南极冰盖与冰川的快速变化

近10年的观测研究表明,南极冰盖和冰川存在快速的变化阿蒙森海扇区的主要冰流系统正在迅速变薄,减薄趋势可上溯至内陆150km处;罗斯冰流出现了停滞或明显减速,有的流动方向发生了改变,引发冰流袭夺;南极半岛冰架大面积崩塌,补给冰川加速,冰川出现了跃动;变暖的海水进一步侵蚀了冰架,着地线附近底部冰层融化强烈。上述发现改变了南极冰盖缓慢变化的传统观点,并对今后的冰川动力学研究,冰流模型模拟,冰盖物质平衡研究及预测具有重要意义。     

南极冰盖物质平衡与海平面变化研究新进展

本文在简要介绍冰盖物质平衡及其对海平面影响的基础上,从整体法和分量法两个方面总结了南极冰盖物质平衡研究的最新进展,并分析了影响其物质平衡的不确定因素。研究表明,整个南极冰盖物质平衡呈现负增长的趋势,其中西南极Amundsen海湾附近的冰盖物质流失最为明显。另外,南极冰盖边缘的大部分地区还呈现变薄的趋势。南极冰盖物质流失是引起海平面上升的最大潜在因素之一,其冰架的缓冲作用、冰盖的不稳定性和冰盖底部融水的作用等不确定因素对南极冰盖物质平衡具有重要的影响。未来随着观测技术和数据处理技术的不断提高,南极冰盖物质平衡的估算及其不确定因素有望得到进一步的认识,从而为预测海平面的上升范围提供更多的理论和技术支撑。     

PISM冰盖模式对Amery冰架流速场模拟的适用性

在全球气候变暖的背景下,冰架系统是监视和预测冰盖稳定性的理想研究区域。然而传统的冰架观测与调查方法只能从某一侧面揭示冰架的运动状态和演化信息,无法预测其未来变化;冰盖模式作为非常有潜力的数值计算方法,成为研究和预测冰盖/冰架演化的热点领域。Lambert冰川-Amery冰架系统是东南极冰盖最大的冰川系统,对于研究东南极冰盖的物质平衡和冰盖稳定性具有重要意义。使用PISM冰盖模式,对该冰川系统的流动过程进行模拟,得到冰表面流速场数据,并将模拟流速场与实测数据进行对比,发现两者在大部分区域吻合较好,但在冰架前缘处呈现出一些差异。进一步讨论差异可能的来源以及模拟可以改进的地方。     

南极冰盖表面冰流速研究综述

冰川表面流速作为南极冰盖物质平衡估算的一项重要内容,对于研究全球变暖背景下的海平面上升具有重要意义。随着技术的进步,南极的冰流速监测方法已经从传统的花杆测量、光学仪器边角测量,发展到先进的GPS测量和遥感观测。南极冰盖冰流速总体特征是:海岸带冰流速快于内陆冰流速,冰架冰流速快于陆地冰流速,西南极冰流速快于东南极冰流速。未来加强对数据稀疏地区的冰流速监测,扩大冰流速研究的时间尺度,开发冰流速研究的新方法以及构建冰流速波动与气候变化相互关系模型等,成为南极冰流速研究的新热点。     

南极冰架-海洋相互作用研究综述

本文介绍了近期南极冰架-海洋相互作用的研究进展。冰架底部融化速率大于前缘崩解通量,成为南极冰盖质量损失的首要途径。冰架下的海洋按照底部融化驱动因素的不同,可以分为由高密度陆架水驱动的冷冰腔和由变性绕极深层水驱动的暖冰腔。威德尔海的菲尔希纳-龙尼冰架和罗斯海的罗斯冰架属于冷冰腔,占南极冰架总面积的2/3,却只贡献了15%的净融化;东南太平洋扇区阿蒙森海和别林斯高晋海等若干属于暖冰腔的小型冰架,虽然只占南极冰架总面积的8%,却贡献了超过一半的冰架融水。以往看做冷冰腔的东南极托滕冰架和埃默里冰架,也相继发现有变性绕极深层水进入冰腔并造成底部融化。冰架对海洋有冷却和淡化的作用。冷冰腔输出的冰架水具有海洋中最低的温度,对南极陆架水性质乃至南极底层水的形成都有影响。冰架融化加剧,可能是近期观测到的南极底层水淡化的原因。     

南极冰盖表面微地貌研究进展与展望

南极冰盖表面微地貌是大气与冰盖相互作用的直接产物,微地貌的形态特征、结构性质及其发展变化对南极冰盖表面的物质平衡、能量平衡以及冰盖记录大气信息的过程具有重要的影响,冰盖表面微地貌的结构性质以及空间分布的确定是计算南极冰盖物质平衡与能量平衡的重要依据,同时在南极冰芯钻探选址以及冰芯解译古气候信息时具有重要的参考价值。根据微地貌的形成方式将南极冰盖表面微地貌分为沉积型、侵蚀型、沉积间断型三类,介绍了南极冰盖表面常见的微地貌形态雪丘、雪纹、雪垄、雪窝以及光洁区的形态特征与结构性质,并对冰盖表面微地貌的分布规律特征进行了总结,文中重点对不同微地貌区域内的物质平衡与能量平衡特征进行了介绍,最后探讨了冰盖表面光洁区对南极冰芯选址的影响,并对未来南极微地貌研究进行了展望。     

基于Elmer/Ice冰盖模式的南极Gamburtsev山脉Lambert冰流区域的数值模拟研究

在全球变暖的背景下,东南极冰盖显著地出现降雪增多冰厚增大的现象,然而由于有关东南极冰盖的观测数据相对缺乏,因而很难对东南极冰盖大范围的冰盖动力学、热力学状态细节进行整体性评估。Dome A到中山站断面是横穿南极冰盖计划的核心断面之一。该断面穿越的兰伯特(Lambert)冰川上游、甘布尔采夫(Gamburtsev)冰下山脉和Dome A区域是南极科学研究的热点区域,因此具有重要的研究价值。本研究使用已多次在南极冰盖有过成功模拟应用的三维有限元冰盖模式Elmer/Ice,对该区域的内部温度场和速度场进行了模拟,得到了冰盖的流速场和温度场数据,并将模拟数据与传统估测数据进行了对比,发现两者在总体趋势上吻合。研究表明,该研究区域冰盖的底部温度大部分达到了压力熔点,只有少部分靠近内陆的冰盖底部未达到;在冰盖内陆区域,水平速度场非常小,在靠近冰架区域时,水平速度场突然增大,而垂直速度场只有在冰下地形发生显著波动时,出现显著变化。在此基础上,对Elmer/Ice冰盖模式的应用前景和需改进的方面进行了探讨。     

基于Elmer/Ice冰盖模型的南极Gamburtsev山脉Lambert冰川冰盖系统的数值模式模拟研究

在全球变暖的背景下, 东南极冰盖显著地出现降雪增多冰厚增大的现象, 然而由于有关东南极冰盖 的观测数据相对缺乏, 因而很难对东南极冰盖大范围的冰盖动力学、热力学状态细节进行整体性评估。 Dome A 到中山站断面是横穿南极冰盖计划的核心断面之一。该断面穿越的兰伯特(Lambert)冰川上游、甘 布尔采夫(Gamburtsev)冰下山脉和Dome A 区域是南极科学研究的热点区域, 因此具有重要的研究价值。本 研究使用已多次在南极冰盖有过成功模拟应用的三维有限元冰盖模式Elmer/Ice, 对该区域的内部温度场和 速度场进行了模拟, 得到了冰盖的流速场和温度场数据, 并将模拟数据与传统估测数据进行了对比, 发现 两者在总体趋势上吻合。研究表明, 该研究区域冰盖的底部温度大部分达到了压力熔点, 只有少部分靠近内 陆的冰盖底部未达到; 在冰盖内陆区域, 水平速度场非常小, 在靠近冰架区域时, 水平速度场突然增大, 而 垂直速度场只有在冰下地形发生显著波动时, 出现显著变化。在此基础上, 对Elmer/Ice 冰盖模式的应用前 景和需改进的方面进行了探讨。     

基于Elmer/Ice对玛丽伯德地西部区域的冰盖数值模拟

西南极冰盖对全球气候变化和海平面升高有着重要的影响,其动力学和热力学过程是极地研究的重点之一。冰盖数值模式的模拟可以在缺乏观测数据的情况下获得研究区域的动力学和热力学过程,已经成为研究南极的一种重要手段。西南极玛丽伯德地靠近福特山脉和罗斯冰架,本文使用Elmer/Ice模拟了玛丽伯德地西部区域的冰流速场、温度场和应力场。研究发现,该区域冰盖底部温度场变化较小,大部分都达到了压力融点,只有小部分区域的冰盖底部仍处于压力融点以下。使用三个不同的地热通量(80 mW·m~(-2),100mW·m~(-2),120 mW·m~(-2))模拟得到的底部温度场无明显差异。冰盖表面流速较快,冰盖表面的冰总体上从地势较高的区域流向地势较低的区域,垂直方向对表面冰流速影响最大;冰盖底部应力场的大小大致和冰厚的变化相反。通过高程剖面图简要分析了冰流速和冰盖应力场的变化原因,认为冰下深谷的存在可能对冰盖流速场和应力场有很大的影响。     

南极冰川学与全球变化研究新进展

南极冰川学与全球变化是最近举行的“南极与全球变化：相互作用和影响”国际学术研讨会的主题。南极冰盖净物质平衡的观测和估算，冰盖物质平衡与气候变化的预测模型；南极冰雪大气、气候和环境化学；南极深冰芯分析，及其与其它古环境记录的对比研究，是目前南极冰川学研究的几个热点、关键问题。     

Reconstruction of the Ross Ice Drainage System, Antarctica, at the Last Glacial Maximum

We present here a revised reconstruction of the Ross ice drainage system of Antarctica at the last glacial maximum (LGM) based on a recent convergence of terrestrial and marine data. The Ross drainage system includes all ice flowlines that enter the marine Ross Embayment. Today, it encompasses one-fourth of the ice-sheet surface, extending far inland into both East and West Antarctica. Grounding lines now situated in the inner Ross Embayment advanced seaward at the LGM (radiocarbon chronology in Denton and Marchant 2000 and in Hall and Denton 2000a, b), resulting in a thick grounded ice sheet across the Ross continental shelf. In response to this grounding in the Ross (and Weddell) Embayment, ice-surface elevations of the marine-based West Antarctic Ice Sheet were somewhat higher at the LGM than at present (Steig and White 1997; Borns et al. 1998; Ackert et al. 1999). At the same time, surface elevations of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet inland of the Transantarctic Mountains were slightly lower than now, except near outlet glaciers that were dammed by grounded ice in the Ross Embayment. The probable reason for this contrasting behavior is that lowered global sea level at the LGM, from growth of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets, caused widespread grounding of the marine portion of the Antarctic Ice Sheet, whereas decreased LGM accumulation led to slight surface lowering of the interior terrestrial ice sheet in East Antarctica. Rising sea level after the LGM tripped grounding-line recession in the Ross Embayment, which has probably continued to the present day (Conway et al. 1999). Hence, gravitational collapse of the grounded ice sheet from the Ross Embayment, accompanied by lowering of the interior West Antarctic ice surface and of outlet glaciers in the Transantarctic Mountains, occurred largely during the Holocene. At the same time, increased Holocene accumulation caused a slight rise of the inland East Antarctic ice surface.     

Predicted present-day evolution patterns of ice thickness and bedrock elevation over Greenland and Antarctica

This paper discusses predicted evolution patterns of present-day changes of ice thickness, surface elevation, and bedrock elevation over the Greenland and Antarctic continents. These were obtained from calculations with dynamic 3-D ice sheet models which were coupled to a visco-elastic solid Earth model. The experiments were initialized over the last two glacial cycles and subsequently averaged over the last 200 years to obtain the current evolution. The calculations indicate that the Antarctic Ice Sheet is still adjusting to the last glacial-interglacial transition yielding a decreasing ice volume and a rising bedrock elevation of the order of several centimetres per year. The Greenland Ice Sheet was found to be close to a stationary state with a mean thickness change of only a few millimetres per year, but the calculations revealed large spatial differences. Predicted patterns over Greenland are characterized by a small thickening over the ice sheet interior and a general thinning of the ablation area. In Antarctica, almost all of the predicted changes are concentrated in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, which is still retreating at both the Weddell and Ross Sea margins. Over most of both ice sheets, the model indicates that the surface elevation trend is dominated by ice thickness changes rather than by bedrock elevation changes.     

Late Quaternary Lakes in the McMurdo Sound Region of Antarctica

Lake levels within the enclosed drainage basins of the Dry Valleys adjacent to McMurdo Sound have fluctuated widely during the Late Quaternary due to (a) local climate change and the consequent variation in the evaporation–precipitation regime, and (b) glacial fluctuations, resulting in changes in the catchment and meltwater drainage areas of the glaciers and, in some cases, in the volumes of the available lake basins. Three types of lakes can be distinguished on the basis of their water source: (1) lakes receiving the bulk of their water from melting of local alpine glaciers; (2) proglacial lakes associated with outlet glaciers from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet; (3) proglacial lakes associated with the marine oxygen-isotope stage 2 Ross Sea ice sheet and its precursors. The Dry Valleys contain an exceptionally long lacustrine record, extending back at least 300,000 years. Lacustrinesedimentation is cyclical, occurring over periods of about 100,000 years. During the last such cycle, relatively small lakes, both adjacent to East Antarctic outlet glaciers and fed by meltwater from alpine glaciers, existed during stage 5. However, these local lakes gave way to large proglacial lakes adjacent to the Ross Sea ice sheet in stage 2. The same relationship apparently occurred during the previous 100,000-year cycle. Dating of lacustrine sediments suggests that lakes proglacial to the Ross Sea ice sheet have existed during episodes of sea-level lowering during global glaciations. Lakes proglacial to outlet glaciers from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet have formed coincident with episodes of high eustatic sea level during interglacial periods.     

LATE QUATERNARY ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES IN THE ANTARCTIC AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH GLOBAL CHANGE

TheAnturCticisoneofthemostimpohantcoldsourcesonEarth,asabout24.5xlo'km'oficewhichtakes9opeamtoftotalicevolumeontheglobecoveronit.RotreaoradvanceOftheAntarcticIceSheetwillaffatfluCtuationofsealevel.ItiscalculatalthatiftheAntercticIceSheetlscomplotelymeltaw…     

南极冰盖接地线研究综述

接地线是内陆固定冰盖和漂浮冰架的分界线,其位置的准确界定直接影响到南极冰盖物质平衡的计算。随着技术的发展,接地线的提取手段已经逐步从小范围的实地无线电回波测厚和GPS探测,发展到大范围的遥感观测。遥感观测主要包括4种技术手段,即流体静力学平衡、坡度分析、重复轨道分析以及差分干涉测量。以遥感观测为基础,国际上已发布5种全南极接地线产品,包括MOA、ASAID、ICESat、MEaSUREs以及Synthesized接地线产品。随着卫星数据源的丰富,改进接地线提取方法并高精度提取接地线,扩大接地线研究的时间尺度并对全南极进行长时序的接地线动态变化监测,结合冰架底部消融、冰底地形和海洋温度等参数,深入分析其变化原因和机制以及接地线变化与气候变化相互关系的建模等,将会成为南极接地线研究的新热点。     

Radiocarbon Chronology of Ross Sea Drift, Eastern Taylor Valley, Antarctica: Evidence for a Grounded Ice Sheet in the Ross Sea at the Last Glacial Maximum

More than 250 radiocarbon dates of lacustrine algae and marine shells afford a chronology for Ross Sea drift in eastern Taylor Valley. Dates of algae that lived in ice-dammed Glacial Lake Washburn show that grounded Ross Sea ice blocked the mouth of Taylor Valley between 8340 and 23,800 ¹⁴C yr bp . Ross Sea ice was at its maximum position at the Hjorth Hill moraine between 12,700 and 14,600 ¹⁴C yr bp and was within 500m distance of this position as late as 10,794 ¹⁴C yr bp . The implication is that the flow line of the Ross Sea ice sheet which extended around northern Ross Island and across McMurdo Sound to Taylor Valley must have remained intact, and hence that a grounded ice sheet must have existed east of Ross Island as late as 8340 ¹⁴C yr bp . Evidence from ice-dammed lakes in Taylor Valley and from shells from McMurdo Sound suggests grounding-line retreat from the vicinity of Ross Island between 6500 and 8340 ¹⁴C yr bp . If this is correct, then most recession to the present-day grounding line on the Siple Coast took place subsequently in the absence of significant deglacial sea-level rise. Rising sea level may have triggered internal mechanisms within the ice sheet that led to retreat, but did not in itself drive continued ice-sheet recession. Ice retreat, once set in motion, continued in the absence of sea-level forcing. If correct, this hypothesis implies that the grounding line could continue to recede into the interior reservoir of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet.