Palaeohydrological modelling of Ace Lake, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica

The major influences on the salinity and water level of an Antarctic lake a re parameterized and a palaeohydrological model linking the palaeosalinity of an Antarctic lake to the palaeohydrology of the lake is developed. Clima tic change in this lake is recorded in the evaporative loss trend reconstru cted from water level and lakewater salinity estimates. A decrease in salin ity between similar to 700 and 200 years BP corresponds with c. 5 m increas e in water level over the same time period. Both water level and lakewater salinity then stabilize in the last similar to 200 years BP. The palaeohydr ological model derived from the changes inferred in salinity and water leve l shows that there is no significant change in evaporation for the last sim ilar to 700 years but that a lower evaporation period is evident at similar to 150-200 years BP suggestive of a mild 'Little Ice Age' event in the Ves tfold Hills.