The Lewis Glacier (Mt. Kenya) and possible links with tropical climate.

A detailed analysis is made of an ice core (in the frozen state) from the Lewis Glacier (0^o09'S, 37^o18'E) at c4800m. During the last 80 years the glacier volume has decreased by 70% and is presently ablating by c0.5m depth per year. The determination of particulate concentrations in the ice allows accumulation and ablation periods to be identified and, alongside other evidence, has enabled a tentative dating of the core and indicates that the oldest ice is of the order of 150-200 yr old. The size spectrum of the particulate material between 2 and 40 micrometre for each 2cm section of the core (11m long down to the glacier base) shows considerable variation with depth and may be related to changes in the wind regime.-from Authors