Rainfall–runoff responses on Arctic hillslopes underlain by continuous permafrost,North Slope,Alaska, USA

The Arctic hydrologic cycle is intensifying, as evidenced by increased rates of precipitation, evapotranspiration, and riverine discharge. However, the controls on water fluxes from terrestrial to aquatic systems in upland Arctic landscapes are poorly understood. Upland landscapes account for one third of the Arctic land surface and are often drained by zero‐order geomorphic flowpath features called water tracks. Previous work in the region attributed rapid runoff response at larger stream orders to water tracks, but models suggest water tracks are hydrologically disconnected from the surrounding hillslope. To better understand the role of water tracks in upland landscapes, we investigated the surface and subsurface hydrologic responses of 6 water tracks and their hillslope watersheds to natural patterns of rainfall, soil thaw, and drainage. Between storms, both water track discharge and the water table in the hillslope watersheds exhibited diel fluctuations that, when lagged by 5 hr, were temporally correlated with peak evapotranspiration rate. Water track soils remained saturated for more of the summer season than soils in their surrounding hillslope watersheds. When rainfall occurred, the subsurface response was nearly instantaneous, but the water tracks took significantly longer than the hillslopes to respond to rainfall, and longer than the responses previously observed in nearby larger order Arctic streams. There was also evidence for antecedent soil water storage conditions controlling the magnitude of runoff response. Based on these observations, we used a broken stick model to test the hypothesis that runoff production in response to individual storms was primarily controlled by rainfall amount and antecedent water storage conditions near the water track outlet. We found that the relative importance of the two factors varied by site, and that water tracks with similar watershed geometries and at similar landscape positions had similar rainfall–runoff model relationships. Thus, the response of terrestrial water fluxes in the upland Arctic to climate change depends on the non‐linear interactions between rainfall patterns and subsurface water storage capacity on hillslopes. Predicting these interactions across the landscape remains an important challenge.     

Granitoid emplacement by multiple sheeting during Variscan dextral transpression: The Saint-Laurent – La Jonquera pluton (Eastern Pyrenees)

The structural study of the Saint-Laurent – La Jonquera pluton (Eastern Pyrenees), a Variscan composite laccolithic intrusion emplaced in metasedimentary and gneissic rocks of the Roc de Frausa dome, by means of the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) technique has allowed the determination of the nature and orientation of its magmatic fabrics. The magmatic foliation has a predominant NE–SW strike and the mean lineation is also NE–SW trending with a shallow plunge. A strain gradient is measured so that the tonalites to granodiorites that form the basal parts of the pluton, and are intruded into amphibolite-facies metamorphic rocks, recorded the highest anisotropies, whereas the monzogranites and leucogranites, emplaced into upper crustal, low-grade metamorphic rocks, are weakly deformed. These results point to the synkinematic sequential emplacement of multiple granitoid sheets, from less to more differentiated magmatic stages, during the Late Carboniferous D₂ event characterized by an E–W-trending dextral transpression. The magmatic foliation appears locally disturbed by the effects of two tectonic events. The first of them (D₃) produced mylonitization of granitoids along NW–SE retrograding shear zones and open folds in the host Ediacaran metasediments of the Roc de Frausa massif, likely during late Variscan times. Interference between D₂ and D₃ structures was responsible for the dome geometry of the whole Roc de Frausa massif. The second and last perturbation consisted of local southward tilting of the granitoids coupled to the Mesozoic–Cenozoic cover during the Alpine.     

The diagenetic history of Oligocene-Miocene sandstones of the Austrian north Alpine foreland basin

Diagenesis is an essential tool to reconstruct the development of reservoir rocks. Diagenetic processes - precipitation and dissolution - have an influence on pore space. The present paper aims to study the diagenetic history of deep-marine sandstones of the Austrian Alpine Foreland Basin. To reach that goal, sediment petrology and diagenetic features of more than 110 sandstone samples from water- and gas-bearing sections from gas fields within the Oligocene-Miocene Puchkirchen Group and Hall Formation has been investigated. Special emphasis was put on samples in the vicinity of the gas-water contact (GWC). The sediment petrography of sandstones of Puchkirchen Group and Hall Formation is similar; hence their diagenesis proceeded the same way. In fact, primary mineralogy was controlled by paleo-geography with increasing transport distance and diverse detrital input.Sediment petrographically, investigated sandstones from the water-bearing horizon seemed quite comparable to the gas-bearing sediments. In general, they can be classified as feldspatic litharenites to litharenites and display porosities of up to 30% and permeabilities of up to 1300 mD. The carbon and oxygen isotopic composition of bulk carbonate cements from these sandstones range from−3.8 to +2.2 and from −7.5 to +0.2‰ [VPDB]. However, near the Gas-Water Contact (GWC) a horizon with low porosities (<3%) and permeabilities (<0.1 mD) is present. This zone is completely cemented with calcite, which has a blocky/homogenous morphology. A slight, but significant negative shift in δ18O isotopy (−2.5‰) is evident.During early diagenesis the first carbonate generations formed. First a fibrous calcite and afterwards a micritic calcite precipitated. Further siliciclastic minerals, such as quartz and feldspar (K-feldspar and minor plagioclase), exhibit corroded grains. Occasionally, clay minerals (illite; smectite, chlorite) formed as rims around detrital grains. Late diagenesis is indicated by the formation of a low permeable zone at the GWC.     

Calculation method for thickness of discontinuous boundary layer of engineering pavement

The boundary layer is a buffer layer of water and heat exchange between the atmosphere and permafrost.Based on the atmospheric boundary layer and heat transfer theory,we established a method for determining the boundary layer thickness of engineering pavement(asphalt and sand pavement)in permafrost region.The boundary layer can be divided into the Boundary Layer Above Surface(BLAS)and the Boundary Layer Below Surface(BLBS).From in-situ monitoring data,the thickness of BLAS was determined through the laminar thickness,and the thickness of BLBS was determined through ground temperature,the heat conduction function,and the mean attenuation function(α).For asphalt pavement,the BLAS thickness varied between 2.90 and 4.31 mm and that of BLBS varied between 28.00 and 45.38 cm.For sand pavement,the BLAS thickness varied between 2.55 and 3.29 mm and that of BLBS varied between 15.00 and 46.44 cm.The thickness varied with freezing and thawing processes.The boundary layer calculation method described in this paper can provide a relatively stable boundary for temperature field analysis.     

漠河盆地多年冻土区天然气水合物地球化学调查及远景评价

漠河盆地是我国冻土发育的主要地区之一,发育良好的天然气水合物成藏系统,具有天然气水合物形成的良好条件。为了圈定天然气水合物远景区,识别油气聚集体,判别天然气水合物成因,在漠河盆地冻土较发育地区开展了1∶5万天然气水合物地球化学资源调查。结果表明：(1)在森林沼泽景观区,顶空气和荧光光谱指标是天然气水合物勘查的主要指标,借鉴青海木里冻土区天然气水合物地球化学勘查成功的经验,结合AMT、地质等资料分析,元宝山凹陷是天然气水合物较为有利的远景区;(2)岩心样品甲烷碳同位素分析显示,烃类气体分异明显,浅层烃类气体基本为生物气,深部烃类气源主要为混合成因气,个别解吸气为微生物气和热解气;(3)试验性应用了分形-GIS技术,可以细致可靠地进行异常区范围划定,消除干扰因素,有效地圈定水合物远景区。     

The Neogene and Quaternary of England: landscape evolution,tectonics, climate change and their expression in the geological record

During the Neogene and Quaternary, tectonic and climatic processes have had a profound impact upon landscape evolution in England and, perhaps as far back as 0.9 Ma, patterns of early human occupation. Until the Late Miocene, large-scale plate tectonic processes were the principal drivers of landscape evolution causing localised basin inversion and widespread exhumation. This drove, in places, the erosion of several kilometres of Mesozoic cover rocks and the development of a regional unconformity across England and the North Sea Basin. By the Pliocene, the relative influence of tectonics on landscape evolution waned as the background tectonic stress regime evolved and climatic influences became more prominent. Global-scale climate-forcing increased step-wise during the Plio-Pleistocene amplifying erosional and depositional processes that operated within the landscape. These processes caused differential unloading (uplift) and loading (subsidence) of the crust (‘denudational isostasy’) in areas undergoing net erosion (upland areas and slopes) and deposition (basins). Denudational isostasy amplified during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (c.0.9 Ma) as landscapes become progressively synchronised to large-scale 100 ka ‘eccentricity’ climate forcing. Over the past 0.5 Ma, this has led to the establishment of a robust climate record of individual glacial/interglacial cycles enabling comparison to other regional and global records. During the Last Glacial-Interglacial Transition and early Holocene (c.16–7 ka), evidence for more abrupt (millennial/centennial) scale climatic events has been discovered. This indicates that superimposed upon the longer-term pattern of landscape evolution is a more dynamic response of the landscape to local and regional drivers.     

风积沙环境下高等级公路冻土块石路基降温性能分析

青藏高原脆弱的生态系统以及人类工程活动,加剧了青藏工程走廊线性工程两侧沙漠化、荒漠化发展趋势,尤其冻土块石路基面临日益严重的风积沙灾害问题。以多年冻土区高等级公路块石路基为研究对象,采用数值模拟分析风积沙环境下封闭块石路基的降温性能和长期热稳定性。结果表明：风积沙堆积对封闭块石路基下部土层冻土温度的影响程度高于冻土上限,1.0 m湿沙工况降低冻土温度,0.2 m干沙则增大冻土温度。升温背景下,随年平均气温增加风沙堆积对路基冻土上限影响程度增强,干沙增大冻土融化深度,湿沙抬升冻土上限。随冻土含冰量减小,路基中心冻土上限对气候升温敏感性增加,风沙堆积影响减弱。气候升温和风沙堆积条件下,在年平均气温低于-5.5℃时,宽幅沥青路面封闭块石路基能够满足降温要求,使人为冻土上限保持在块石层内。研究成果可为风沙危害区多年冻土块石路基的病害治理和拟建青藏高速公路块石路基设计提供科学依据。     

东北多年冻土退化及环境效应研究现状与展望

东北多年冻土属中高纬度多年冻土,对气候变化非常敏感。数据模型模拟表明,21世纪东北多年冻土区气温会持续上升,显著的变暖将导致多年冻土退化。东北多年冻土呈现自南向北的区域性退化趋势,多年冻土区南部表现为南界的北移、融区的扩大和多年冻土的消失,而北部表现为多年冻土下限的上移、活动层厚度增大及地温升高等。多年冻土的退化会导致寒区生态环境的恶化,如兴安落叶松占绝对优势的天然林带锐减,林带北移,沼泽湿地萎缩等。随着多年冻土的迅速退缩和变薄,原多年冻土中蕴藏的碳将释放出来,对气候变化产生积极的正反馈,加速变暖,并影响全球碳循环。多年冻土退化导致其热状态失稳而造成寒区基础设施损坏,并且影响冻土微生物、碳循环、寒区生态和水文等,而它们是区域气候变化的重要因子,也将成为未来多年冻土研究的重点。而这些研究都需要长期的基础数据作支撑,因此需要进一步完善冻土参数监测网络,用模型厘清气候变化与多年冻土退化及其环境效应之间的关系。     

青藏铁路多年冻土区含融化夹层路基的热状态

基于青藏铁路K1496+750监测断面含融化夹层路基长达10 a的地温监测数据,分析了在气候转暖及工程活动下天然场地及路基左右路肩下多年冻土热状态年变化过程、融化夹层的年变化过程及其对多年冻土热状态的影响。结果表明：监测断面天然场地、左右路肩下多年冻土上限逐年下降,热稳定性逐年降低;观测期内,左路肩下发育有融化夹层,融化夹层厚度在波动中呈增厚趋势,且其增厚主要是由多年冻土人为上限下降所致,而天然场地及右路肩下未发育融化夹层;多年冻土上限附近土体热积累显著,进而导致多年冻土上限逐年下降及其附近土体温度逐年升高,弱化了多年冻土的热稳定性;后期增加的块石护坡和热管两种具有“主动冷却”效能的工程补强措施很好的改善了路基的热稳定性,右路肩经工程补强措施后,多年冻土人为上限得到显著抬升,热稳定性得到显著改善,而左路肩由于融化夹层的存在,工程补强措施仅仅维持了当前多年冻土热状态,融化夹层的存在一定程度上弱化了工程补强措施所产生的冷却效能。     

基于GIPL2模型的青藏高原活动层土壤热状况模拟研究

青藏高原活动层土壤热状况,对深入了解高原活动层的厚度变化特征、下垫面的热力作用以及对气候变化预测均有重要意义。利用GIPL2模型模拟青藏高原多年冻土区不同植被状况下活动层土壤热状况。模拟结果表明：模型在高寒草原（QT06）试验点模拟效果较好,高寒沼泽草甸（QT03）试验点的模拟效果较差,高寒草甸（QT01）、高寒荒漠草原（QT05）和高寒草原化草甸（QT04）试验点的模拟效果介于高寒草原试验点和高寒沼泽草甸试验点之间。QT01、QT03、QT04、QT05和QT06的土壤温度模拟值与观测值相比,均方根误差分别为0.67、1.29、0.73、0.7和0.56℃;相关系数分别为0.99、0.87、0.98、0.98和0.96;平均误差分别为0.37、0.61、0.31、0.45和0.16℃。QT06模拟结果较好,原因在于此点土壤质地变化不大,模型的分层与所取的参数更加接近此点的实际状况。QT03模拟结果较差,可能由于此地区土壤中存在砾石,在导热率参数化方案中没有考虑砾石含量,导致模拟结果偏差较大。总体而言,GIPL2模型对青藏高原活动层土壤热状况的模拟具有一定的优势,是一种模拟多年冻土区活动层土壤热状况较为理想的模型。