MAJOR ELEMENT CHEMISTRY, DELTA-H-2, DELTA-O-18 AND SR-87/SR-86 IN A SNOW PROFILE ACROSS CENTRAL SCANDINAVIA

In late February 1988, fresh snow was sampled at eight stations along a 450 km long transect, spanning the Scandinavian Peninsula from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Bothnia in the east. The elements Na, Mg, Ca, S, Cl, Sr, Al, Fe, Mn and Zn were analyzed, and the nuclide pairs 87Sr86Sr, 18O16O and 2H1H measured. The concentrations of Na, Mg, Cl and Sr decrease rapidly with distance from the Atlantic coast. The other elements studied reflect more complicated patterns, caused by addition of terrigeneous matter and anthropogenic pollution. Stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions follow the general precipitation pattern, with values close to seawater in the west, becoming isotopically progressively lighter eastwards. The 87Sr/86Sr ratio in snow varies from 0.7098 near the Atlantic Ocean to 0.7194 at the easternmost station. Mixing calculations reveal that seawater contributes about 90% of the Sr at the westernmost stations, decreasing to 10-30% some 300 km eastwards. The increase in the 87Sr/86Sr ratio inland is controlled by Sr fractions more radiogenic than seawater, but strongly heterogeneous. The easternmost station is distinctly influenced by pollution, giving enhanched concentrations of S, Ca and Sr and the highest 87Sr/86Sr ratio. © 1990.