Distribution of relict permafrost features in the Pannonian Basin,Hungary

Wedge structures and involutions suggest that Late Pleistocene frozen ground, either permafrost or deep seasonal frost, extended at least as far south as latitude 47°N in central Europe (the Pannonian Basin). Optically stimulated luminescence dating of the sand infill from a number of wedges indicates that emplacement of the sand infill occurred during the Late Pleistocene (22.2–15.7 ka). This suggests that during this time the mean annual air temperature was depressed by at least ～15°C relative to the present. Either continuous or discontinuous permafrost was probably present in the north and NW of the Pannonian Basin. The subsequent thaw of frozen ground is indicated by the widespread occurrence of deformed sediments. The presence of soil (ground) wedges suggests conditions of deep seasonal frost probably existed during the period when climate ameliorated following the Last Permafrost Maximum (LPM).     

青藏铁路沿线多年冻土区地温场变化规律

青藏铁路通过约550km的多年冻土区,统计和分析青藏高原多年冻土分布区主要气象台站的资料可以看出,近30a来高原多年冻土区的气候变化总的趋势是向着气温升高的方向发展的,气温的变化对多年冻土热状态的扰动主要表现在地温场的变化上.30多年来高原气温升高0.45℃左右,并引起冻土地温平均升高了0.2～0.3℃.分析青藏铁路通过的多年冻土地区典型地段测温孔资料,发现多年来气候转暖已经使冻土上部(20m以上)地温明显升高,影响深度已经波及到了40m.     

基于年平均地温的青藏高原冻土分布制图及应用

年平均地温是指多年冻土年较差为零的深度处的地温,是冻土分带划分的主要指标之一.利用青藏公路沿线钻孔实测年平均地温数据,进行回归统计分析,获取年平均地温与纬度、高程的关系,并基于该结果,结合TOPO30高程数据模拟得到整个青藏高原范围上的年平均地温分布.以年平均地温0.5℃作为多年冻土与季节冻土的界限,对比分析模拟图与青藏高原冻土图,除个别区域有较明显的差异,模拟结果图较好地体现了青藏高原冻土的分布情况.利用模拟结果,根据青藏高原多年冻土分带指标及寒区工程多年冻土区划指标,对青藏高原多年冻土分布进行了分带划分,并统计各分带面积;根据简化的冻土厚度计算公式,计算了青藏高原多年冻土的厚度分布.最后,利用数值预测方法的结果,在气候年增温0.04℃的背景下,对高原未来冻土分布进行了预测.     

The Last Permafrost Maximum (LPM) map of the Northern Hemisphere: permafrost extent and mean annual air temperatures, 25–17 ka BP

This paper accompanies a map that shows the extent of permafrost in the Northern Hemisphere between 25 and 17 thousand years ago. The map is based upon existing archival data, common throughout the Northern Hemisphere, that include ice‐wedge pseudomorphs, sand wedges and large cryoturbations. Where possible, a distinction is made between areas with continuous permafrost and areas where permafrost is either spatially discontinuous or sporadic. The associated mean annual palaeo‐temperatures that are inferred on the basis of present‐day analogues increase understanding of the possible changes in permafrost extent that might accompany current global warming trends. Areas with relict permafrost and areas that were formerly exposed due to lower sea level (submarine permafrost) are also mapped. Mapping is mostly limited to lowland regions (areas approximately <1000 m a.s.l.). Striking features that appear from the map are (i) the narrow permafrost zone in North America, which contrasts with the broader LPM permafrost zone in Eurasia (that may be related to different snow thickness or vegetation cover), (ii) the zonal extent of former LPM permafrost (that may reflect sea‐ice distribution), which contrasts with the present‐day pattern of permafrost extent (especially in Eurasia) and (iii) the relatively narrow zones of LPM discontinuous permafrost (that may indicate strong temperature gradients).     

青藏铁路多年冻土区工程复杂性分析

青藏铁路穿越550km多年冻土区,多年冻土地温、冻土类型以及沿线生态环境等存在较大的差异,使多年冻土区工程较为复杂。因此本文提出了冻土工程复杂性概念,建立冻土工程复杂性评价模型,并利用GIS平台对青藏铁路沿线唐古拉山越岭地段工程复杂性进行了分析和研究。研究结果表明,青藏铁路穿越的唐古拉山越岭地段工程复杂性相对较小,而青藏公路的工程复杂性相对较大。这表明了青藏公路沿线冻土工程比青藏铁路沿线更为复杂,在各种因素的影响下,青藏公路路基稳定性变化比青藏铁路更加复杂。     

中国-俄罗斯原油管道工程(漠河-大庆段)冻土工程地质考察与研究进展

在2005-2007年期间,先后3次对中国-俄罗斯原油管道漠河-大庆段沿线的冻土工程地质条件等进行科学考察,开展了冻土工程地质条件及其在气候变化和人类活动作用下的评价和预测研究.考察研究结果表明:管道沿线多年冻土在各类融区、季节冻土和水系等分隔作用下呈片状或岛状分布,沿线岛状、稀疏岛状及零星岛状占多年冻土区段的40%左右;管道沿线多年冻土随着气候的转暖和人类活动的影响不断退化.地形地貌单元、植被分布、地表水分条件的变化等局部因素对多年冻土的分布和地下冰的赋存产生重要的影响,管道沿线大约分布有50 km左右的沼泽湿地,其表层为腐殖质土及泥炭层,泥炭层下面分布着含土冰层或地下冰,是管道沿线最差的冻土工程地质地段;由于中俄原油管道沿线水系发育多,冻胀丘、冰椎和冰幔等不良冻土现象广泛分布.科学考察的成果为管道沿线冻土工程地质条件评价和预测、管道的稳定性影响分析以及后期的长期检测系统设置等研究奠定坚实的基础,进一步为即将开工的中俄原油管道漠河-大庆段工程的设计、施工提供科学依据.     

Late Cenozoic fault pattern and stress fields in the Barguzin rift (Baikal region)

New structural and tectonophysical data, combined with the published geophysical and seismological evidence, were used to map the Late Cenozoic fault pattern and crustal stress in the Barguzin rift. Faults striking in the NE direction are the most abundant elements of the rift structure. A special part in the Late Cenozoic patterns of faults and stresses belongs to an over 400 km long N-S lineament which shows up as a system of separate fault segments between 110° and 110°30′ E. The Late Cenozoic evolution of the rift has been controlled mainly by extension punctuated with local shear stresses derived from the regional extension stress and accommodated by strike slip, combined with the dominant normal motion, along NE or N-NE faults and/or along their cross faults. Extension was of a relatively stable NW-SE direction, almost rift-orthogonal. The obtained fault pattern and stress maps can be used for reference in mapping seismic hazard associated with ongoing faulting in an active and changeable stress field.     

东北多年冻土地区地基承载力对气候变化敏感性分析

近年来,中国东北多年冻土地区正处于显著的增温过程中。由此导致多年冻土逐渐退化,并严重影响到构筑物的稳定性。以0.05 ℃的年平均气温上升率为背景,采用带有相变的传热学有限元方法,对中国东北多年冻土地区不同初始气温条件和不同含冰量类型冻土的地基温度状况以及季节活动层厚度变化进行了模拟;利用温度场有限元数值试验结果和已有承载力试验数据分析了不同类型冻土地基的力学性质对气温变化敏感性,评估了气温变化对各类冻土地基承载力的影响。气候变化对多年冻土地区构筑物稳定性影响程度取决于两个环节：其一,冻土地基温度状况对气候变化的响应;其二,冻土地基力学性质对地基温度变化的敏感性。研究结果表明,冻土地基含冰量和温度状态对其承载力随气温变化的敏感性具有显著的影响。含土冰层地基承载力对气温变化最为敏感,气温变化对高温冻土地区浅层地基承载力以及桩-土冻结强度影响较大;而深基础桩端冻土地基承载力受气候变化影响相对较小。     

中国冻土对气候变化的脆弱性

冻土的脆弱性是指冻土对气候变化的脆弱性,是冻土易受气候变化,尤其是温度变化不利影响的程度. 研究冻土对气候变化的脆弱性是提高对自然生态系统、工程系统、生态-社会-经济系统对冻土变化影响的脆弱性的认知,科学适应冻土变化诸种影响的前提和基础. 基于科学性与实际相结合的原则、全面性与主导性原则、可操作性原则,以暴露度、敏感性与适应能力为标准,遴选构建了我国冻土脆弱性评价指标体系. 借助RS与GIS技术平台,使用空间主成分方法,构建了冻土脆弱性指数模型,在区域尺度上综合评价了冻土的脆弱性. 依据自然分类法,将冻土脆弱性分为潜在脆弱、轻度脆弱、中度脆弱、强度脆弱与极强度脆弱5级. 结果表明：总体上我国冻土以中度脆弱为主,但青藏高原多年冻土对气候变化尤为脆弱;冻土脆弱性具有显著的地域分布特点,青藏高原、西部高山、东北多年冻土区脆弱性相对较高,季节冻土区相对较低. 与季节冻土相比,多年冻土对气候变化更脆弱. 在当前升温幅度条件下,冻土脆弱程度主要取决于冻土的地形暴露与冻土对气候变化的适应能力.     

黄河源区高寒植被主要特征初探

位于青藏高原东北部多年冻土与季节冻土交错带的黄河源区高寒生态环境及其变化一直备受关注. 气候变暖、冻土退化条件下,为了解黄河源区不同冻土区植被状况,在源区布设了4个场地：查拉坪（CLP,源区南部连续低温多年冻土区）;扎陵湖南岸（ZLH,源区中南部岛状多年冻土区）;麻多乡（MDX,源区西部的不连续多年冻土区）;鄂陵湖北岸（ELH,源区中北部季节冻土区）. 结合植被调查和场地监测,分析了源区各冻土区植被的差异. 结果显示：总体上低温多年冻土区植被盖度、多样性指数高,表现为连续多年冻土区（查拉坪）>不连续多年冻土区（麻多乡）>季节冻土区（鄂陵湖北岸）,其中岛状多年冻土区（扎陵湖南岸）例外,该场地平均盖度最低,多样性指数介于查拉坪和麻多乡之间,局部植被退化较严重. 均匀度指数均表现为扎陵湖南岸最高,查拉坪次之. 地上生物量调查结果显示：查拉坪>麻多乡>扎陵湖南岸>鄂陵湖北岸,且鄂陵湖北岸出现指示植被退化的植物. 尽管黄河源区高寒植被研究为理解冻土退化条件下的生态环境变化提供了一些基础数据,评估气候变化和冻土退化的生态和水文效应需要更系统的调查和监测研究.     

中国的多年冻土──过去与现在

中国多年冻土区的总面积约占中国陆地面积的２２．４％，达２１５００００ｋｍ²。多年冻土的分布特征受气候条件在三度空间的变化所制约。自晚更新世以来，其分布情况已有相当的变化。在东次冰期最盛期，东北地区多年冻土南界曾推进到北纬４１—４２°，在全新世暖期，南界向北退缩，但晚更新世形成的冰楔和多年冻土至今仍存在于大兴安岭北部，全新世中期严寒期冻土有所扩展并形成冰楔。随着气候变化，中国西部高山和高原区高海拔冻土的分布下界已上移８００—１０００ｍ，但高山和高原的主要部分仍处于冰缘环境，有的地方在全新世还发育了共生型多年冻土。     

土工格栅在青藏铁路多年冻土区路基工程中的应用

以青藏铁路多年冻土区清水河冻土加筋路堤试验段为例,对土工格栅在铁路路基工程中的应用原理及设计思路进行了叙述.通过对路基裂缝进行调查、分析和比较,土工格栅对加强路基整体稳的作用是肯定的.在多年冻土区路堤中,使用土工格栅加筋层对防止路堤纵向裂缝的产生、抑制横向寒冻裂缝具有明显的作用.     

Analysis of Remote Sensing Images of Ground Ruptures Resulting from the Kunlun Mountain Pass Earthquake in 2001

1 IntroductionOn November 14, 2001, a large earthquake of M-8.1(magnitude of 8.1) occurred to the west of the KunlunMountain Pass which bounds Xinjiang Uygur AutonomousRegion and Qinghai Province. The Chinese seismicnetwork measured the epicenter of this event to be locatedat 36.2°N, 90.9°E, 350 km away from Golmud City ofQinghai and 400 km from Ruoqiang County of Xinjiang.This is the largest earthquake in the Chinese mainland sincethe M-8.0 earthquake occurring in Damxung of Tibet…     

基于瞬变电磁法(TEM)的西昆仑地区多年冻土厚度探测与研究

多年冻土厚度对于多年冻土的区域分布和环境效应具有重要控制和指示意义. 应用瞬变电磁法(TEM)对青藏高原西昆仑地区的多年冻土下限进行了探测, 并结合钻孔资料分析了该研究区域多年冻土厚度的分布特征. 结果表明:研究区域多年冻土厚度随地形、地质条件的差异表现出显著的空间差异性. 沿着219国道从509道班到奇台达坂的高山峡谷区, 随着海拔的升高, 多年冻土从无到有, 而且, TEM探测到的多年冻土厚度从不到10 m到接近100 m, 平均厚度约为55 m; 自界山达坂向东到拉竹龙的低山丘陵区, 除部分区域发育融区外, 多年冻土厚度一般在50 m左右, TEM探测显示多年冻土平均厚度约为58 m; 进入甜水海盆地, 多年冻土厚度普遍超过60 m, TEM探测到靠近湖泊的盆地中心地带多年冻土平均厚度可达110 m. 多年冻土厚度随地温的降低呈显著的线性增加趋势, 10 m深度地温平均每降低1 ℃, 多年冻土厚度增加29 m. 多年冻土的厚度随海拔的升高显著增加, 同时局地因素对多年冻土的发育有显著影响, 其内在机制需要进一步研究.     

Baiyun Cave in Naigu Shilin,Yunnan Karst,China

The Baiyun cave is a 380 m long karst cave in the Naigu Shilin, situated 70 km southeast of Kunming, Yunnan Province, China. The prevailing orientations of the cave passages are N110°-120°E and N0°-10°W and those of the fissures in the cave are N30°-40°W and N20°-30°W. The cave is developed in the thick-bedded Lower Permian Qixia Formation. The cave has an active water flow and is currently at the near water-table stage. There are large amounts of different infills of cave sediments. The cave shows different stages of paragenesis. The palaeomagnetic analysis of cave sediments shows that their ages are younger than 780 ka B.P. (the Brunhes Chron). The upper part of the sampled profile belongs to the reverse Blake event (112.3-117.9 ka B.P.). The formation of the Baiyun cave is directly connected with the development of the Naigu Shilin. The formation of karst underground and surface features depends on the regional tectonic deformation and the Cenozoic extension of the study area.     

Spatial heterogeneity in near surface aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley

In order to examine the spatial variability of the aerosol characteristics across the Brahmaputra valley, a land campaign was conducted during late winter (February 3–March 2) 2011. Measurements of particulate matter (PM, PM₁₀, PM_2.5) and black carbon (BC) concentrations were made onboard an interior redesigned vehicle. The length of the campaign trail stretched about 700 km, covering the longitude belt of 89.97°–95.55°E and latitude belt of 26.1°–27.6°N, comprising 13 measurement locations. The valley is divided into three sectors longitudinally: western sector (R1: 89.97°–91.75°E), middle sector (R2: 92.5°–94.01°E) and eastern sector (R3: 94.63°–95.55°E). Spatial heterogeneity in aerosol distribution has been observed with higher PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations at the western and middle sectors compared to the eastern sector. The locations in the western sector are found to be rich in BC compared to the other two sectors and there is a gradual decrease in BC concentrations from west to east of the Brahmaputra valley. Two hotspots within the western and middle sectors with high PM and BC concentrations have been identified. The associated physico-optical parameters of PM reveal abundance of PM_2.5 aerosols along the entire valley. High population density in the western and middle sectors, together with the contribution of remote aerosols, leads to higher anthropogenic aerosols over those regions. Spectral Radiation-Transport Model for Aerosol Species (SPRINTARS) slightly underestimates the measured PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 at the eastern sector while the model overestimates the measurements at a number of locations in the western sector. In general, BC is underestimated by the model. The variation of BC within the campaign trail has not been adequately captured by the model leading to higher variance in the western locations as compared to the middle and eastern locations.     

Deglacial dynamics of the Vestfjorden – Trænadjupet palaeo‐ice stream,northern Norway

Few well‐dated records of the deglacial dynamics of the large palaeo‐ice streams of the major Northern Hemisphere ice sheets are presently available, a prerequisite for an improved understanding of the ice‐sheet response to the climate warming of this period. Here we present a transect of gravity‐core samples through Trænadjupet and Vestfjorden, northern Norway, the location of the Trænadjupet – Vestfjorden palaeo‐ice stream of the NW sector of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet. Initial ice recession from the shelf break to the coastal area (~400 km) occurred at an average rate of about 195 m a⁻¹, followed by two ice re‐advances, at 16.6–16.4 ka BP (the Røst re‐advance) and at 15.8–15.6 ka BP (the Værøy re‐advance), the former at an estimated ice‐advance rate of 216 m a⁻¹. The Røst re‐advance has been interpreted to be part of a climatically induced regional cold spell while the Værøy re‐advance was restricted to the Vestfjorden area and possibly formed as a consequence of internal ice‐sheet dynamics. Younger increases in IRD content have been correlated to the Skarpnes (Bølling – Older Dryas) and Tromsø – Lyngen (Younger Dryas) Events. Overall, the decaying Vestfjorden palaeo‐ice stream responded to the climatic fluctuations of this period but ice response due to internal reorganization is also suggested. Separating the two is important when evaluating the climatic response of the ice stream. As demonstrated here, the latter may be identified using a regional approach involving the study of several palaeo‐ice streams. The retreat rates reported here are of the same order of magnitude as rates reported for ice streams of the southern part of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet, implying no latitudinal differences in ice response and retreat rate for this ~1000 km² sector of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet (~60–68°N) during the climate warming of this period.     

青海高原中、 东部多年冻土及寒区环境退化

近年来, 随着全球气候变暖和人类社会经济活动的增强, 处于季节冻土向片状连续多年冻土过渡区的青海高原中、 东部多年冻土退化显著. 巴颜喀拉山南坡清水河地区岛状冻土分布南界向北萎缩5 km; 清水河、 黄河沿、 星星海南岸、 黑河沿岸、 花石峡等岛状冻土和不连续多年冻土出现融化夹层和不衔接多年冻土, 有些地区冻土岛和深埋藏多年冻土消失, 多年冻土上限下降、 季节冻结深度变浅; 片状连续多年冻土地温升高、 冻土厚度减薄. 1991-2010年巴颜喀拉山南北坡不连续多年冻土分布下界分别上升90 m和100 m, 1995-2010年布青山南北坡不连续多年冻土分布下界分别上升80 m和50 m. 造成冻土退化的主要原因为气候变暖, 使得地表年均温度由负变正, 冻结期缩短, 融化期延长, 冻/融指数比缩小. 伴随着冻土退化, 高寒环境也显著退化, 地下水位下降, 植被覆盖度降低, 高寒沼泽湿地和河湖萎缩, 土地荒漠化和沙漠化造成了地表覆被条件改变.     

Thermal hazards zonation and permafrost change over the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is the largest permafrost region at low latitude in the world. Climate warming may lead to permafrost temperature rise, ground ice thawing and permafrost degradation, thus inducing thermal hazards. In this paper, the ARCGIS method is used to calculate the changes of ground ice content and active layer thickness under different climate scenarios on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, in the coming decades, thus providing the basis for hazards zonation. The method proposed by Nelson in 2002 was used for hazards zonation after revision, which was based on the changes of active layer thickness and ground ice content. The study shows that permafrost exhibits different degrees of degradation in the different climate scenarios. The thawing of ground ice and the change from low-temperature to high-temperature permafrost were the main permafrost degradation modes. This process, accompanied with thinning permafrost, increases the active layer thickness and the northward movement of the permafrost southern boundary. By 2099, the permafrost area decreases by 46.2, 16.01 and 8.5% under scenarios A2, A1B and B1, respectively. The greatest danger zones are located mainly to the south of the West Kunlun Mountains, the middle of the Qingnan Valley, the southern piedmont of the Gangdise and Nyainqentanglha Mountains and some regions in the southern piedmont of the Himalayas. The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau permafrost region is in the low-risk category. Climate warming exacerbates the development of thermal hazards. In 2099, the permafrost region is mainly in the middle-risk category, and only a small portion is in the low-risk category.     

Bathymetric and geological maps from the British Antarctic Survey

Since my 2012 feature about British Antarctic Survey (BAS) geological maps, the survey has continued to produce a series of ad hoc maps highlighting the results of their ongoing research, often in collaboration with their international colleagues. Not only has BAS added to their geological mapping series with James Ross Island off the Antarctic Peninsula, they have also produced a map of the bedrock topography of the entire continent, together with two bathymetric and geological settings sheets of the seas to the north of Antarctica. The first oceanographic map focuses on the South Sandwich Islands, some of the most remote United Kingdom overseas territories, roughly 700 km south‐east of South Georgia. Finally, the Drake Passage sheet shows the sea bed morphology from the Falklands and Tierra del Fuego to the South Shetland Islands just off the Antarctic Peninsula, spanning 70–50°W in longitude and 52–63°S in latitude. Below 60° south, all international territorial claims have been frozen by the Antarctic Treaty, which has demilitarized the entire continent since 1961 and ensured it remains untainted by mineral exploration and which has now expanded to a membership of over 50 nations.