Jääkairausnäytteet

Jääkairausnäytteet, known in English as ice core samples, are cylindrical sections of ice drilled and removed from glaciers and ice sheets. These samples serve as invaluable archives of past climate and atmospheric conditions. Scientists meticulously extract these cores, typically from polar regions like Antarctica and Greenland, or from high-altitude glaciers. The depth of the ice core directly correlates with the age of the ice, with older ice found deeper within the ice sheet.

Within the ice core, trapped air bubbles, dust particles, volcanic ash, and isotopic ratios of water molecules provide a wealth of information. The composition of the trapped air reveals past atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane, allowing researchers to reconstruct historical climate trends and understand the natural variability of Earth's climate system. Impurities like dust and ash can indicate past environmental conditions, such as drought or volcanic activity. Isotopic analysis, particularly of oxygen and hydrogen, helps determine past temperatures.

The study of ice cores has significantly advanced our understanding of past climate change, greenhouse gas forcing, and the frequency and intensity of natural events like volcanic eruptions and El Niño cycles. These samples are crucial for validating climate models and providing a long-term perspective on human-induced climate change. The careful preservation and analysis of ice cores are essential for scientific research, offering a direct window into Earth's history.