A unique method created by a ±«Óătv associate professor to determine radiocarbon ages, will be central to an expedition expected to transform the way we view the Antarctic continent.
Brad Rosenheim, PhD, associate professor of geological oceanography in the ±«Óătv College of Marine Science (CMS), is a principal investigator of the SALSA (Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access) project, which aims to better understand Antarcticaâs subglacial environment. Rosenheim and his PhD student, Ryan Venturelli, will be employing Ramped PyrOx (pyrolysis-oxidation) 14C dating on sediments sampled from the bottom of Mercer Subglacial Lake. His radiocarbon dating method, performed with an apparatus affectionately called the âDirtburnerâ in CMSâs Marine and Environmental Chemistry Facility, uses heat up to 1000 °C to gradually break organic carbon free from the sediments in a way that simplifies interpretation of sediment age. This process helps indicate the timing of ice sheet changes that have affected global sea level.
âTo participate in highly-interdisciplinary research that is truly exploratory is exhilarating in and of itself,â said Rosenheim. âBut the work we will do has more importance than simply proving we can access these unique lakes. We will be investigating ways in which carbon older than 10,000 years may support life in these extreme environments with no sunlight. We will also gain insight into how and when the West Antarctic Ice