Snow crystal imaging using scanning electron microscopy: III. Glacier ice,snow and biota

Abstract

Low-temperature scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe metamorphosed snow, glacial firn, and glacial ice obtained from South Cascade Glacier in Washington State, USA. Biotic samples consisting of algae (Chlamydomonas nivalis) and ice worms (a species of oligochaetes) were also collected and imaged. In the field, the snow and biological samples were mounted on copper plates, cooled in liquid nitrogen, and stored in dry shipping containers which maintain a temperature of-196°C. The firn and glacier ice samples were obtained by extracting horizontal ice cores, 8 mm in diameter, at different levels from larger standard glaciological (vertical) ice cores 7.5 cm in diameter. These samples were cooled in liquid nitrogen and placed in cryotubes, were stored in the same dry shipping container, and sent to the SEM facility. In the laboratory, the samples were sputter coated with platinum and imaged by a low-temperature SEM. To image the firn and glacier ice samples, the cores were fractured in liquid nitrogen, attached to a specimen holder, and then imaged. While light microscope images of snow and ice are difficult to interpret because of internal reflection and refraction, the SEM images provide a clear and unique view of the surface of the samples because they are generated from electrons emitted or reflected only from the surface of the sample. In addition, the SEM has a great depth of field with a wide range of magnifying capabilities. The resulting images clearly show the individual grains of the seasonal snowpack and the bonding between the snow grains. Images of firn show individual ice crystals, the bonding between the crystals, and connected air spaces. Images of glacier ice show a crystal structure on a scale of 1–2 mm which is considerably smaller than the expected crystal size. Microscopic air bubbles, less than 15 μm in diameter, clearly marked the boundaries between these crystal-like features. The life forms associated with the glacier were easily imaged and studied. The low-temperature SEM sample collecting and handling methods proved to be operable in the field; the SEM analysis is applicable to glaciological studies and reveals details unattainable by conventional light microscopic methods.     

Radiocarbon in polar ice: The mechanism by which radiocarbon is preserved in firn grains

This work is devoted to the problem of localizing the ¹⁴C cosmogenic radionuclide in a firn layer covering glaciers. The data on ¹⁴C in ice samples from the GISP2 ice core drilled on a Greenland ice dome (Summit) are analyzed. It has been indicated that experimental values of the ¹⁴C concentration are systematically smaller than theoretically calculated values, which indicates that firn grains partially lose ¹⁴C. Diffusion of cosmogenic ¹⁴C in firn grains and hydration of ¹⁴CO₂ in a disordered ice layer, which is formed on a firn grain surface and at the boundary between ice monocrystals, are considered. It has been indicated that these processes are among the main ones responsible for the level of radiocarbon concentration in firn and ice samples.     

Englacial tephrostratigraphy of Erebus volcano,Antarctica

A tephrostratigraphy for Erebus volcano is presented, including tephra composition, stratigraphy, and eruption mechanism. Tephra from Erebus were collected from glacial ice and firn. Scanning electron microscope images of the ash morphologies help determine their eruption mechanisms The tephra resulted mainly from phreatomagmatic eruptions with fewer from Strombolian eruptions. Tephra having mixed phreatomagmatic–Strombolian origins are common. Two tephra deposited on the East Antarctic ice sheet, ~ 200 km from Erebus, resulted from Plinian and phreatomagmatic eruptions. Glass droplets in some tephra indicate that these shards were produced in both phreatomagmatic and Strombolian eruptions. A budding ash morphology results from small spheres quenched during the process of hydrodynamically splitting off from a parent melt globule. Clustered and rare single xenocrystic analcime crystals, undifferentiated zeolites, and clay are likely accidental clasts entrained from a hydrothermal system present prior to eruption. The phonolite compositions of glass shards confirm Erebus volcano as the eruptive source. The glasses show subtle trends in composition, which correlate with stratigraphic position. Trace element analyses of bulk tephra samples show slight differences that reflect varying feldspar contents.     

Malachite Green Adsorption onto Chitosan Coated Bentonite Beads: Isotherms,Kinetics and Mechanism

The removal of Malachite green (MG) from aqueous solutions by cross‐linked chitosan coated bentonite (CCB) beads was investigated and the CCB beads were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Solubility and swelling tests were performed in order to determine the stability of the CCB beads in acidic solution, basic solution and distilled water. The amount of MG adsorbed was shown to be influenced by the initial pH of the solution, contact time and the initial MG concentration. A kinetic study indicated that a pseudo‐second‐order model agreed well with the experimental data. From the Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity of MG was found to be 435.0 mg g^–1. Desorption tests were carried out at different concentrations of EDTA, H₂SO₄ and NaOH. However, all desorbing solutions showed zero recovery of MG at all concentrations.     

青海湖湖滩岩的岩石学特征及其形成机制

以青海湖的湖滩岩为研究对象,通过显微镜观察、扫描电镜、矿物阴极发光性观察和电子探针等分析方法研究了湖滩岩的岩石学特征和形成机制.湖滩岩胶结物主要由暗色纹层和文石针组成,识别出五类胶结物晶体和三类胶结物组构.在暗色纹层中,有发现包覆式和缠绕式生长的微生物.微生物对泥晶方解石和黏土矿物起着生物稳定化作用(障积作用、捕获作用和粘结作用).微生物生长过程中的新陈代谢影响了碳酸盐的溶解度,从而导致产生碳酸盐矿物在微生物席内的丝状体之间或沿着丝状体的沉淀作用.从研究湖滩岩胶结物垂向上和横向上的变化规律入手,发现胶结物的类型和组构与水深、温度、盐度、水动力条件有一定关系.破浪带和碎浪带的水深、温度、盐度适宜,为微生物作用最强的水动力带.通过对青海湖湖滩岩中的微生物作用特征及其发育模式的研究,认为湖滩岩中胶结物的形成受到微生物作用的影响较大,从而支持了微生物作用对碎屑岩早期成岩具有重要意义的假设.     

Microlites and "nanolites" in rhyolitic glass: microstructural and chemical characterization

 We used transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to study magmatic crystals in the Ben Lomond rhyolite lava dome, Taupo Volcanic Center, New Zealand. Using TEM and SEM to investigate the size distributions of these crystals, we identified three size populations: microphenocrysts (>1.2 μm wide), microlites (>0.6 μm wide), and smaller crystals (<0.6 μm wide) which we term "nanolites". The predominant mineral phases of the microlites and nanolites are augites, pigeonites, and hypersthenes. The compositions and microstructures within these pyroxenes indicate disequilibrium crystallization at approximately 850–900  °C and undercoolings as high as 300  °C from equilibrium crystallization temperatures. Complex microstructures resulting from subsolidus reactions in augite and pigeonite are consistent with moderate cooling rates within the upper obsidian layer of the Ben Lomond rhyolite dome. This study demonstrates the existence of sub-micron magmatic crystals in a rhyolite and illustrates the potential of TEM to provide unique information about the crystallization and cooling histories of glassy volcanic rocks. Received: May 8, 1995 / Accepted: November 27, 1995     

Magnetic studies and scanning electron microscopy — X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy analyses of road sediments,soils and vehicle-derived emissions

Human health and environmental problems related to particulate matter emission from vehicles has become a topic of research interest in recent years. These airborne particles can not only be directly inhaled, but are also present as suspended and deposited particles on paved areas and roadside soils. Here we report on magnetic studies, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and chemical analyses of vehicle-derived particles collected from both primary sources and as deposited particles on roads and soils. Preliminary results, recently published by the authors, have revealed that the magnetic signal of such particles is controlled by a magnetite-like phase with magnetic grain size ranging between 0.1 μm and 5 μm. An enrichment of some trace elements: Ba, Cr, Cu, Zn and Pb was also found. In this study we focus on SEM and EDS complementary studies of magnetic extracts. SEM observations showed small individual particles or spherulites, small aggregates in the form of chains or clusters, large aggregates of spherules, flake-like bodies, fibre-like particles, sheet-like particles, irregular debris and large particle agglomerates, i.e. a wide variety of shapes. Grain size distribution is also in agreement with magnetic grain size estimations. Additionally the following elements: C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, K, Ca, V, Ba, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn and Pb were detected by EDS analysis.     

Petrographic investigation and high-voltage electron microscopy of an anorthosite fragment from Luna 20 landing site

A 2-mm fragment of an anorthosite was investigated in transmitted light and by high-voltage electron microscopy. A modal composition of 76% plagioclase (anorthite), 23% pyroxene (pigeonite) and about 1% spinel (pleonaste) was deduced. The results indicate a slight olivine-normative chemical composition. The rock is hypidiomorphic to idiomorphic fine-grained with a well-defined parallel-oriented fabric.Under the petrographic microscope, and even in the submicroscopic range, the plagioclase crystals show twinning only along (010) composition planes (predominantly Carlsbad twins). The dislocation density is low and the dominating defect structures are small-angle grain boundaries. The subtexture of the plagioclases is characterized by aI1-P1 phase transformation and by the existence of large antiphase domains.Features indicative of shock were not observed. From the present results it is concluded that the rock fragment is in its original state. Most likely, crystallisation occurred under plutonic conditions in a deep crustal region with the dominant assemblage: plagioclase + pyroxene + spinel.     

Near‐surface hydraulic conductivity of northern hemisphere glaciers

The hydrology of near‐surface glacier ice remains a neglected aspect of glacier hydrology despite its role in modulating meltwater delivery to downstream environments. To elucidate the hydrological characteristics of this near‐surface glacial weathering crust, we describe the design and operation of a capacitance‐based piezometer that enables rapid, economical deployment across multiple sites and provides an accurate, high‐resolution record of near‐surface water‐level fluctuations. Piezometers were employed at 10 northern hemisphere glaciers, and through the application of standard bail–recharge techniques, we derive hydraulic conductivity (K) values from 0.003 to 3.519 m day^?1, with a mean of 0.185 ± 0.019 m day^?1. These results are comparable to those obtained in other discrete studies of glacier near‐surface ice, and for firn, and indicate that the weathering crust represents a hydrologically inefficient aquifer. Hydraulic conductivity correlated positively with water table height but negatively with altitude and cumulative short‐wave radiation since the last synoptic period of either negative air temperatures or turbulent energy flux dominance. The large range of K observed suggests complex interactions between meteorological influences and differences arising from variability in ice structure and crystallography. Our data demonstrate a greater complexity of near‐surface ice hydrology than hitherto appreciated and support the notion that the weathering crust can regulate the supraglacial discharge response to melt production. The conductivities reported here, coupled with typical supraglacial channel spacing, suggest that meltwater can be retained within the weathering crust for at least several days. Not only does this have implications for the accuracy of predictive meltwater run‐off models, but we also argue for biogeochemical processes and transfers that are strongly conditioned by water residence time and the efficacy of the cascade of sediments, impurities, microbes, and nutrients to downstream ecosystems. Because continued atmospheric warming will incur rising snowline elevations and glacier thinning, the supraglacial hydrological system may assume greater importance in many mountainous regions, and consequently, detailing weathering crust hydraulics represents a research priority because the flow path it represents remains poorly constrained.     

Patterns of grain‐size dependent sediment transport in low‐ordered,ephemeral channels

Sediment data were analyzed to determine grain‐size dependant factors affecting sediment transport in a low‐ordered, ephemeral watershed. Sediment and flow samples were collected during 22 flow events at the outlet of a 4·53 ha sub‐watershed within the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed in south‐eastern Arizona. Measured concentrations ranged from 4191 to 115 045 mg l^?1 and included grain sizes up to 8·0 mm in diameter. Two grain‐size dependent transport patterns were observed, that of the finer grain‐size fraction (approximately < 0·25 mm) and that of a coarser grain‐size fraction (approximately ≥ 0·25 mm). The concentration of the fine fraction decreased with flow duration, peaking near the beginning of a flow event and declining thereafter. The concentration of the fine fraction showed slight trends with season and recovery period. The concentration of the coarse fraction displayed a slight negative trend with instantaneous discharge and was not correlated with event duration. These patterns typically produced a condition where the majority of the fine fraction of the sediment yield was evacuated out of the watershed before the hydrograph peak while the majority of the coarser sediment was evacuated during the falling limb of the hydrograph. Each grain‐size dependent transport pattern was likely influenced by the source of the associated sediment. At the flow event time scale, the fines were primarily wash load, supplied from the hillslopes and the coarser grains were entrained from the channel bed. Because transport patterns differ based on grain size, attempts to define the total sediment concentration and sediment yield by the behavior of a single grain‐size fraction may lead to erroneous results, especially when a large range of sediment grain sizes are present. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Base Treated Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica) as an Adsorbent for the Removal of Ni(II): Kinetic,Isothermal and Fixed‐bed Column Studies

The adsorption of Ni(II) from aqueous solutions using base treated cogon grass or Imperata cylindrica (NHIC) was performed under batch and column modes. Batch experiments were conducted to determine the factors affecting adsorption such as pH, adsorbent dosage, initial nickel concentration, contact time and temperature. The fixed‐bed column experiment was performed to determine the practical applicability of NHIC and to obtain the breakthrough curve. Adsorption was fast as equilibrium was achieved within 60 min, and was best described by the pseudo second order model. According to the Langmuir model, a maximum adsorption capacity of 6.96 mg/g was observed at pH 5 and at a temperature of 313 K. Thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG⁰, ΔH⁰ and ΔS⁰ were calculated, and indicated that adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. The mechanistic pathway of Ni(II) uptake was examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The Thomas and Yoon‐Nelson models were used to analyze the fixed‐bed column data.     

Downstream fining in contrasting reaches of the sand‐bedded Yellow River

Compared to downstream fining of a gravel‐bedded river, little field evidence exists to support the process of downstream fining in large, fine sand‐bedded rivers. In fact, the typically unimodal bed sediments of these rivers are thought to produce equal mobility of coarse and fine grains that may discourage downstream fining. To investigate this topic, we drilled 200 sediment cores in the channel beds of two fine‐grained sand‐bedded reaches of the Yellow River (a desert reach and a lower reach) and identified a fine surface layer (FSL) developed over a coarse subsurface layer (CSL) in the 3‐m‐thick bed deposits. In both reaches downstream, the thickness of the FSL increased, while that of the CSL decreased. Comparison of the depth‐averaged median grain sizes of the CSL and the FSL separately in both reaches shows a distinct downstream fining dependence to the median grain size, which indicates that at a large scale of 600‐800 km, the CSL shows a significant downstream fining, but the FSL shows no significant trends in downstream variations in grain size. This result shows that fine sediment supply (<0·08 mm median grain size) from upstream, combined with lateral fine sediment inputs from tributaries and bank erosion, can cause a rapid fining of the downstream channel bed surface and can develop the FSL layer. However, in the desert reach, lateral coarse sediment supply (>0·08 mm median grain size) from wind‐borne sediments and cross‐desert tributaries can interrupt the FSL and coarsen the channel bed surface locally. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Is climate change responsible for changing landslide activity in high mountains?

Climate change, manifested by an increase in mean, minimum, and maximum temperatures and by more intense rainstorms, is becoming more evident in many regions. An important consequence of these changes may be an increase in landslides in high mountains. More research, however, is necessary to detect changes in landslide magnitude and frequency related to contemporary climate, particularly in alpine regions hosting glaciers, permafrost, and snow. These regions not only are sensitive to changes in both temperature and precipitation, but are also areas in which landslides are ubiquitous even under a stable climate. We analyze a series of catastrophic slope failures that occurred in the mountains of Europe, the Americas, and the Caucasus since the end of the 1990s. We distinguish between rock and ice avalanches, debris flows from de‐glaciated areas, and landslides that involve dynamic interactions with glacial and river processes. Analysis of these events indicates several important controls on slope stability in high mountains, including: the non‐linear response of firn and ice to warming; three‐dimensional warming of subsurface bedrock and its relation to site geology; de‐glaciation accompanied by exposure of new sediment; and combined short‐term effects of precipitation and temperature. Based on several case studies, we propose that the following mechanisms can significantly alter landslide magnitude and frequency, and thus hazard, under warming conditions: (1) positive feedbacks acting on mass movement processes that after an initial climatic stimulus may evolve independently of climate change; (2) threshold behavior and tipping points in geomorphic systems; (3) storage of sediment and ice involving important lag‐time effects. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New challenges for tafoni research. A new approach to understand processes and weathering rates

Cavernous tafoni‐type weathering is a common and conspicuous global feature, creating artistic sculptures, which may be relevant for geochemical budgets. Weathering processes and rates are still a matter of discussion. Field evidence in the type locality Corsica revealed no trend of size variability from the coast to subalpine elevations and the aspect of tafoni seems to be governed primarily by the directions of local fault systems and cleavage, and only subordinately by wind directions or the aspect of insulation. REM analysis of fresh tafone chips confirmed mechanical weathering by the crystallization of salts, as conchoidal fracturing of quartz is observed. The salts are only subordinately provided by sea spray, as calcium and sodium sulfates rather than halite dominate even close to the coast. Characteristic element ratios compare well with aerosols from mixed African and European air masses. Sulfates are largely derived from Sahara dust, indicated by their sulfur isotopic composition. Salt crystals form by capillary rise within the rock and subsequent crystallization in micro‐cracks and at grain boundaries inside rain‐protected overhangs. Siderophile bacteria identified by raster electron microscopy (REM) analysis of tafone debris contribute to accelerated weathering of biotite and tiny sulfide ore minerals. By applying ¹⁰Be‐exposure dating, weathering rates of large mature tafone structures were found to be about an order of magnitude higher than those on the exposed top of the affected granite blocks. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The precision of sampling grain‐size percentiles using the Wolman method

The precision of sampling different grain‐size percentiles in comparison to each other is of signi?cance for choosing which percentile is appropriate to characterize riverbed surface sediments. The traditional view, based on normal grain‐size distributions derived by the Wolman grid‐by‐number method, has identi?ed the median percentile as having the highest sampling precision. However, grain‐size distributions are highly variable and often fail to follow a theoretical distribution. This paper presents both theoretical and empirical techniques to determine the precision of sampling different percentiles. These methods are then applied to a range of natural distributions found in UK rivers. It is found that grains between the 66th and 91st percentiles are the most precisely sampled, with maximum precision obtained with the 73rd percentile. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ductile deformation and its geological implications for retrograded eclogites from the Hongqiyingzi Complex in Chicheng,northern Hebei,China

The rheology of rocks at depth remains a key point in earth sciences. Deformation of high-temperature–highpressure rocks from the subduction zone has not been fully studied; in particular, the deformation behavior of eclogites remains poorly understood. This research is focused on the microstructure and fabric of retrograded eclogites from the Hongqiyingzi Complex in Chicheng, north Hebei, China, based on photomicrography, scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD) analysis. The analytical results show that plastic deformation occurred in the garnets during exhumation, but they do not show an obvious lattice preferred orientation(LPO). This can be interpreted as being caused by the simultaneous activation of multiple slip systems in the garnets during deformation by dislocation creep. The plagioclases have a special fabric; the(001) LPO presents a maximum in Z direction which can be correlated with a new [100](001) slip system. The misorientation angle distribution(MAD) of the plagioclases in the deformed retrograded garnet augens shows a special bimodal distribution with peaks in both a low-angle range(40?) and a high-angle range(140?). In the retrograded garnet augens(i.e. "white eye socket" garnets) the maximum peak moves from a high-angle range to a low-angle range when we analyze only those plagioclases surrounding the residual garnet porphyroclast. Deformation behavior is controlled by the crystallographic orientation of the host grain and the grain boundary sliding process. Hornblendes in different layers and the retrograded garnet augens show almost the same strong LPO patterns, which are correlated with the [001](010) slip system; and MAD diagrams show a peak in a low-angle range(40?). Integrating recent studies on metamorphism and geochronology, we argue that ductile deformation occurred during the exhumation periods together with retrograded metamorphism.     

Contemporary (1960–2012) Evolution of the Climate and Surface Mass Balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet

We assess the contemporary (1960–2012) surface mass balance (SMB) of the Greenland ice sheet (GrIS), its individual components and trends. We use output of the high-resolution (11 km) regional atmospheric climate model (RACMO2), evaluated with automatic weather stations and GRACE data. A persistent negative North Atlantic oscillation index over the last 6 years resulted in the summertime advection of relatively warm continental air toward the GrIS. Added to the enhanced radiative forcing by increased CO₂ levels, this has resulted in an increase in near-surface temperature of more than 2 K during 2007–2012 compared to 1960–1990. The associated decrease in albedo led to an extra absorption of shortwave radiation of ～6 Wm^?2 (11 %) in the summer months, which is the main driver of enhanced surface melting and runoff in recent years. From 1990 onward, we see a steady increase in meltwater runoff and an associated decrease in the SMB, accelerating after 2005, with the record low SMB year in 2010. Despite the fact that the GrIS was subject to the highest surface melt rates in 2012, relatively high accumulation rates prevented 2012 to set a record low SMB. In 2012, melt occurred relatively high on the ice sheet where melt water refreezes in the porous firn layer. Up to 2005, increased runoff was partly offset by increased accumulation rates. Since then, accumulation rates have decreased, resulting in low SMB values. Other causes of decreased SMB are the loss of firn pore space and decreasing refreezing rates in the higher ablation area. The GrIS has lost in total 1,800 ± 300 Gt of mass from surface processes alone since 1990 and about half of that in the last 6 years.     

Basin‐scale methods for predicting salmonid spawning habitat via grain size and riffle spacing,tested in a California coastal drainage

Basin‐scale predictive geomorphic models for river characteristics, particularly grain size, can aid in salmonid habitat identification. However, these basin‐scale methods are largely untested with actual habitat usage data. Here, we develop and test an approach for predicting grain size distributions from high resolution LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)‐derived topographic data for a 77 km² watershed along the central California Coast. This approach improves on previous efforts in that it predicts the full grain size distribution and incorporates an empirically calibrated shear stress partitioning factor. The predicted grain size distributions are used to calculate the fraction of the bed area movable by spawning fish. We then compare the ‘movable fraction’ with 7 years of observed spawning data. We find that predicted movable fraction explains the paucity of spawning in the upper reaches of the study drainage, but does not explain variation along the mainstem. In search of another morphologic characteristic that may help explain the variation within the mainstem, we measure riffle density, a proxy for physical habitat complexity. We find that field surveys of riffle density explain 64% of the variation in spawning in these mainstem reaches, suggesting that within reaches of appropriate sized gravel, spawning density is related to riffle density. Because riffle density varies systematically with channel width, predicting riffle spacing is straightforward with LiDAR data. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the efficacy of basin‐scale spawning habitat predictions made using high‐resolution digital elevation models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Applications of scanning electron microscopy in earth sciences

This paper expounds upon the basic principle of scanning electron microscopy(SEM),the main features of image types,and different signals,and the applications and prospects in earth sciences research are reviewed.High-resolution field emission SEM allows observation and investigation of a very fine micro area in situ.Using low-vacuum mode SEM,geological insulating samples can be analyzed directly without coating,demonstrating the wide application prospect.Combined with backscatter detector(BSE),energy dispersal X-ray spectroscopy(EDS),cathodoluminescence spectrometry(CL),and electron back-scattering diffraction(EBSD),SEM can yield multiple types of information about geological samples at the same time,such as superficial microstructure,CL analysis,BSE image,component analysis,and crystal structure features.In this paper,we use examples to discuss the geological application of SEM.We stress that we should not only focus on the CL image analysis,but strengthen CL spectrum analyses of minerals.These results will effectively reveal the mineral crystal lattice defects and trace element composition and can help to reconstruct mineral growth conditions precisely.     

The paleoenvironmental significance of spatial distributions of grain size in groundwater‐recharged lakes: A case study in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert,northwest China

For lakes in desert hinterlands that are not recharged by river runoff, sediment input solely comes from wind transport. While the processes of sediment transport and deposition in these lakes differ significantly from those with river discharge, the spatial distribution of sediment grain size in these groundwater‐recharged lakes remains largely unknown. Moreover, whether the grain size distribution in these lake sediments can be used as a proxy in the study of past climatic change and environmental evolution studies is unclear. In this study, five lakes with a range of surface areas that had no runoff recharge were selected from the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert of north‐western China, and a total of 108 samples of lake surface sediments were collected to examine the spatial distribution of grain size. Moreover, an end‐member‐modeling algorithm was used to calculate end members from all grain size measurements. Our results showed that both the median and mean grain sizes in the lake sediments decreased from the nearshore to the offshore, deep‐water zone. However, the lowest median and mean grain sizes were not found in the center of the lakes, in contrast to lakes recharged by surface runoff. The median grain size of sediment in the lake center was negatively correlated with lake level, and thus could help reveal lake evolution at low resolutions. Moreover, EM1 and EM2 were interpreted as wind transported sediment, and sediment perturbed by lake waves after wind transport, respectively. The modal grain size of EM1 varied slightly between lakes, while changes in the modal grain size of EM2 were related to lake area. Given the positive relationship found between EM2 content and lake level, changes in the EM2 content (%) can serve as a rough indicator of lake level fluctuations at low temporal resolutions. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.