Trace Elements in Kilimanjaro Ice

To date there is a lack of knowledge of the composition of the past African atmosphere, especially at high elevations. As aerosols play an important role in the climate system, the assessment of their chemical and physical characteristics is critical to better understand the past climate dynamics of this continent. The Kilimanjaro ice fields (3�04.6?S; 37�21.2?E; 5893 m a.s.l.) have entrapped aerosol species of various origins through time, which were deposited on these glaciers by dry and wet deposition. In 2000 the Ice Core Paleoclimatology group of Byrd Polar Research Center drilled three cores to bedrock on the Northern Ice Field (NIF1, NIF2, and NIF3), which have respective depths of 50.9, 50.8, and 49.0 m. Our research uses NIF2 and NIF3 to assess for the first time the trace element composition of the mid- troposphere in Eastern Africa through time. Ice sections were carefully decontaminated by using ultraclean procedures and a large suite of trace elements were determined by ICP-SFMS (Thermo, Element2) coupled with a desolvation system (ESI, Apex). Here, we present the first trace element concentrations in African ice and possible main sources.