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Rare earth element (REE) concentrations in ice samples from the upper 8.4 m of a Mt. Everest ice core retrieved from the col of the East Rongbuk Glacier (28.03 degrees N, 86.96 degrees E, 6518 ma.s.l.) on the northeast ridge of Mt. Everest in September 2002 are presented. REEs display large seasonal variations, with high concentrations in the non-monsoon season and low concentrations in the summer monsoon season. This seasonality is useful for ice core dating. When normalized to a shale standard, the Mt. Everest REEs exhibit a consistent shale-like pattern with a slight enrichment of middle REEs during both seasons. However, individual monsoon REE patterns display differences, possibly resulting from diversified sources. Non-monsoon REE patterns are stable and are associated with the westerlies. Investigation of potential sources for the Everest REEs suggests an absence of anthropogenic contributions and minimal input from local provenances. REEs in Mt. Everest samples are most likely representative of a stable well-mixed REE background of the upper troposphere consisting of a mixture of aerosols transported by the atmospheric circulation from the west windward and regions such as the Thar Desert, West Asia, the Sahara Desert and other uncertain provenances. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.