NOAA NCDC National Climatic Data Center
NOAA Paleoclimatology Program, NCDC Paleoclimatology Branch  
Paleoclimatology Navigation Bar Bookmark and Share
NOAA National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA National Climatic Data Center U.S. Department of Commerce Paleo Home Data Paleo Projects Paleo Perspectives Education and Outreach About Paleo Program Site Map
WDC Paleo logo

Ice Core Gateway

WDC Glaciology logo
Access Data: Listed by Project Listed by Data Type Search (Free Text) Search by Variable, PI, More

Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru Snow Pit Data Readme
Note: The three files, quel76.dat, quel77.dat, and quel78.dat have been split into three files each. They are tab delimited text files to facilitate easier usage. Each one contains the information described in the first 5 columns of Record 1 below. Each of the three original files are now named, for example, quel76a.dat, quel76b.dat and quel76c.dat, each with particle sizes corresponding respectively to record 1, record 2, and record 3 below.
Byrd Polar Research Center Ice Core Files: Microparticle Analyses Documentation transcribed at WDC/NSIDC, November 1990
List of files:
1. QUEL76.DAT - Quelccaya Ice Cap (QIC) 1976 field season samples:
Coring was condu1cted in the bottom of the pits with a SIPRE coring device. These data represent the microparticle analyses of samples from four sites on the ice cap. Total samples in this file are 494.
Site 1: The first 183 samples are from the summit of the QIC, 5650 meters, and represent sampling to a depth of 14.95 meters.
Site 2: The next 161 samples are from the South Dome of the QIC and represent sampling to a depth of 16.1 meters.
Site 3: The next 140 samples are from the Middle Dome on the QIC and represent sampling to a depth of 15.07 meters.
Site 4: The next 10 samples are from the ablation zone on the QIC and represent sampling to a depth of 1.37 meters.
2. QUEL77.DAT - Quelccaya Ice Cap 1977 field season samples:
Pits were excavated and samples taken along the pit walls. All pits were at the summit. Total samples are 85.

Pit 1: 30 samples
Pit 2: 31 samples
Pit 3: 24 samples
3. QUEL78.DAT - Quelccaya Ice Cap 1978 samples from two shallow pits. These samples were processed twice on separate days. Total samples are 126. These pits are from the summit of the QIC.

Pit 1: 30 samples
Pit 2: 33 samples
Pit 3: 32 samples
Pit 4: 31 samples
References for Quelccaya studies:
Thompson, L.G. (1980) Glaciological investigations of the tropical Quelccaya Ice Cap, Peru. Journal of Glaciology, 25(91), p. 69-84.
Thompson, L.G., S. Hastenrath and B. Morales (1979) Climatic ice core record from the tropical Quelccaya Ice Cap. Science, 203(4386), p. 1240-1243.
FILE FORMAT:
Record 1:
Columns Format Description
------- ------ -----------
(01-06) I6 Date of sample analysis
(07-10) I4 Section number
(11-13) I3 Sample number
(14-21) F8.3 Depth at the top of the sample (in meters)
(22-26) F5.2 Size of the sample processed (in cm)
(27-32) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 0.5-0.62 micrometers
(33-38) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 0.63-0.79 micrometers
(39-44) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 0.80-0.99 micrometers
(45-50) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 1.0-1.24 micrometers
(51-56) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 1.25-1.59 micrometers
(57-62) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 1.6-1.99 micrometers
(63-68) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 2.0-2.51 micrometers
Record 2:
Columns Format Description
------- ------ -----------
(01-06) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 2.52-3.16 micrometers
(07-12) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 3.17-3.99 micrometers
(13-18) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 4.0-4.99 micrometers
(19-24) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 5.0-6.34 micrometers
(25-30) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 6.35-7.99 micrometers
(31-36) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 8.0-9.99 micrometers
(37-42) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 10.0- 12.69 micrometers
(43-48) I6 Number of particles with diameters between 12.7-16.0 micrometers
(49-54) I6 Number of particles with diameters 0.5 micrometers or larger
(55-60) I6 Number of particles with diameters 0.63 micrometers or larger
(61-66) I6 Number of particles with diameters 0.80 micrometers or larger
(67-72) I6 Number of particles with diameters 1.0 micrometers or larger
Record 3:
Columns Format Description
------- ------ -----------
(01-06) I6 Number of particles with diameters 1.25 micrometers or larger
(07-12) I6 Number of particles with diameters 1.6 micrometers or larger
(13-18) I6 Number of particles with diameters 2.0 micrometers or larger
(19-24) I6 Number of particles with diameters 2.52 micrometers or larger
(25-30) I6 Number of particles with diameters 3.17 micrometers or larger
(31-36) I6 Number of particles with diameters 4.0 micrometers or larger
(37-42) I6 Number of particles with diameters 5.0 micrometers or larger
(43-48) I6 Number of particles with diameters 6.35 micrometers or larger
(49-54) I6 Number of particles with diameters 8.0 micrometers or larger
(55-60) I6 Number of particles with diameters 10.0 micrometers or larger
(61-66) I6 Number of particles with diameters 12.7 micrometers or larger
(67-71) F5.1 Coarseness factor which equals the number of particles with diameters 1.0 micrometers or larger, divided by the total number with diameters 0.5 micrometers or larger.
Dividing Line
Privacy Policy information Open Access Climate Data Policy link USA logo Disclaimer information
Dividing Line
http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/icecore/trop/quelccaya/readme2.html
Downloaded Tuesday, 18-Jun-2013 21:18:34 EDT
Last Updated Wednesday, 20-Aug-2008 11:24:22 EDT by paleo@noaa.gov
Please see the Paleoclimatology Contact Page or the NCDC Contact Page if you have questions or comments.