| Abstract: | Stable oxygen isotope analysis and measurement of several dissolved cations and anions of bulk meltwater samples have provided information about the hydrochemical environment of the glacial hydrological system at Imersuaq Glacier, an outlet tongue from the Greenland ice‐sheet, West Greenland. The samples were collected at frequent intervals during the period 20–28 July 2000 in a small (<20 L s?1) englacial meltwater outlet at the glacier margin. The results document the following findings: (i) a marked diurnal variation of δ18O is related to the composition of oxygen isotope provenances, mainly near‐marginal local superimposed ice and basal up‐sheared ice further up‐glacier; (ii) a relationship is seen between all base cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), SO42? and δ18O, indicating that solute acquisition is provided by solid–solution contact with the up‐sheared ice—as the relationship with Cl? is weak the influence of seasalt‐derived solutes is small in the area; (iii) when the melt rate is high, two diurnal maxima of δ18O values and solute concentrations are measured, and it is suggested that a snow meltwater component is responsible for the second maximum of δ18O—a short residence time leads to a delayed decrease in ion concentrations. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
