Climate Change - A Report from Antarctica: WAIS Divide Ice Core

Summary

This video showcases the process of drilling ice cores in Antarctica to study past climate changes. The narrator explains how the unique conditions of the site provide a detailed record of greenhouse gas fluctuations and their relationship with temperature changes over 650,000 years. The drilling tool extracts ice samples, which are analyzed for gas concentrations and isotopic ratios, offering insights into past air temperatures and CO2 levels. The video emphasizes the clear link between human activities and current climate warming, encouraging viewers to use science to inform future decisions.

Takeaways

• ❄️ The location for this ice coring project was carefully chosen for its clean, deep ice, simple ice flow, and high annual snowfall rate, making it ideal for studying past climate changes.
• 📉 This ice core project aims to provide detailed records of how greenhouse gases influenced climate changes over time.
• 🧊 Antarctica is ideal for studying the concentration of past atmospheric carbon dioxide levels due to its unique ice conditions.
• 🔬 The drill used in the project is a scientific instrument specifically designed for ice coring, shaving off rings of ice to extract samples.
• 🌡️ One of the main goals of the project is to compare the timing of past greenhouse gas changes with temperature shifts, improving the understanding of human-driven climate change.
• 📦 Ice cores are packed and transported using a complex system of planes, ships, and trucks for analysis by about 30 scientists back in the United States.
• 📊 Measurements taken from the ice cores include the isotopic ratio of oxygen, which helps determine past air temperatures, and the concentration of gases like carbon dioxide trapped in air bubbles.
• 🌍 The study shows a strong correlation between high CO2 levels and warmer conditions over the last 650,000 years, highlighting the human role in today's climate warming.
• 🏕️ The camp for the ice coring project is temporary, with tents for personal space and structures like the dining hall set up only during the summer to avoid snow drifts.
• ♻️ The team follows strict environmental practices, taking all waste with them and recycling 85% of it to minimize their impact on the pristine environment.

Q & A

What makes this particular location ideal for studying past climate changes?

The location has a combination of clean, deep ice, simple ice flow, and a high annual snowfall rate, making it the best place to study the details of how past changes in greenhouse gases influenced climate.

Why are ice cores important for understanding past climate conditions?

Ice cores contain trapped gas bubbles from the atmosphere at the time the snow was compressed into ice. By analyzing these gases, such as carbon dioxide, and isotopic ratios of oxygen, scientists can determine past atmospheric conditions and temperatures.

How do scientists measure past air temperatures using ice cores?

Scientists measure the isotopic ratio of oxygen-18 and oxygen-16 in the water that makes up the ice. This ratio changes based on the air temperature when the snow fell, allowing scientists to estimate past air temperatures.

What is unique about the drill used in this ice coring project?

The drill used is a one-of-a-kind scientific instrument designed specifically for ice coring, unlike water well or oil well drills. It has razor-sharp cutters and operates to extract a cylindrical ice core while maintaining its integrity.

How do scientists ensure the ice cores stay preserved in the field?

To keep the gas samples trapped in the ice, the ice cores must be kept below -20°C. A large refrigeration system is used to maintain this temperature in the field, along with cold storage in the drill shelter.

What measurements do scientists take once the ice cores are brought back from the field?

Scientists measure the isotopic ratios to determine past temperatures and analyze the gases trapped in air bubbles to assess historical concentrations of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.

How do scientists use electrical conductivity to study ice cores?

By measuring the electrical conductivity of the ice, scientists can identify annual layers because snow from different seasons (summer and winter) has distinct chemical compositions, which affect conductivity.

What relationship between CO2 and temperature is shown by ice core data?

Ice core data shows a strong correlation between high levels of atmospheric CO2 and warm temperatures, and low levels of CO2 with colder conditions, over at least the past 650,000 years.

What does the data say about current CO2 levels compared to historical levels?

Current atmospheric CO2 levels are much higher than at any time in the past 650,000 years, which suggests an unusual and potentially dangerous trend linked to human activities.

What is the main takeaway for the audience regarding climate change from this research?

The data shows that human activities are contributing to current climate warming, and while the speaker doesn't offer specific policy advice, they encourage using the best available science to inform decisions on how to address climate change.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 Exploring Antarctica for Climate Science

This section introduces the remote location in Antarctica chosen for studying how past greenhouse gases influenced climate. Although the scenery is monotonous, the deep, clean ice and high annual snowfall provide the perfect conditions to extract detailed climate records. The researchers compare the timing of past changes in greenhouse gases and temperature to understand human-driven climate changes better. It took three field seasons to find this site, and it will take five more to collect all the necessary samples. The narrator also highlights the harsh conditions but praises the beauty of the location.

05:01

🛠 A Closer Look at the Unique Ice Core Drill

The narrator explains the ice core drilling setup, featuring a unique scientific instrument specifically designed for this purpose. The drill shaves off rings of ice to extract long, cylindrical ice cores. These cores are essential for studying past climate by examining trapped air bubbles and isotopic ratios in the ice. A key focus is maintaining freezing temperatures to preserve the gases within the ice cores, which help in analyzing past concentrations of greenhouse gases. The team uses a refrigeration system to keep everything below -20°C while working in harsh conditions.

📊 Studying Ice Cores for Greenhouse Gas Data

This paragraph details how scientists study the ice cores. At the field site, little measurement occurs because of logistical difficulties. Back home, scientists analyze the oxygen isotopic ratios and measure gases trapped in air bubbles in the ice. These analyses help determine past air temperatures and concentrations of gases like carbon dioxide, giving insights into past climates. A key method includes crushing ice samples to release ancient air trapped within, enabling researchers to measure the greenhouse gases present when the snow turned to ice.

🔬 Counting Ice Layers to Age the Ice

The narrator explains how scientists determine the age of ice by identifying annual layers, similar to counting tree rings. Differences in the chemical composition of summer and winter snow alter the ice's electrical conductivity, allowing scientists to count each year's snowfall. This method enables them to create precise timelines for their climate data. The ice cores are then packed in tubes and transported back to the U.S. using cargo planes and other specialized transport. A team of 30 scientists analyzes the data collected from the ice.

🏕 Life in Antarctica and Sustainable Practices

The narrator gives a glimpse into daily life at the Antarctic research camp, which houses around 50 people. Everyone has their own tent for privacy, and the camp is spacious. The team practices sustainability by recycling 85% of their waste, including wood, aluminum, and paper. Temporary buildings, like the dining hall, are removed in the winter to prevent them from being buried under snowdrifts. Despite the challenging conditions, the researchers make efforts to minimize their environmental impact and keep operations efficient.

📈 Climate Data and CO2's Role in Warming

In this section, the narrator reviews a climate graph showing the relationship between atmospheric CO2 and temperature over the last 650,000 years. Ice core data reveals a strong correlation between high CO2 levels and warmer periods, and low CO2 levels with colder conditions. This tight relationship underscores the significant role CO2 plays in driving climate change. Current CO2 levels are far higher than at any point in the past 650,000 years, emphasizing the influence of human activity on modern climate warming. The narrator concludes by encouraging viewers to consider science when making decisions about the future.

Keywords

💡Ice cores

Ice cores are cylindrical samples of ice drilled from glaciers or ice sheets. In the video, the narrator explains that ice cores hold valuable climate data, including information about past greenhouse gas levels. They are used to study how atmospheric conditions have changed over time, which helps scientists understand historical climate patterns and predict future climate changes.

💡Greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), trap heat in Earth's atmosphere, contributing to global warming. The video emphasizes the relationship between past levels of greenhouse gases, extracted from air bubbles in ice cores, and temperature changes over 650,000 years, showing how human activity is impacting current CO2 levels and driving climate change.

💡Antarctica

Antarctica is the location of the ice drilling project featured in the video. The unique conditions of the continent, including clean and deep ice and high snowfall rates, make it an ideal place to collect ice cores and study ancient climate data. The video mentions that the team specifically chose this site for its suitability for capturing detailed records of greenhouse gases and temperature shifts.

💡Climate change

Climate change refers to long-term alterations in temperature and weather patterns, primarily due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. In the video, the scientist explains how studying past climate patterns through ice cores helps to improve our understanding of how human activities are influencing current and future climate conditions.

💡Isotopic ratio

The isotopic ratio refers to the ratio of different forms of oxygen atoms (Oxygen-18 and Oxygen-16) found in water molecules in ice. This ratio is used by scientists to estimate past air temperatures, as the ratio varies with temperature. The video explains how this measurement from ice cores helps researchers determine historical temperature changes.

💡Air bubbles

Air bubbles trapped in ice cores are pockets of ancient atmosphere, preserving the gases that were present when the ice was formed. In the video, the scientist highlights how measuring the gases in these bubbles, like CO2, helps researchers understand the composition of the Earth's atmosphere over hundreds of thousands of years.

💡Annual layers

Annual layers in ice cores are created by seasonal differences in snowfall, with chemical changes distinguishing summer and winter deposits. The video mentions that by measuring the electrical conductivity of these layers, scientists can identify and count each layer to determine the age of the ice, similar to counting tree rings.

💡CO2 concentration

CO2 concentration refers to the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which the video shows has a strong correlation with global temperatures. The current levels of CO2 are described as 'anomalous,' meaning they are much higher than at any other point in the past 650,000 years, indicating a direct link to human-induced climate change.

💡Field seasons

Field seasons are the periods during which scientists conduct research in the field, usually limited by seasonal weather conditions. The video explains that the team has spent multiple field seasons finding the ideal location in Antarctica for drilling ice cores, and it will take several more seasons to complete the project.

💡Refrigeration system

A refrigeration system is used to keep the ice cores below minus 20°C to prevent the gas samples trapped in the ice from escaping. The video shows the importance of maintaining this low temperature during field operations to ensure that the ice cores provide accurate data about past atmospheric conditions.

Highlights

The location is chosen for its clean, deep ice, simple ice flow, and high snowfall, making it ideal for studying past changes in greenhouse gases and climate.

This site allows for a more detailed climate record compared to other ice core locations, which will help improve understanding of how human activity impacts climate change.

The team spent three field seasons searching for the ideal drilling site and expects to spend five more seasons collecting ice core samples.

The drill is a one-of-a-kind tool designed specifically for scientific purposes, capable of cutting and extracting cylindrical ice cores.

To preserve the gas samples within the ice cores, the temperature of the ice must remain below minus 20°C.

Each ice core extraction yields about 2.2 meters of ice, which is protected by green plastic netting during transportation.

The isotopic ratio of oxygen in the ice is measured to determine the air temperature when the snow fell, providing historical climate data.

Air bubbles trapped in the ice are analyzed to measure the concentration of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide from the past.

The team identifies annual layers in the ice using the electrical conductivity of ice, similar to counting tree rings, to determine the age of the ice.

The ice cores are transported back to the U.S. via cargo planes, ice-strengthened ships, and trucks, where 30 scientists analyze the samples.

The graph shown highlights the correlation between high levels of CO2 and warmer temperatures, a relationship that has existed for at least 650,000 years.

Current CO2 levels are much higher than any time in the last 650,000 years, pointing to human-caused climate warming.

The camp consists of 50 people with personal tents, and they leave no waste behind, recycling 85% of materials and removing everything else.

Temporary structures like dining halls are dismantled every winter to prevent them from being buried in snow drifts.

The research shows a strong correlation between rising CO2 levels and global temperature increases, reinforcing the urgency of addressing climate change.

Transcripts

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well you're right the scenery here is

monotonous you can travel the 700 miles

to the South Pole and it looks the same

but this location is the right

combination of clean and deep ice simple

Ice Flow and a high annual snowfall rate

that makes it the best place on the

planet to study the details of how past

changes in greenhouse gases influence

climate there are other ice cores that

have climate records that extend further

back in time than we'll be able to

collect from here those are great

records but what makes this place

special is that we'll be able to recover

a more detailed record by comparing the

timing of past changes in greenhouse

gases and changes in temperature we can

improve our understanding of how human

activity is changing climate now and how

it will continue to change climate in

the future we spent three field Seasons

searching for this site and I'll take

about five field Seasons to collect all

our samples on a rare nice summer day

like this it's great to be out here Big

Sky nice ice and it's an easy ke me to

work we built this building two years

ago you can see how much it snows and

drifts around here it's already pretty

much buried come on

inside this is our drilling shelter it's

a steel Arch building and inside of it

of course we have the drill the drill is

laid out horizontally right now it's

actually a one-of-a-kind drilling tool

it's unlike any kind of water well or

oil well drill it's actually much more

of a scientific instrument than a piece

of drilling Machinery the business end

of it is right down here it has four

razor sharp Cutters the drill is moved

up into a vertical position and then

lowered down into the ice sheet this

drilling head then rotates around and

these Cutters shave off a ring of ice

the drill slips down into that ring of

ice and the core slides up into the core

Barrel

we then pull up on the core barrel and

there are little latches in here that

catch the core and we bring the core up

to the surface

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the drill work area is just a little bit

below freezing but to keep the gas

samples trapped in the ice we have to

keep the temperature of the ice core

below minus 20 C so on the other side of

the window where the core is pushed out

of the drill it's always cold we even

have a large refrigeration system to

make sure it stays cold here comes the

core we collect about 2 and2 meters of

core each time the drill goes down the

hole the core is pushed into a green

plastic net which protects the core from

damage we don't make many measurements

in the field it's just too difficult to

get the people and Equipment out here

one measurement we make back home is to

determine the isotopic ratio of the

oxygen 18 and Oxygen 16 in the water

that makes up the ice this ratio changes

depending on what the air temperature

was when the snow fell we use this

isotopic ratio to determine what the air

temperature was in the

past back home we also measure the gases

trapped in the air bubbles in the ice we

take an ice sample put it into a vacuum

chamber and crush it that releases the

trapped gases and we measure what the

concentration of greenhouse gases like

carbon dioxide was in the past this is a

thin slice of an ice core if you look at

it under special light fixture the Ice

shows up as black and the bubbles are

white the pen is pointing to the bubbles

the gas in these bubbles is a sample of

the atmosphere from when the snow was

compressed into ice we didn't come here

to study Antarctica we came here because

this is where you have to come to

determine what the concentration of

atmospheric carbon dioxide was in the

past one of the few measurements we do

make in the field is used to identify

the annual layers in the ice snow that

falls in the summer has a different

chemical composition than snow that

falls in the winter that makes the

electrical conductivity of the ice

different in different seasons so by

measuring the electrical conductivity of

the ice we can identify the annual

layers in the ice and count them to

determine how old the ice is it's sort

of like counting tree rings each Peak on

this graph is one

year the ice is packed into tubes and

boxes and moved back to the United

States using a combination of ski

equipped cargo planes ice strengthened

ships and trucks there are 30 scientists

like myself who make measurements on

this ice if you think it looks cold in

here well it is let's go outside to the

middle of Antarctica where it's warm

we'll take a walk through Camp to the

dining hall and then look at some data

we're in the suburbs now there's about

50 people here Camp everybody gets their

own tent to sleep in gives us a little

bit of private space of course we've got

a lot of room to spread out between

tents makes it kind of

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fun we take all of our waste out of the

site here we leave nothing behind about

85% of what we have we can recycle we

have wood aluminum cardboard food scraps

we don't recycle that light metal office

paper and we have some burnable

materials everything goes out with

us we use these yellow buildings as

temporary structure during the summer we

take them down every winter so they

don't get drifted in this one's the

dining hall let's get something warm to

drink

wow it's uh it's awfully busy in here I

think I think we might have to have this

conversation elsewhere let's go

outside let's take a look at some data

the data sets I'm going to show you

today do not come from the ice Cur

project that we just walked through it's

going to take us several years to make

the measurements on that ice and

interpret the results so I'm going to

show you data from another ice coring

project this graph shows the

relationship between greenhouse gases

and temperature the time span runs from

650,000 years in the past to current

time the bottom graph shows the

concentration of atmospheric CO2 during

that time and the upper graph shows how

temperatures Chang during that time the

CO2 information comes from air bubbles

in ice cores the temperature information

comes from the Isotopes stored in ice

cores what this graph shows is the

remarkable relationship between high

levels of CO2 in the atmosphere and warm

conditions and likewise the relationship

between low levels of CO2 and colder

conditions this relationship a very

tight linking between CO2 and climate

has existed for at least the last

650,000

years the other thing that this graph

shows is that the current levels of

atmospheric CO2 are very anomalous

they're much higher than they've been at

any time since at least the last 650,000

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years the data show that there's a

strong correlation between high levels

of CO2 in the atmosphere and warming

that the climate is warming today and

that humans are responsible for that

warming now I'm not going to tell you

what to do in the future about how what

sort of decisions you should make you

have to make those decisions for

yourself but my hope is that you will

use the best available science to make

those decisions so thank you for your

interest in our science and I've got to

get back to my ICE coring project and I

think the weather's going to be changing

here soon too

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