Quaternary glaciation of Mt. Qomolangma-Xixabangma region

The uplift of the Himalaya and Qinghai-Xizang plateau began at the end of Pliocene to the beginning of Early Pleistocene, changing the atmospheric circulation in Asia, enhancing the South Asian monsoon and enormously effecting the climatic conditions and glacial development.According to the evidence of glacial deposits, geomorphology, paleobiology, paleopedology, etc., at least four glaciations can be recognized. The uplift of the Himalayas was earlier than that of other mountains, so that the glaciation occurred in Early Pleistocene, forming small piedmont glaciers on the N slope, whilst at the same time there were wide short valley glaciers on the S slope. During the Middle Pleistocene, the height of Himalaya was about 4000 m a s l, the monsoon was strong, and much water vapour reached the interior of the plateau, the most favourable period for glacial development. Great piedmont glaciers and small ice caps formed on the mountains N of Himalayas and great valley glaciers occurred on the S slope, but no great ice sheet covered the plateau.During the early Late Pleistocene, the Himalayas had risen to over 5000 m asl, forming a barrier against the incursion of the Indian monsoon, so that the precipitation decreased sharply on the plateau N of Himalayas, thus diminishing the extent of the glaciation. But on the high mountains of the S part of Xizang and on several high mountains of the S slope of the Great Himalaya, the precipitation increased and the extent of glaciation reached a maximum. Since Last Glaciation, the precipitation of the alpine zone has decreased more sharply, the climate has become drier and colder, becoming unfavourable for glacial development.During the Holocene, three stages may be distinguished, i.e. the recession in Early Holocene (10,000-8000 BP); the disappearance of most glaciers in the Hypsithermal period in Middle Holocene, (8000-3000 BP); and the neoglacial fluctuations in Late Holocene (3000 BP up to present). The glaciers of the Neoglaciation advanced several hundred meters or even 3–5 km farther than existing glaciers.     

青藏高原唐古拉山口第四纪冰碛层划分及其地质环境意义

在对唐古拉山口现代冰川和古冰川考察研究的基础上，结合定位观测资料和TL、^10B-^26Al-^21Ne及^14C测年数据，对区内第四纪冰川遗迹进行了深入讨论，划分出二次冰期(即中更新世晚期的倒数第二次冰期、晚更新世中一晚期的末次冰期)和二次全新世冰进(即新冰期和小冰期)。提出在早更新世时，由于山体未达到当时冰川发育的雪线高度，所以未发育冰川。但在唐古拉山口地区，截止目前还未找到中更新世早期的倒数第三次冰期的冰川遗迹，由于高原隆升的滞后性和冰川发育的延滞效应及“亚洲干极”的耦合，推测仍只发育局部冰川作用。进一步研究表明，古今雪线由高原边缘向腹地升高，唐古拉山地区高出边缘1500m左右，生动表现了“亚洲干极”的作用；广泛分布的湖群说明羌塘地区是一个大江大河尚未伸入的内流地区，意味着青藏高原是个年青的高原。由于青藏高原的隆升，对高原腹地引起的干旱化过程和水分严重不足，使唐古拉山地区的冰川自倒数第二次冰期以来，冰川规模一次比一次明显地减小。     

青海可可西里地质遗迹及其构造演化

青海可可西里自石炭纪以来经历了复杂的构造演化和地表过程,形成了集高山、宽谷、夷平面、冰川、热泉、河流和湖泊等地貌元素为一体的高原高寒地貌,同时还包括了蛇绿混杂岩带、活动断裂带、地震遗迹和火山遗迹等地质元素。在调研前人研究资料和实地野外考察基础之上,根据IUCN(2005)提出的13类地质主题分类标准将区内的地质遗迹分为地质构造、火山和地热遗迹、山脉、地层剖面、河流和湖泊、现代冰川、冰期遗迹7类,共计60余处地质遗迹点。可可西里地质遗迹对重建古特提斯构造域、研究天然地震机制、青藏高原北部隆升过程及全球气候变化均具有重要的意义。基于可可西里区内地质遗迹和前人资料恢复出可可西里石炭纪以来经历了8个构造演化阶段。     

青藏高原的末次冰期与最大冰期——对M.Kuhle的大冰盖假设的否定

M.Kuhle把青藏高原外缘山地的山麓泥石洪流堆积误认为冰碛,推算出高原上末次冰期雪线普遍比今降低1100-1500m,已低于高原平均高度,以此推断在青藏高原形成了统一大冰盖。本文根据中国学者大量的研究事实和确凿的冰川作用遗迹,重建冰期雪线分布高度,提出了“分散的山地冰川”的观点,并从古气候学和高原构造隆升等方面分析了原因,以此论证了“大冰盖说”的主观性。     

贡嘎山第四纪冰川遗迹及冰期划分

在对贡嘎山现代冰川和古冰川考察研究的基础上，结合定位观测分析，对该区第四纪冰川遗迹进行了深入讨论，划分出三次冰期，即中更新世早期的倒数第三次冰期，中更新世晚期的倒数第二次冰期和晚更新世的末次冰期，以及全新世的新冰期和小冰期。提出在早更新世时，由于山体未达到当时冰川发育的雪线高度，所以未发育冰川；中更新世早期的冰期冰川为半覆盖式冰川类型，规模不大；中更新世晚期的冰期冰川是本区最大冰川作用时期，形成网状山麓冰川，东坡冰川曾达磨西台地；晚更新世冰期冰川以山谷冰川为主，以后规模逐次缩小。     

唐古拉山地区第四纪冰川作用与冰川特征

自中更新世以来,唐古拉山地区发生过3次更新世冰川作用(即昆仑冰期、倒数第二次冰期和末次错冰期)和2次全新世晚期冰进(即新冰期和小冰期冰进).昆仑冰期(最大冰期)发生在中更新世早期(0.80～0.60MaBP),不仅是本区最早的一次冰期,而且也是冰川规模最大的一次冰期,当时的冰川规模比现代冰川大16～18倍;倒数第二次冰期发生在中更新世晚期(0.30～0.135MaBP),比现代冰川大13～15倍;末次冰期发生在晚更新世晚期,应分为末次冰期早冰阶(75.0～58.0kaBP)和晚冰阶(32.0～15.0kaBP,23.0kaBP时达到极盛),但在唐古拉山地区截止目前还未找到早冰阶的冰川遗迹,因此,只对末次冰期的晚冰阶(LMG)进行了探讨.LMG时,冰川规模比现代冰川大10倍;新冰期发生在全新世高温期后,冰碛物的¹⁴C测年为(3540±160)aBP,冰川规模略大于现代冰川;小冰期发生在15～1世纪,冰川规模已接近于现代冰川.由于青藏高原的上升,对高原腹部地区引起的干旱化过程和水分严重不足,使唐古拉山地区的冰川自昆仑冰期以来,冰川规模一次比一次明显的减小.     

Late Quaternary glaciation of Tibet and the bordering mountains: a review

Abundant glacial geologic evidence present throughout Tibet and the bordering mountains shows that glaciers have oscillated many times throughout the late Quaternary. Yet the timing and extent of glacial advances is still highly debated. Recent studies, however, suggest that glaciation was most extensive prior to the last glacial cycle. Furthermore, these studies show that in many regions of Tibet and the Himalaya glaciation was generally more extensive during the earlier part of the last glacial cycle and was limited in extent during the global Last Glacial Maximum (marine oxygen isotope stage 2). Holocene glacial advances were also limited in extent, with glaciers advancing just a few kilometers from their present ice margins. In the monsoon-influenced regions, glaciation appears to be strongly controlled by changes in insolation that govern the geographical extent of the monsoon and consequently precipitation distribution. Monsoonal precipitation distribution strongly influences glacier mass balances, allowing glaciers in high altitude regions to advance during times of increased precipitation, which are associated with insolation maxima during glacial times. Furthermore, there are strong topographic controls on glaciation, particular in regions where there are rainshadow effects. It is likely that glaciers, influenced by the different climatic systems, behaved differently at different times. However, more detailed geomorphic and geochronological studies are needed to fully explore regional variations. Changes in glacial ice volume in Tibet and the bordering mountains were relatively small after the global LGM as compared to the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. It is therefore unlikely that meltwater draining from Tibet and the bordering mountains during the Lateglacial and early Holocene would have been sufficient to affect oceanic circulation. However, changes in surface albedo may have influenced the dynamics of monsoonal systems and this may have important implications for global climate change. Drainage development, including lake level changes on the Tibetan plateau and adjacent regions has been strongly controlled by climatic oscillations on centennial, decadal and especially millennial timescales. Since the Little Ice Age, and particularly during this century, glaciers have been progressively retreating. This pattern is likely to continue throughout the 21st century, exacerbated by human-induced global warming.     

青藏高原及邻区晚更新世-全新世冰川活动的年代学及影响因素

山岳冰川发育是否同步于北半球冰期,西风与季风对山岳冰川发育的控制作用是青藏高原及周边山地的冰川年代学研究的关键.近年来就地宇宙成因核素和光释光测年技术的快速发展为山岳冰川发育规律研究提供了大量的数据支持.本文综合分析了近年来在青藏高原和周边山地获得的冰川年代学数据,发现该地区山岳冰川发育与北半球冰期不同步,冰川发育贯穿于整个MIS 3阶段.在MIS 2阶段冰川活动峰期明显滞后于北半球末次冰期冰盛期.但是,山岳冰川对Heinrich Event 1和Younger Dryas两次快速气候波动事件有显著响应.这可能说明了西风作为纽带可以将北大西洋气候变化与青藏高原联系起来,同时,来自南方的季风对高原冰川的发育也有着重要的控制作用.造山带地区的冰川进退与高原抬升、地貌及气候之间是一个复杂的耦合系统.     

Palaeoglaciation of Bayan Har Shan,northeastern Tibetan Plateau: glacial geology indicates maximum extents limited to ice cap and ice field scales

Key locations within an extensive area of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, centred on Bayan Har Shan, have been mapped to distinguish glacial from non‐glacial deposits. Prior work suggests palaeo‐glaciers ranging from valley glaciers and local ice caps in the highest mountains to a regional or even plateau‐scale ice sheet. New field data show that glacial deposits are abundant in high mountain areas in association with large‐scale glacial landforms. In addition, glacial deposits are present in several locations outside areas with distinct glacial erosional landforms, indicating that the most extensive palaeo‐glaciers had little geomorphological impact on the landscape towards their margins. The glacial geological record does indicate extensive maximum glaciation, with local ice caps covering entire elevated mountain areas. However, absence of glacial traces in intervening lower‐lying plateau areas suggests that local ice caps did not merge to form a regional ice sheet on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau around Bayan Har Shan. No evidence exists for past ice sheet glaciation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

第四纪中国自然环境变迁的原因机制

作者在重建晚第三纪和第四纪古气候环境的基础上,着重讨论了晚第三纪和第四纪古气候之间的显著差异以及引起中国第四纪自然环境大幅度变迁的主要原因机制。中国新生代晚期构造运动导致自然环境的巨大变迁,其中青藏高原隆起的影响尤为突出。作者认为,青藏高原隆起及其反馈作用、季风环流的加强以及全球气候变化的影响,协同成为中国第四纪气候大幅度变化的主要原因,当然也是新生代晚期以来,尤其是中更新世以来中国自然环境变迁的主要原因机制。