A COMPARISON OF MAJOR CHEMICAL-SPECIES SEASONAL CONCENTRATION AND ACCUMULATION AT THE SOUTH-POLE AND SUMMIT, GREENLAND

High-resolution snow chemistry records have been recovered from a site close to the South Pole, covering the period 1955-1989, and from Summit, Greenland, for the periods 1979-1987 and 1259-1989. The seasonal variation of the major ions relative to delta-O-18 and their average yearly fluxes are compared for the two sites. Comparisons are also made to limited available aerosol data. Gaseous species and some species with gaseous precursors (NO3, NH4 and excess Cl) have similar timings in South Pole and pre-1900 Summit snow. Timing of non-sea-salt (nss) SO4 and species that are generated as marine and crustal aerosols (Na, nss Mg and nss Ca) differ between the two sites. The timing of nss SO4 and NO3 is complicated in recent precipitation at Summit, Greenland, by the impact of anthropogenic emissions. Fluxes of sea-salt species, nss SO4 and NO3 (pre-1900 values for Summit) are less than a factor of 2 higher at Summit. Species with a continental source: nss K, nss Mg, nss Ca and NH4 are more than five-fold higher at Summit.