南极冰川学的发展、热点及展望

南极地区自然界现存的冰雪体,是南极冰川学研究的对象。南极冰雪体及其变化对全球水体的分布和循环以及气候、环境演变具有十分重要的影响,因而使南极冰川学研究不仅在南极科学中处于主要地位,而且在全球变化研究中举足轻重。 南极冰盖巨厚的冰雪内保留有数十万年乃至上百万年地球环境和气候变化的详细记录,冰芯综合研究受到高度重视。目前,南极冰川学正在向大尺度宏观方向和冰体内部微观方向两个方面迅速发展,涉及的学科更加广泛。其热点为:1、冰盖的物质和动态平衡——海平面和气候变化;2、冰芯综合研究。 中国南极研究起步较晚,南极热的兴起仅是最近十年的事情,总体水平与国际先进水平相比存在较大差距。为此,笔者提下列几点建议:1、南极冰川学是一门国际性很强的学科,其研究工作只能从横向与各国同行相比,要求研究内容具有国际水平;2、为接近和达到国际水平,需要培养一批年富力强、德才兼备的南极冰川学科研骨干队伍;3、抓紧建设南极冰川学实验室的建设;4、切实加强国内各部门、各学科之间的联系和合作。

DEVELOPMENT, HOT SPOTS AND PROSPECTS OF ANTARCTIC GLACIOLOGY

The snow and ice masses existing in the Antarctic Regions are the object of Antaretic glaciological research. The snow and ice and its variations have a strong impact on water distrbution and ciecle on the earth and changes of global climate nad environment;therefore Antarctic glaciology is not only on the for-ward position of Antarctic science, but plays an important role in the global change research.
As early as the exploring period, the snow and ice had begun to be investigated and described. In the International Geophysical Year, some thousand scientists landed Antarctica and glaciological investigation was one of most important activities of them. Because the Antarctic ice sheet stores the very detailed record of past global climate and environment changes on a time-scale ranging from annual resolution to 10⁵ and even 10⁶ years，the ice core study have been received much more attention. The Vostok ice core studies done by French and Russian scientists have revealed a history of 160, 000 year climatic changes. Antarctic glaciology at present is forging rapidly ahead both in large-scale and in microcosm, and more and more disciplines are involved. Among the several hot spots of Antarctic glaciology, in the author opinion, two subjects are the most important. One is the mass and dynamic balance of ice sheet-sea level and climatic changes;and another is the ice core study.
Chinese Antarctic research, starting late and only having a ten year history, has lagged quite far behind international advanced level. The author therefore makes the following suggestions:(1)Our Antarctic glaciological study should take aim at international level because of its strong international character;(2)A batch of prime scientific and technical workers needs to be fosterred ; (3)We must pay close attention to the construction of modern Laboratory for Antarctic glaciological research;(4)Various departments and disciplines in our country should co-operate and contact very well.