While scientists who study past climate can draw on a range of clues, from ocean sediments to tree rings, only ice offers direct contact with Earth’s prehistoric atmosphere. For that reason the Mount Logan ice core, which was airlifted by helicopter from the expedition’s drill site and trucked more than 2,000 kilometres to Edmonton, is likely to become a key reference in North America’s climate record.
Expedition leader Alison Criscitiello of the University of Alberta during last month's ascent up Mount Logan.Measurements of that earlier specimen, collected in 2002 by the Geological Survey of Canada, showed that its oldest layers were deposited 16,000 years ago. Dr. Criscitiello said the ice core she and her team drilled last month will exceed that by several millennia – possibly dating to a time when our direct ancestors were still sharing the planet with their Neanderthal relatives.
The work will become more challenging as it nears the oldest portion of the core, where annual layers of ice are thinner because they have been more compressed by the overlying mass. Most traces are invisible, including salts and other airborne chemicals that were transported to the glacier from the nearby North Pacific. Once analyzed, these can provide a glimpse of changing ocean conditions over time.
By linking changing fire conditions with other atmospheric data in the ice core, the analysis can help scientists to better discern the future of fire in the Pacific Northwest under the influence of a warming climate.
Education Education Latest News, Education Education Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »
Source: globeandmail - 🏆 5. / 92 Read more »