Constraints on the δ²H diffusion rate in firn from field measurements at Summit, Greenland

Abstract

We performed detailed ²H isotope diffusion measurements in the upper 3 m of firn at Summit, Greenland. Using a small snow gun, a thin snow layer was formed from ²H-enriched water over a 6 × 6 m² area. We followed the diffusion process, quantified as the increase of the δ²H diffusion length, over a 4-year period, by retrieving the layer once per year by drilling a firn core and slicing it into 1 cm layers and measuring the δ2H signal of these layers. We compared our experimental findings to calculations based on the model by Johnsen et al. (2000) and found substantial differences. The diffusion length in our experiments increased much less over the years than in the model. We discuss the possible causes for this discrepancy and conclude that several aspects of the diffusion process in firn are still poorly constrained, in particular the tortuosity.