Atmosphere-to-snow-to-firn transfer of NO3- on Ürümqi glacier No. 1, eastern Tien Shan, China

Abstract

In order to investigate the relationship between atmospheric nitrate and nitrate records in glacial snow and firn, nitrate was investigated in atmospheric aerosol, surface snow and the snow-firn pack on Ürümqi glacier No. 1, eastern Tien Shan, China, from September 2002 to September 2004. The study found that vertical nitrate stratigraphy in the upper snowpack is formed during the winter by dry deposition and compaction and sublimation of the snowpack. During the summer the snowpack nitrate is redistributed through the percolation of meltwater. Nitrate was found to be highly mobile in the snowpack relative to magnesium.