Skytrain Ice Rise, Antarctica, during the last glacial period

Antarctic ice core records covering the last glacial cycle generally reflect a common climate and environmental history overlain with local influences such as changes in altitude, atmospheric circulation, local dust sources, or regional sea ice extent. Here we investigate records from the 651 m Skytrain Ice Rise core, drilled within the WACSWAIN (WArm Climate Stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet in the last Interglacial) project. This ice rise is adjacent to the Ronne Ice Shelf and the WAIS, and extends into the last interglacial period, including a continuous record of the last glacial cycle.   

The water isotope record shows the clearly recognisable pattern of all the Antarctic Isotopic Maxima of the last 100 kyr, but with different amplitudes to those seen in the well-known WAIS Divide or EPICA ice cores. We will consider what these differences in amplitude tell us about ice elevation at Skytrain, using total air content data to aid our interpretation. The information from sea salt ions can tell us about ice shelf extent, and taking the water isotopes and ions together will allow us to diagnose the status of the Ronne Ice Shelf throughout the glacial. Terrestrial material (Ca, dust) reflects both a common continent-wide input of dust from other continents (especially South America) but also local inputs. We will use the differences for terrestrial dust between Skytrain Ice Rise and other sites to diagnose the input of local dust from the Ellsworth Mountains.

Finally combining all three sources of information we expect to make statements about the wider advance and retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and Ronne Ice Shelf in the region surrounding Skytrain Ice Rise.