Content and Isotope Ratios of Noble Gases in Congelation Ice of Lake Vostok

Abstract

Isotope ratios of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar) were studied in samples collected by degassing of cores of water frozen over a glacier of Lake Vostok. The gases were collected into glass retorts during three days of degassing of cores, which have just been extracted from the borehole. Within the error, the isotope ³He/⁴He ratios of 0.28 ± 0.08 R_A (R_A = 1.38 × 10^–6 is the ratio for air) correspond to those from [1]. The ⁴He/²⁰Ne and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar ratios (12.4 ± 4.6 R_A and 1.0074 ± 0.0023 R_A, respectively) exceed their contents in air (⁴He/²⁰Ne_A = 0.29; ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar_A = 298.6) and may indicate some contribution of terrigenous gas to the gaseous balance of the lake, as well as the high content of ancient ground waters in the lake. The ³He/⁴He ratio of 0.28 R_A means low mantle ³He flux typical of continental platforms far from active rift zones.