M. Bender et al., ON THE CONCENTRATIONS OF O-2, N-2, AND AR IN TRAPPED GASES FROM ICE CORES, JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES, 100(D9), 1995, pp. 18651-18660
We present data on the relative concentration and isotopic composition
of O-2, N-2, and Ar in gases trapped in bubbles of polar ice. O-2/N-2
and Ar/N-2 ratios are generally lower than the atmospheric values, wi
th O-2 depletions greater than those of Ar. In samples whose O-2/Ar/N-
2 ratios are highly anomalous with respect tb modern air, delta(18)O o
f O-2 may be enriched by 0.1-0.2 parts per thousand. There is no indic
ation that delta(15)N of N-2 is enriched by gas loss processes in any
of the samples we have studied. Out data suggest that anomalies in the
composition of air in bubbles with respect to the modern atmosphere a
re due to gas loss from ice during and after coring by a process which
fractionates elements according to their molecular diameter (Craig et
al., 1988) rather than according to their diffusivity.