Introduction
Polar ice results from the progressive densification of snow deposited at the surface of the ice sheet. The transformation of snow into ice generally occurs within the first 100 meters and takes from decades to millennia, depending on temperature and accumulation rate, to be completed. During the first stage of densification, recrystallization of the snow grains occurs until the closest dense packing stage is reached at relative densities of about 0.55–0.6, corresponding to the snow-firn transition. Then plastic deformation becomes the dominant process and the pores progressively become isolated from the surface atmosphere. The end product of this huge natural sintering experiment is ice, an airtight material. Because of the extreme climatic conditions, the polar ice is generally kept at negative temperatures well below the freezing point, a marked difference to the ice of temperate mountain glaciers.
Ice cores are cylinders of ice with a diameter of ∼10 cm. They are...
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Raynaud, D., Parrenin, F. (2009). Ice Cores, Antarctica And Greenland. In: Gornitz, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Paleoclimatology and Ancient Environments. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4411-3_110
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