Arctic Station Dirigibile Italia

Iron Speciation in Svalbard Ice COres and Snow (ISSICOS)

Call year: 2017 Status: active IADC_id: 86

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Iron is an element which has great relevance on oceanic biogeochemistry.rnIn its more soluble form, Fe(II), it acts as a biolimiting nutrient regulating thernphytoplanktonic bloom, especially in High-Nutrient Low-Chrolophyll Area,rnwhich may affect the cycling of carbon, silica and sulphur as demonstratedrnduring the SOIREE Experiment in the Southern Ocean. The main ironrnsource is the Aeolian mineral dust where iron undergoes several chemicalrntransformation modifying the equilibrium between Fe(III) and Fe(II) species.rnTo better understand these processes, surface and sub-surface snowrnlayers, together with ice cores, represent the best matrix where performingrniron speciation studies. Unfortunately, there are no methods that havernbeen applied on ice cores and snow samples in order to investigate ironrnspeciation. The objective of the ISSICOS project is to collect ice and snowrnsamples in order to test and validate a new chemiluminesce-based methodrnthat will provide first-time data about Fe speciation with picomolar detectionrnlimits. Furthermore, this study will also be useful to understand how thernmeteorological parameters influence the iron speciation on the surface andrnsub-surface snow layers and if there is any seasonality on the Fe(II)/Fe(III)rnratio, from ice cores. The activities to collect the abovementioned samplesrnare planned from the mid of March until the mid of April at the Holtedahlfonnarnglacier. Springtime in Svalbard is the perfect season to perform studiesrnon Fe photochemical processes (presence of light) and to investigate thernpotential link between the sulphur cycle and Fe speciation (peak of thernphytoplanktonic bloom). ISSICOS is a strongly co-operative project. In fact,rna collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute will be extremely usefulrnfor both parties. Taking advantage of the NPI's plurennnial experience onrnSvalbard Ice Cores, it is possible to share the new data from Fe speciation inrnorder to widen the Svalbard Islands' climatic knowledge.

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Iron Speciation in Svalbard Ice COres and Snow (ISSICOS)