Cosmogenic Nuclides in Ice Sheets

Abstract

We discuss the nature of the twofold record of cosmogenic nuclides in ice sheets, of nuclei produced in the atmosphere, and of nuclei produced in situ due to interactions of cosmic-ray particles with oxygen nuclei in ice. We show that a wealth of geophysical information, in principle, can be derived from a suitable combination of nuclides in ice deposited at different latitudes. Such knowledge includes temporal changes in the cosmic-ray flux, in the geomagnetic field and in climate. The rate of deposition of cosmogenic atmospheric nuclei in ice depends on the global cosmic-ray flux and a host of climatic factors. The global cosmic-ray flux, in turn, depends on the level of solar activity, and of the geomagnetic dipole field. Thus, the task of deconvolution of the record of cosmogenic nuclides is difficult, but can be facilitated by considering the recently discovered record of in-situ-produced cosmogenic 14C, whose production rate at high latitudes is independent of the geomagnetic dipole field (Lal 1992b). We also present a brief review of work done to date and new prospects for deciphering geophysical records using ice sheets.