In recent years, much attention has  focused on the atmospheric nitrogen cycle, the second major biogenic cycle. The study of the remote polar atmospheres may provide new and valuable data for the study of global atmospheric chemistry. Moreover, the chemical analysis of polar snow and ice has proved to be a very powerful tool in investigating polar atmospheric chemistry, In this paper, the latest progress of the possible causes of shortterm Antarctic NO^-₃variations, the possible sources, the postdepositional changes and the time and spatial changes of concentrations of NO^-₃ in the firn and ice of Antarctic ice sheet have been reviewed. The review indicates that although some solar proton events, galactic supernovae, Tunguska metor, volcanic eruptions and nuclear tests may influence the NO^-₃ concentrations in the firn and ice of Antarctic ice sheet, the lightening in the troposphere and the oxidation of N₂O in the stratosphere are the main sources of the background of NO^-₃ in Antarctic ice sheet. The comprehensive research shows that the NO^-₃ concentrations recorded in the Antarctic ice sheet may be the results of the sources, transmission paths, depositional processes and postdepositional processes of NO^-₃ in Antarctic ice sheet. Therefore, in order to reveal the environmental meaning of NO^-₃ recorded in Antarctic ice sheet, great attentions should be given to a synthetical study of the sources, transmission paths, depositional processes and postdepositional processes of NO^-₃in Antarctic ice sheet.  