The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea

<p>Peter I Island is situated in the Bellingshausen Sea, a region that has experienced considerable climate change in recent decades. Warming sea surface temperatures and reduced sea ice cover have been accompanied by warming surface air temperature, increased snowfall, and accelerated mass lo...

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Main Authors: E. R. Thomas, D. Tetzner, B. Markle, J. Pedro, G. Gacitúa, D. E. Moser, S. Jackson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2024-11-01
Series:Climate of the Past
Online Access:https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2525/2024/cp-20-2525-2024.pdf
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author E. R. Thomas
D. Tetzner
B. Markle
B. Markle
J. Pedro
J. Pedro
G. Gacitúa
D. E. Moser
D. E. Moser
S. Jackson
author_facet E. R. Thomas
D. Tetzner
B. Markle
B. Markle
J. Pedro
J. Pedro
G. Gacitúa
D. E. Moser
D. E. Moser
S. Jackson
author_sort E. R. Thomas
collection DOAJ
description <p>Peter I Island is situated in the Bellingshausen Sea, a region that has experienced considerable climate change in recent decades. Warming sea surface temperatures and reduced sea ice cover have been accompanied by warming surface air temperature, increased snowfall, and accelerated mass loss over the adjacent ice sheet. Here we present data from the first firn core drilled on Peter I Island, spanning the period 2001–2017 CE. The stable water isotope data capture regional changes in surface air temperature and precipitation (snow accumulation) at the site, which are highly correlated with the surrounding Amundsen–Bellingshausen seas and the adjacent Antarctic Peninsula (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula"><i>&gt;</i></span> 0.6, <span class="inline-formula"><i>p</i></span> <span class="inline-formula"><i>&lt;</i></span> 0.05). The firn core data, together with the unique in situ data from an automatic weather station, confirm the high skill of the ERA5 reanalysis in capturing daily mean temperature and inter-annual precipitation variability, even over a small sub-Antarctic island. This study demonstrates the suitability of Peter I Island for future deep-ice-core drilling, with the potential to provide a valuable archive to explore ice–ocean–atmosphere interactions over decadal to centennial timescales for this dynamic region.</p>
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publishDate 2024-11-01
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spelling doaj-art-41acdb08c1294102800dfbba7553af6d2024-11-12T16:29:15ZengCopernicus PublicationsClimate of the Past1814-93241814-93322024-11-01202525253810.5194/cp-20-2525-2024The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen SeaE. R. Thomas0D. Tetzner1B. Markle2B. Markle3J. Pedro4J. Pedro5G. Gacitúa6D. E. Moser7D. E. Moser8S. Jackson9Ice Dynamics and Paleoclimate, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB23 7XT, UKIce Dynamics and Paleoclimate, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB23 7XT, UKDepartment of Geological Sciences, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USAInstitute of Arctic and Alpine Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USAAustralian Antarctic Division, Kingston, TAS 7050, AustraliaAustralian Antarctic Program Partnership, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7004, AustraliaNational Centre for Climate Research, Danish Meteorological Institute, Copenhagen, DenmarkIce Dynamics and Paleoclimate, British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB23 7XT, UKDepartment of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EQ, UKResearch School of Earth Sciences, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia<p>Peter I Island is situated in the Bellingshausen Sea, a region that has experienced considerable climate change in recent decades. Warming sea surface temperatures and reduced sea ice cover have been accompanied by warming surface air temperature, increased snowfall, and accelerated mass loss over the adjacent ice sheet. Here we present data from the first firn core drilled on Peter I Island, spanning the period 2001–2017 CE. The stable water isotope data capture regional changes in surface air temperature and precipitation (snow accumulation) at the site, which are highly correlated with the surrounding Amundsen–Bellingshausen seas and the adjacent Antarctic Peninsula (<span class="inline-formula"><i>r</i></span> <span class="inline-formula"><i>&gt;</i></span> 0.6, <span class="inline-formula"><i>p</i></span> <span class="inline-formula"><i>&lt;</i></span> 0.05). The firn core data, together with the unique in situ data from an automatic weather station, confirm the high skill of the ERA5 reanalysis in capturing daily mean temperature and inter-annual precipitation variability, even over a small sub-Antarctic island. This study demonstrates the suitability of Peter I Island for future deep-ice-core drilling, with the potential to provide a valuable archive to explore ice–ocean–atmosphere interactions over decadal to centennial timescales for this dynamic region.</p>https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2525/2024/cp-20-2525-2024.pdf
spellingShingle E. R. Thomas
D. Tetzner
B. Markle
B. Markle
J. Pedro
J. Pedro
G. Gacitúa
D. E. Moser
D. E. Moser
S. Jackson
The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
Climate of the Past
title The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
title_full The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
title_fullStr The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
title_full_unstemmed The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
title_short The first firn core from Peter I Island – capturing climate variability across the Bellingshausen Sea
title_sort first firn core from peter i island capturing climate variability across the bellingshausen sea
url https://cp.copernicus.org/articles/20/2525/2024/cp-20-2525-2024.pdf
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