Research article
22 May 2015
Research article | 22 May 2015
Constraints on the δ2H diffusion rate in firn from field measurements at Summit, Greenland
L. G. van der Wel1,*, H. A. Been1, R. S. W. van de Wal2, C. J. P. P. Smeets2, and H. A. J. Meijer1
L. G. van der Wel et al.
L. G. van der Wel1,*, H. A. Been1, R. S. W. van de Wal2, C. J. P. P. Smeets2, and H. A. J. Meijer1
- 1Centre for Isotope Research (CIO), Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG), University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands
- 2Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), University of Utrecht, 3584 CC Utrecht, the Netherlands
- *present address: Institute of Climate and Environmental Physics, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- 1Centre for Isotope Research (CIO), Energy and Sustainability Research Institute Groningen (ESRIG), University of Groningen, 9747AG Groningen, the Netherlands
- 2Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht (IMAU), University of Utrecht, 3584 CC Utrecht, the Netherlands
- *present address: Institute of Climate and Environmental Physics, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Correspondence: H. A. J. Meijer (h.a.j.meijer@rug.nl)
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Received: 24 Nov 2014 – Discussion started: 11 Feb 2015 – Revised: 23 Apr 2015 – Accepted: 24 Apr 2015 – Published: 22 May 2015
We performed detailed 2H isotope diffusion measurements in the upper 3 m of firn at Summit, Greenland. Using a small snow gun, a thin snow layer was formed from 2H-enriched water over a 6 × 6 m2 area. We followed the diffusion process, quantified as the increase of the δ2H diffusion length, over a 4-year period, by retrieving the layer once per year by drilling a firn core and slicing it into 1 cm layers and measuring the δ2H signal of these layers.
We compared our experimental findings to calculations based on the model by Johnsen et al. (2000) and found substantial differences. The diffusion length in our experiments increased much less over the years than in the model. We discuss the possible causes for this discrepancy and conclude that several aspects of the diffusion process in firn are still poorly constrained, in particular the tortuosity.
