Abstract
MAJOR volcanic eruptions inject large quantities of sulphur compounds into the atmosphere1. A principal component is sulphur dioxide; subsequent oxidation of SO2 in the atmosphere to sulphuric acid aerosol may lead to climate perturbations2. Here we present evidence to suggest that SO2 oxidation may occur at high latitudes by reaction with H2O2. Variations in sulphate and H2O2 concentrations in four sections of a Greenland ice core (corresponding to four volcanic events) show that high sulphate concentrations, from volcanic fallout, are accompanied by depletion of H2O2. This suggests that some of the volcanic sulphur was still in the form of SO2 when it reached Greenland, and was then oxidized by H2O2 in Greenland precipitation. As SO2 oxidation in the stratosphere is very slow, volcanic events that inject SO2 into the stratosphere could produce large depletions of distant H2O2 reservoirs when the material is later reinjected into the troposphere.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Devine, J., Sigurdsson, H., Davis, A. & Self, S. J. geophys. Res. 89, 6309–6325 (1984).
Pinto, J. P., Turco, R. P. & Toon, O. B. J. geophys. Res. 94, 11165–11174 (1989).
Hammer, C. U., Clausen, H. B. & Dansgaard, W. Nature 288, 230–235 (1980).
Graedel, T. E. Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 15, 421–428 (1977).
Stockwell, W. R. & Calvert, J. G. Atmos. Envir. 17, 2231–2235 (1983).
Calvert, J. G. et al. Nature 317, 27–35 (1985).
Conte, C., Devitofranco, G. & DiCastro, V. Atmos. Envir. 23, 1939–1943 (1989).
Michelangeli, D. V., Allen, M., & Yung Y. L. J. geophys. Res. 94, 18429–18443 (1989).
Sigurdsson H. Proc. Conf. on Global Castastrophes in the Earth History, Geol. Soc. of Am. Spec. Pap. 247 (1989).
Pollack, J. B. et al. J. geophys. Res. 81, 1071–1083 (1976).
Rampino, M. R., Stothers, R. B. & Self, S. Nature 313, 272–275 (1985).
Palais, J. M. & Sigurdsson, H. AGU Monogr. 52 (1989).
Kunen, S. M., Lazrus, A. L., Kok, G., & Heikes, B. G. J. geophys. Res. 88, 3671–3674 (1983).
Lind, J. A., Lazrus, A. L. & Kok, G. L. J. geophys. Res. 92, 4171–4177 (1987).
Spencer, M. J., Lyons, W. B., Twickler, M. S. & Mayewski, P. A. Eos 66, 895–896 (1985).
Guilbault, G. G., Birgnac, P. & Zimmer, M. Analyt. Chem. 40, 190–196 (1968).
Lazrus, A. L., Kok, G. L., Gitlin, S. N. & Lind, J. A. Analyt. Chem. 57, 917–922 (1985).
Alley, R. B. & Koci, B. R. Ann. Glaciol. 10, 30–35 (1988).
Legrand, M. & Delmas, R. J. J. geophys. Res. 93, 7153–7168 (1988).
Sigg, A. & Neftel, A. Ann. Glaciol. 10, 157–162 (1988).
Neftel, A., Jacob, P. & Klockow, D. Tellus B38, 262–270 (1986).
Herron, M. M. J. geophys. Res. 87, 3052–3060 (1982).
Hoffmann, M. R. & Edwards, J. O. J. phys. Chem. 79, 2096–2098 (1975).
Sigurdsson, H., Devine, J. & Davis, A. Jokull 35, 1–8 (1985).
McKormick, M. P. & Swissler, T. J. Geophys. Res. Lett. 10, 877–880 (1983).
Bridgman, H. A., Schnell, R. C., Khal, J. D., Herbert, G. A. & Joranger, E. Atmos. Envir. 23, 2537–2549 (1989).
Martin, D. et al. J. geophys. Res. 91, 12249–12254 (1986).
Altshuller, A. P. Atmos. Envir. 13, 1653–1661 (1983).
McKeen, S. A., Liu, S. C. & Kiang, C. S. J. geophys. Res. 89, 4873–4881 (1984).
Krueger, A. J. Science 220, 1377–1379 (1983).
Lazrus, A. L. et al. J. geophys. Res. 84, 7869–7875 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Laj, P., Drummey, S., Spencer, M. et al. Depletion of H2O2 in a Greenland ice core: implications for oxidation of volcanic SO2. Nature 346, 45–48 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1038/346045a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/346045a0
This article is cited by
-
The great dry fog of 1783
Climatic Change (1996)
-
Ancient atmosphere- Validity of ice records
Environmental Science and Pollution Research (1994)
-
Modified HNO3 seasonality in volcanic layers of a polar ice core: Snow-pack effect or photochemical perturbation?
Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry (1993)
-
Evidence for a 50% increase in H202 over the past 200 years from a Greenland ice core
Nature (1991)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
