Chemical and environmental studies in ice and waters in and along Antarctica

Abstract

During the First Indian Ocean Expedition to Antarctica in anstral summer of 1981-82, some chemical investigations were carried out on the ice and waters of the Antarctic continent and along NE-SW transect in the southwestern Indian Ocean from 32 degrees s latitude to the edge of the Antarctic continent. The chemical components consisted of essential nutrients, heavy metals and a few major elements. A comparison of the oxidative ratios of Southern waters with Northern Indian Ocean indicated excess of 19% nitrate and 45% of silicate in Southern Indian Ocean while phosphate concentrations remain quite similar. Studies of aerosols indicated a gradual decrease of particles towards Antarctica