Researchers study ice "time capsules" to observe climate change

The National Ice Core Lab in Colorado is a huge icebox with many valuable resources.

By Jason Boyer, Meteorologist, KWGN

December 12, 2007

LAKEWOOD, CO — "Usually it's shock, then after that even more shock," chuckled Eric Craven, a curator with the National Ice Core Lab in Lakewood as he described the reaction most people have when entering lab for the first time.

The first room greets you at a balmy twelve degrees below zero. This is where the ice core samples are cut and prepared before being shipped around the world for research.

"Some people need just a little bit of ice, so they'll take little pieces others need larger chunks," said Craven.

This room is where all the samples are stored.

"We have most of the major cores in the United States drilled since 1958 stored here," said Craven.

There are over 14,000 ice core samples kept here in just this one room, they're kept at a temperature of forty below. At that temperature, up to tens of thousands of years can be studied by researchers in just one core sample.

"Ice is a unique resource because it's one of the few places where you can find an example of trapped atmosphere or trapped air. You are basically looking at a snapshot in time of the atmosphere," Craven said.

And knowing that can mean finding the link between climate changes now to those in the past.

"If you know how old your ice is you have a really good idea how old your air is. If you want to take a look at methane, or carbon dioxide, all those different types of gases are trapped in the ice," said Craven.

So where do most of the samples come from?

"Mostly Greenland and Antarctica, because that's where most of the ice of interest is, or at least the oldest ice of serious interest is located."

Craven said due to the growing debate over climate change, the lab stays very busy.

"One of the greatest parts about science is that no matter how many questions you answer, you end up with five or six more that you still really want to find the answers to."