UK Relic Air Extraction and Gas Analysis System (UK RArE-GAS)

The rise in atmospheric CO2, caused largely by the burning of fossil fuel, is the most important factor driving the recent change in our planet's climate. Direct measurements of atmospheric CO2 only started in the 1950s - so how do we know that the rise in atmospheric CO2 is unprecedented? To look into the past we use a unique geologic archive: the bubbles of air trapped in ice cores from the polar ice sheets.

Ice cores from specially selected sites, can yield, detailed yearly records for recent centuries, or records spanning the last 800 thousand years (the time that anatomically modern humans first appeared). Uniquely among natural archives of change, ice cores contain samples of the three major greenhouses gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) captured a little after the snow fell, and an isotopic record of atmosphere temperature. Ice cores thus provide the most compelling evidence that the changing concentration of greenhouse gases is driving natural climate change, which has taken the planet through many cycles of glaciation and warmth.

In coming years, ice cores will answer key questions.
1) What is the lag between rising greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations and global temperature?
2) Why did the Earth enter a regular cycle of glacial to interglacial transitions 500 thousand years ago that dominated planetary change until the industrial era?
3) How did the higher than pre-industrial concentrations of GHG affect our planet in the last interglacial period 120 thousand years ago?

Existing and planned ice cores, collected from Antarctica, Greenland and high-mountain glaciers, are a unique window into the past changes in the atmosphere. Providing crucial data to drive and test computer models exploring how and why climate changed in the past. This in turn informs projections of how the climate will change in the future.

We propose to develop a facility, UK-RArE-GAS, at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), to help scientists from around the UK, and their collaborators, to extract and analyse ancient air samples from ice. The custom system will incorporate an extraction method, facilities to ensure proper stewardship of these precious ancient air samples, and analysis with a novel laser spectrometer. No such facility is currently available in the UK, and this limits our scientists to collaborating and paying for analyses in one or two laboratories in the EU or US.

UK-RArE-GAS will be augmented into the existing ice core laboratory at BAS, the centre of ice core science in the UK and a leader in the international community. The existing ice core lab hosts a large laboratory freezer, state-of-the-art ice chemistry instrumentation (ICP-mass spectrometry and Fast-ion chromatography), and a continuous flow analysis system to measure a suite of chemistry and stable water isotopes in ice. BAS also provides a suite of rapid-access, shallow, intermediate and deep ice-core drills that are widely used by the UK community and our collaborators. The innovative 'gas-line' will considerably enhance the existing capabilities, providing an unparalleled capability to UK science. Dr Thomas Bauska, who joined BAS as a Royal Society Fellow has direct experience in development of similar ice-core gas methods, and will oversee design and development of the facility.

The UK-RArE-GAS laboratory will create a centre for collaboration among UK and International partners who can use the laboratory to extract gases in glacial ice samples.

Scientific impact: Geochemistry research is currently undergoing a transformation, as laser-based techniques supplant traditional gas-source isotope ratio mass spectrometers. These instruments promise lower costs and increased throughput, primarily through ease-of-use. Ice core science has been an early-adopter of new technologies and has often collaborated with industry to develop bespoke applications. At the UK-RArE-GAS laboratory, we will be able to use our state-the-art laser spectrometer to analyse ultra-small gas samples, placing the UK at the cutting-edge of method development. Our work may lay the groundwork for adoption by other fields of Earth Science requiring isotopic measurements on very small samples (e.g. carbonates). The number and diversity of collaborations and the quality of scientific outputs determine the asset impact. Publication metrics (impact factors and citations), academic beneficiaries engagement and media output will provide a measure of our impact.

Social or economic benefits: For more than a decade, the BAS ice core lab has been a key component in UK efforts to engage and inform key audiences on climate change. Several thousand individuals have visited our labs including royalty, politicians (science ministers), opinion formers (popstars and celebrities) and international media teams. The combination of science and the experience provided by holding ancient ice has proved compelling. Feedback has shown it caused many to strengthen or alter their opinions about climate change, and many have been galvanized to action. The experience has been a long-standing feature offered by the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership program to high-level business leaders. Currently we host more than three visits per week, but the impetus provided by investment in the UK-RaRE GAS facility will ensure the message remains fresh and potent for the next decade and beyond.

Potential beneficiaries: UK-RArE-GAS will support a wide range of research outputs benefitting UK and international networks. Collaborative and international is a feature of ice-core research. Data from ice core analyses are widely shared through international databases and commonly used by researchers working across the environmental science disciplines.

With a state-of-the-art gas line in BAS, and increasing collaboration between BAS and University of Cambridge (Earth Sciences), researchers from around the world will be drawn to this hub. Providing opportunities for enhanced participation of UK scientists in globally significant research projects such as the "Beyond EPICA - Oldest Ice" programme. Indeed, it is very likely that UK-RArE-GAS will be selected to analyse the very oldest sections of this new ice core - a major coup for UK science to be delivering some of the most prominent palaeoclimatic research of a generation. In addition, UK-RaRE GAS will provide training to the group of PDRAs and PhD students who are currently working in the lab, including NERC funded DTP students. Data from UK-RaRE GAS, will not only provide definitive histories of greenhouse gas concentrations, but also provide an invaluable resource for the climate modelling community. Enabling testing and validation of IPCC global climate models tasked with predicting future climate change and greatly improving our understanding of the global carbon cycle.