Sediment cores from Lakes Fryxell, Lake Bonney and Lake Joyce, in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Cores were taken from lakes in the McMurdo Oasis to identify and date periods of low lake level to add to the existing record of periods of high lake level, with the intention of comparing the isotopic and geochemical record of millenial scale climate change obtained from analysis of the Taylor Dome ice core. Four basins in the Taylor Valley were cored: Lake Fryxell, East Lobe Lake Bonney, West Lobe Lake Bonney (15 cores in total), and Lake Joyce (1 core). In addition, old lacustrine beds were mapped and lacustrine carbonate samples from Nausbaum Reigel, Sollas Platform and Pearce Valley were collected for U/He dating.