Ocean and Polar Research

Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology (한국해양과학기술원)
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A Study on Isotopic Fractionation between Ice and Meltwater by a Melting Experiment

융해실험에 의한 얼음과 융해수의 안정동위원소분화에 관한 연구

  • Lee, Jeonghoon (Department of Science Education, College of Education, Ewha Womans University) ;
  • Ham, Ji-Young (Department of Science Education, College of Education, Ewha Womans University) ;
  • Hur, Soon Do (Korea Polar Research Institute, KIOST)
  • 이정훈 (이화여자대학교 사범대학 과학교육과) ;
  • 함지영 (이화여자대학교 사범대학 과학교육과) ;
  • 허순도 (한국해양과학기술원 부설 극지연구소)
  • Received : 2015.08.08
  • Accepted : 2015.10.12
  • Published : 2015.12.30
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Abstract

Isotopic compositions of ice and meltwater play a very crucial role in paleoclimate studies based on ice cores and water resources research conducted in alpine hydrogeology. Better understanding of variations in the stable isotopic compositions of water is required since changes from ice to liquid water are gaining more attention due to recent climate change. In this work, a melting experiment was designed and conducted to investigate how the isotopic compositions of ice vary with time by heat sources, such as solar radiation. We conducted the melting experiment for 22 hours. The discharge rate rose to a maximum value after 258 minutes and gradually declined because we fixed the heat source. The isotopic compositions of meltwater increased linearly or to a second degree polynomial. The linear relationship between oxygen and hydrogen has a slope of 6.8, which is less than that of the Global Meteoric Water Line (8) and higher than a theoretical value (6.3). The deuterium excess decreased when ${\delta}D$ or ${\delta}^{18}O$ increases or vise versa since the slope of the relationship for ice-liquid exchange is less than 8. These findings and the apparatus of the melting experiments will make a helpful contribution to the studies of stable isotopes and the melting process in temperate and polar regions.

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References

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