostatic adjustment to be refined. © 2014 The Authors. CC-BY Licence.
Short duration glacial advances: implications for cosmogenic dating chronologies
(Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, 2021-11-17) White, DA; Fülöp, RH; Fink, D; Fujioka, T; Blaxell, M; Jeromson, MR; Codilean, AT
Cosmogenic nuclides are now the mainstay technique for constraining past ice advances in terrestrial environments. However, limited erosion of bedrock and recycling of older glacial sediments complicates the interpretation of dated records. Where younger deposits or striated bedrock surfaces contain nuclides inherited from previous periods of exposure, cosmogenic dates overestimate deglaciation by tens to hundreds of thousands of years. This is especially problematic in Antarctica, where low erosion rates and cold-based glaciation produce widespread inheritance in erratics or bedrock surfaces. Studies using long-lived nuclides such as Be-10 have identified sites where <5% of erratics are inheritance-free, making it logistically difficult to measure ice sheet retreat. To address this issue, the short-lived nuclide in-situ C -14 is being applied in Antarctic deglaciation studies. The relatively recent deglaciation across most parts of Antarctica mean inheritance in erratics can be detected by discordant Be-10 and C-14 ages. Bedrock may also be dateable using C-14 if the inherited nuclides decay below measurement uncertainties while ice cover is present. However, both these approaches, particularly direct bedrock dating, make assumptions of the duration of the glacial advance. To test these approaches we measured C-14 in bedrock surfaces from sites across East Antarctica between Enderby Land (48oE) and Vincennies Bay (107oE). At each site, the true deglaciation age was well established via Be-10 ages on erratics, and in some cases, coincident with the onset of biogenic sedimentation in lake and marine basins. We find that the assumption of a long-duration Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is not widely met. The two inland sites appear to have been buried long enough to re-set the C-14 signal. However, at least four sites along the East Antarctic coastline displayed bedrock surfaces that were saturated with C-14, despite clearly having been covered by ice during the early Holocene. These results mean that in-situ C-14 ages must be carefully interpreted, especially when used on bedrock. Bedrock surfaces that provide discrete ages can be used to indicate that deglaciation has occurred since the global Last Glacial Maximum. However, those with saturated surfaces provide equivocal results unless supporting evidence can support the expected duration of the LGM. © The Authors
Unglaciated areas in East Antarctica during the last glacial (marine isotope stage 3) – new evidence from Rauer Group
(Elsevier, 2016-12-01) Berg, S; White, DA; Bennike, O; Fülöp, RH; Fink, D; Wagner, B; Melles, M
Limited information on the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) geometry during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3; 60-25 ka) restricts our understanding of its behaviour during periods of climate and sea level change. Ice sheet models forced by global parameters suggest an expanded EAIS compared to the Holocene during MIS 3, but field evidence from East Antarctic coastal areas contradicts such modelling, and suggests that the ice sheet margins were no more advanced than at present. Here we present a new lake sediment record, and cosmogenic exposure results from bedrock, which confirm that Rauer Group (eastern Prydz Bay) was ice-free for much of MIS 3. We also refine the likely duration of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glaciation in the region. Lacustrine and marine sediments from Rauer Group indicate the penultimate period of ice retreat predates 50 ka. The lacustrine record indicates a change from warmer/wetter conditions to cooler/drier conditions after ca. 35 ka. Substantive ice sheet re-advance, however, may not have occurred until much closer to 20 ka. Contemporary coastal areas were still connected to the sea during MIS 3, restricting the possible extent of grounded ice in Prydz Bay on the continental shelf. In contrast, relative sea levels (RSL) deduced from field evidence indicate an extra ice load averaging several hundred metres thicker ice across the Bay between 45 and 32 ka. Thus, ice must either have been thicker immediately inland (with a steeper ice profile), or there were additional ice domes on the shallow banks of the outer continental shelf. Further work is required to reconcile the differences between empirical evidence of past ice sheet histories, and the history predicted by ice sheet models from far-field temperature and sea level records. © 2016, Elsevier Ltd.

Browsing by Author "White, DA"

Results Per Page

Sort Options