Mineral precipitation in North Slope river icings.

Abstract

Powdered calcium carbonate (CaCO3) patches averaging 4 cm in thickness were found on icings (aufeis fields) in the Canning and Shaviovik Rivers in northeastern Alaska. The presence of this material on aufeis suggests that much of the water which feeds the aufeis is coming from depth and has flowed through calcareous bedrock. If similar percentages of CaCO3 precipitate were present on other major aufeis fields on the eastern North Slope, approximately 18 000 m3 of CaCO3 may be present during a given year in the major North Slope aufeis fields. - from Author