NEEM-2011-S1 Ice Core 1800 Year Continuous Methane Data Rhodes, R.H.; Faïn, X.; Stowasser, C.; Blunier, T.; Chappellaz, J.A.; McConnell, J.R.; Romanini, D.; Mitchell, L.E.; Brook, E.J. Rhodes, R.H. Faïn, X. Stowasser, C. Blunier, T. Chappellaz, J.A. McConnell, J.R. Romanini, D. Mitchell, L.E. Brook, E.J. earth science/paleoclimate/climate forcing|ice cores (methane,bulk atmosphere,null,parts per billion,null,climate forcing|ice cores,null,optical feedback cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/climate forcing|ice cores (methane,bulk atmosphere,null,parts per billion,null,climate forcing|ice cores,corrected,optical feedback cavity enhanced absorption spectroscopy,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/ice cores (depth,null,null,meter,null,ice cores,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/ice cores (gas age,null,null,year Common Era,null,ice cores,null,null,N,null) earth science/paleoclimate/ice core (NEEM>LATITUDE 77.45>LONGITUDE -51.06) Ancient air trapped inside bubbles in ice cores can now be analysed for methane concentration utilising a laser spectrometer coupled to a continuous melter system. We present a new ultra-high resolution record of atmospheric methane variability over the last 1800 yr obtained from continuous analysis of a shallow ice core from the North Greenland Eemian project (NEEM-2011-S1) during a 4-week laboratory-based measurement campaign. Our record faithfully replicates the form and amplitudes of multi-decadal oscillations previously observed in other ice cores and demonstrates the detailed depth resolution (5.3 cm), rapid acquisition time (30 m day-1) and good long-term reproducibility (2.6%, 2sigma) of the continuous measurement technique. In addition, we report the detection of high frequency ice core methane signals of non-atmospheric origin. Firstly, measurements of air from the firn-ice transition region and an interval of ice core dating from 1546-1560 AD (gas age) resolve apparently quasi-annual scale methane oscillations. Traditional gas chromatography measurements on discrete ice samples confirm these signals and indicate peak-to-peak amplitudes of ca. 22 parts per billion (ppb). We hypothesise that these oscillations result from staggered bubble close-off between seasonal layers of contrasting density during time periods of sustained multi-year atmospheric methane change. Secondly, we report the detection of abrupt (20-100 cm depth interval), high amplitude (35-80 ppb excess) methane spikes in the NEEM ice that are reproduced by discrete measurements. We show for the first time that methane spikes present in thin and infrequent layers in polar, glacial ice are accompanied by elevated concentrations of carbon- and nitrogen-based chemical impurities, and suggest that biological in-situ production may be responsible. STUDY NOTES: Methane concentration from the Greenland NEEM-2011-S1 Ice Core from 71 to 408m depth (~270-1961AD). Methane concentrations analysed online by laser spectrometer (SARA, Spectroscopy by Amplified Resonant Absorption, developed at Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de Physique, Grenoble, France) on gas extracted from an ice core processed using a continuous melter system (Desert Research Institute). Methane data have a 5 second integration time (raw data acquisition rate 0.6 Hz). Analytical precision, from Allan Variance test, is 0.9 ppb (2 sigma). Long-term reproducibility is 2.6% (2 sigma). Gaps in the record are due to problems during online analysis. Online analysis conducted August-September 2011. NCDC-Paleoclimatology https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/data-access/paleoclimatology-data - Bauer Bruce Investigator : Rhodes, R.H. Investigator : Faïn, X. Investigator : Stowasser, C. Investigator : Blunier, T. Investigator : Chappellaz, J.A. Investigator : McConnell, J.R. Investigator : Romanini, D. Investigator : Mitchell, L.E. Investigator : Brook, E.J. 2013-04-04 ONLINE Files online, ASCII https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/14173 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers-removed.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-5yr.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers-removed.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-5yr.txt English https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/study/14173 https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-outliers-removed.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4.txt https://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/paleo/icecore/antarctica/neem/neem2011s1-ch4-5yr.txt Rachael H. Rhodes, Xavier Faïn, Christopher Stowasser, Thomas Blunier, Jerome Chappellaz, Joseph R. McConnell, Daniele Romanini, Logan E. Mitchell, Edward J. Brook. 2013. Continuous methane measurements from a late Holocene Greenland ice core: Atmospheric and in-situ signals. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 368, pp. 9-19. DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2013.02.034 START YEAR: 270 AD * END YEAR: 1961 AD -51.06 77.45 -51.06 77.45