Black Carbon Concentrations from an Ice Core from Tupungatito Glacier in the Central Andes

Black Carbon (BC) is a particle formed from the incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuels. When BC is deposited on a glacier or snow surface, the surface albedo (reflectivity) is reduced. The BC absorbs sunlight producing heat, which can accelerate snow and glacier melt if substantial BC is present. This can lead to a decrease in water availability for major urban areas that rely on snow/glacier runoff as a water resource. BC has not previously been measured in snow or ice in South America, even though snow and glacier water from the Central Andes provides an important source of runoff. Herein, we present a record of BC from a shallow ice core spanning 2000- 2010 from the Tupungatito glacier in the Central Andes. BC was determined using a Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2). The BC concentrations peak during the summer months, and exhibit interannual variations. The record is being examined further to determine if the variations are due to changes in emissions, transport, and/or precipitation. BC on Tupungatito has caused an albedo reduction of up to 4.6% between 2000 and 2010, suggesting that BC has the potential to affect water resources in this region