Establishing the Timing of Chemical Deposition Events on Belukha Glacier, Altai Mountains, Russia, Using Pollen Analysis

Abstract In this study, we used a 4.00-m pit on Belukha glacier in Russia's Altai region and attempted to establish the timing of chemical deposition events by analyzing pollen profiles. As the pollen deposition of each examined taxon on the glacier surfaces followed a distinct seasonal phenology, seasonal layers could be identified over a two-year period. The seasonal layer boundaries reconstructed from the pollen analyses were in close agreement with the in situ observations and indicated that the snow deposition on the glacier originates mainly from summer precipitation. The record of oxygen isotope ratios showed a relatively high mean value of −13.3‰, which was attributed to the absence of winter depositions. The formate (HCOO−) concentration records displayed seasonal variation with the highest emissions occurring in the spring, and a dust event in the spring of 2003 was detected from the Mg2+, Ca2+, and dust concentration profiles. Taken together, these results suggest the analysis of pollen profile...