Here we present a revised Law Dome, Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core age model (denoted LD2017) that significantly improves the chronology over the last 88 thousand years. An ensemble approach was used, allowing for the computation of both a median age and associated uncertainty as a function of depth. We use a non-linear interpolation between age ties and unlike previous studies, we made an independent estimate of the snow accumulation rate, where required, for the use of gas based age ties.
Here we present a revised Law Dome, Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core age model (denoted LD2017)...
9Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
10Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Aspendale Victoria 3195 Australia
1Australian Antarctic Division, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
2Antarctic Climate & Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
3Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia
4State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, Lanzhou, 730000, China
5Center for Ice and Climate, Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
6Faculty of Science & Information Technology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales 2308, Australia
7Department of Geography, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
9Climate and Environmental Physics, Physics Institute and Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research, University of Bern, Sidlerstrasse 5, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
10Climate Science Centre, CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere, Aspendale Victoria 3195 Australia
Received: 16 Jul 2017 – Accepted for review: 14 Aug 2017 – Discussion started: 23 Aug 2017
Abstract. Here we present a revised Law Dome, Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core age model (denoted LD2017) that significantly improves the chronology over the last 88 ka. An ensemble approach was used, allowing for the computation of both a median age and associated uncertainty as a function of depth. The revised chronology incorporates extended continuous annual layer counting to 853 m using chemical species with seasonally-varying behaviours. The annual layer counted age at 853 m is 2332 years before 2000 (y b2k) with an error of +13/−7 y, i.e. 2345–2325 y b2k . Below this depth, non-linear interpolation between age ties using a probability density function for age/depth is used to constrain and model the age of the ice. The ice-based age ties below the annual layer counted section are based on matching volcanic event markers, methane (CH4) gas concentration, isotopic composition of ice (δ18O) and the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) dust peak to other records. For consistency, the timescale used for all matching is the AICC2012 timescale (Veres et al., 2013). The first ice-based age tie is the base of the annual layer counting record (2332 y b2k) and the age ties from ~ 2400–4000 y b2k are volcanic synchronised ice-based age ties. The detection of abrupt changes in CH4 gas concentrations within the DSS record provides further independent gas-based age ties, including the tightly constrained 8200 y b2k event. The improved age control between 9000 and 21000 y b2k is supplemented by CH4 and δ18O ice measurements (Pedro et al., 2011). Over the period 16600 to 18600 y b2k large changes in dust concentration, matched to the EDC dust record, are used to constrain two ice-based age ties. Unlike previous studies, where the modelling was used to simultaneously infer both age and snow accumulation rate, we made an independent estimate of the snow accumulation rate, where required, for the use of gas based age ties.
Here we present a revised Law Dome, Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core age model (denoted LD2017) that significantly improves the chronology over the last 88 thousand years. An ensemble approach was used, allowing for the computation of both a median age and associated uncertainty as a function of depth. We use a non-linear interpolation between age ties and unlike previous studies, we made an independent estimate of the snow accumulation rate, where required, for the use of gas based age ties.
Here we present a revised Law Dome, Dome Summit South (DSS) ice core age model (denoted LD2017)...
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