Water Isotopes in Near-Surface Snow

As part of the SNOWISO initiative, our team provides finely resolved, depth- and time-indexed measurements of water isotopologues from short (1-m) snow cores collected at the EastGRIP site on the Greenland Ice Sheet during the summers of 2017–2019. Each profile is accompanied by an applied age–depth model, allowing the isotopic data (δ¹⁸O, δD, and deuterium excess) to be interpreted not only in terms of stratigraphy but also as a seasonal record of snow deposition and modification.

These datasets are particularly valuable for investigating how post-depositional processes—such as sublimation, ventilation, and isotopic diffusion—shape the isotopic composition of snow, thereby influencing the signals preserved in firn and ice cores. In addition, the high-resolution sampling provides a framework for studying snowpack layering, accumulation patterns, and isotopic variability on spatial and temporal scales that are often inaccessible to traditional core analyses. By linking near-surface measurements to broader climatic interpretation, the SNOWISO data support improved understanding of both modern atmospheric processes and the paleoclimate information archived in the Greenland Ice Sheet. All data are openly available for further research, model validation, and interdisciplinary analysis.