BISMUTH IN RECENT SNOW FROM CENTRAL GREENLAND - PRELIMINARY-RESULTS

We present here the first data on the occurrence of bismuth (Bi) in re cent snow from central Greenland. They were obtained by analysing surf ace snow and a shallow snow core covering the past twenty years, using the new ultrasensitive laser excited atomic fluorescence spectrometry technique. Measured concentrations range from 0.66 to < 0.05 pgg(-1). These are the lowest concentrations ever reported for precipitation. No significant time trend is observed during the past two decades. Bi appears to be probably mainly derived from volcanic emissions to the a tmosphere, opening the way to obtaining time series of the past global volcanic activity through the analysis of this heavy metal in deep Gr eenland or Antarctic ice cores.