Ikaite – the icy version of calcium carbonate from Antarctica
Natural Ikaite
Calcium carbonate can crystallize in a hydrated form as ikaite at low temperatures. The hydration water in ikaite records the d18O of ambient water, a feature potentially useful for reconstructing d18O of local seawater. We obtained the first downcore d18O record of natural ikaite hydration waters and crystals collected from the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), a region sensitive to climate fluctuations.
Synthetic Ikaite
Ikaite can be synthesized and decomposed in lab, under different physical and chemical conditions.
Both natural and synthetic ikaite were studied on x-ray beam lines on synchrotron facilities at Daresbury and Diamond Light Source in England.
