Structure and heat content of the West Spitsbergen Current

The seasonal evolution of the hydrographic structure of the West Spitsbergen Current (WSC) above bottom depths from 300 m to 800 m is discussed based on a modern data set with high spatial resolution. The WSC appears to have a core with high temperature and salinity, linked to the topography in this depth interval, with a width on the order of 10 km. Strong cooling occurs in the autumn, reducing the heat content of the upper 200 m, but advected temperature and salinity maxima survive close to the surface in spring when air-sea exchange and vertical mixing is hampered by sea ice and meltwater.     

Physical oceanography studies in the Weddell Sea during the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition 1978/79

Hydrographic and current measurements obtained during the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition 1978/79 to the southern Weddell Sea are presented. Cold, dense Ice Shelf Water circulating under the floating ice shelves is observed to leave the shelf as a concentrated bottom flow. From moored current metres this discharge is estimated at 0.7 10⁶ m³/s at -2.0°C (one year average) and with no appreciable seasonal variation. This contribution to the Weddell Sea Bottom Water is clearly identified through extreme temperature gradients at our deepest stations (below 2500 m). The core of Weddell Deep Water shows a considerable (T ∼ 0.5°C) warming up since 1977, presumably due to the lack of polynya activity in the intervening period. Measurements in the coastal current at the ice shelf (70°S, 2°W) show step structures which are probably due to cooling and melting at the vertical ice barrier. Slight supercooling due to circulation under the ice shelf is also seen. The net effect of the ice shelf boundary seems to be a deep reaching cooling and freshening of the coastal current providing the low salinity, freezing point Eastern Shelf Water. This process is considered a preconditioning which enhances production of the saline Western Shelf Water which in turn is transformed to Ice Shelf Water.     

2011/2012年夏季南极半岛北端周边海域的水团与水交换

通过分析中国第28次南极考察队于2011年12月至2012年1月在南极半岛北端周边海域获得的5条断面CTD观测温盐剖面数据, 进一步认识了该海域的水团组成和水交换情况。观测区域南部的鲍威尔海盆及周边深海区, 可以观测到保持了较显著高温核心的威德尔深层水、密度大于28.27 kg·m^-3的威德尔海深层水以及温度低于－0.7 ℃的威德尔海底层水。周边陆坡上的威德尔海深层水则表现出因与周围水体发生混合而核心性质减弱的特征。在菲利普海岭、埃斯佩里兹海槽等复杂地形处, 观测到的对应于威德尔海深层水深度的混合与热盐入侵过程更为显著。威德尔海深层水能够到达南设得兰群岛以北的象岛东北面海域, 但是高盐核心加深至1 500 db, 并上覆温度基本不变但盐度随深度显著增大的较暖水体, 表明威德尔海深层水经历了不同的路径和变性过程。布兰斯菲尔德海峡中没有绕极深层水大规模侵入的迹象, 但是乔治王岛周边陆架上可能存在涡旋等中尺度过程, 会影响德雷克海峡与布兰斯菲尔德海峡之间的水交换。     

The θ-S relations in the northern seas: Implications for the deep circulation

The θ-S relations for the cold, saline deep and bottom waters in the Greenland and Norwegian Seas and the Polar Ocean are displayed and discussed. The differences in θ-S curves are explained by a mixing of the deep water masses and by the injection of waters from above consisting of cold dense water formed by cooling and ice formation at the sea surface and entrained warm water from the intermediate layers. Estimates of the strength of the deep water circulation are based upon the changes in θ-S curves and on some assumptions about the transformations of the Bering Strait inflow in the Chukchi Sea and on the Alaskan shelf.     

高地降温效应与构造-气候旋回

基于辐射平衡的原理,提出"高地降温效应"假说,阐明高原隆升与全球气候变冷的机制。地球如同被玻璃(大气层)包裹的、接受太阳辐射的球体,这层玻璃易于太阳短波的透入,不易于地面长波的散出,起到了很好的保温作用。玻璃越厚,保温效果越好,地球表面的热能量水平越高,地面温度也越高;反之,地面温度越低。估算了青藏高原和同纬度长江中下游平原之间的逆辐射量差值,用以表征高原隆升的逆辐射量减少值,进而又估算了全球高原隆升的逆辐射量减少值及占地球接受太阳辐射总量的比例。"高地降温效应"假说可以较好的解释寒武纪以来三次重大的构造运动-地貌演化-气候变化过程。构造运动形成高大山系和高原,引起全球降温,气候变冷;随着隆升的山系和高地逐渐被侵蚀为低地,地球表面变得平坦,全球大气层的温室效应增强,全球复又升温,气候变暖。青藏高原的形成,如同地球开了一个散热的"天窗",对新生代以来全球的持续降温作出了重要的贡献。     

Sedimentary geochemistry of core PG1351 from Lake El’gygytgyn—a sensitive record of climate variability in the East Siberian Arctic during the past three glacial–interglacial cycles

The ca. 13 m long sediment core PG1351, recovered in 1998 from the central part of Lake El’gygytgyn, NE Siberia, was investigated for lithostratigraphy, water content, dry bulk density (DBD), total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total sulphur (TS) and biogenic silica (opal) contents, and for TOC stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C_TOC). The event stratigraphy recorded in major differences in sediment composition match variations in regional summer insolation, thus confirming a new age model for this core, which suggests that it spans the last 250 ka BP. Four depositional units of contrasting lithological and biogeochemical composition have been distinguished, reflecting past environmental conditions associated with relatively warm, peak warm, cold and dry, and cold but more moist climate modes. A relatively warm climate, resulting in complete summer melt of the lake ice cover and seasonal mixing of the water column, prevailed during the Holocene and Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 3, 5.1, 5.3, 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 7.1–7.3, 7.5, 8.1 and 8.3. MIS 5.5 (Eemian) was characterized by significantly enhanced aquatic primary production and organic matter supply from the catchment, indicating peak warm conditions. During MIS 2, 5.2, 5.4, 6.2 and 6.4 the climate was cold and dry, leading to perennial lake ice cover, little regional snowfall, and a stagnant water body. A cold but more moist climate during MIS 4, 6.6, 7.4, 8.2 and 8.4 is thought to have produced more snow cover on␣the perennial ice, strongly reducing light penetration and biogenic primary production in␣the lake. While the cold–warm pattern during␣the past three glacial–interglacial cycles is probably controlled by changes in regional summer insolation, differences in the intensity of the warm phases and in the degree of aridity (changing snowfall) during cold phases likely were due to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns. This is the seventh in a series of eleven papers published in this special issue dedicated to initial studies of El'gygytgyn Crater Lake and its catchment in NE Russia. JulieBrigham-Grette, Martin Melles, Pavel Minyuk were guest editors of this special issue.     

极点对称模态分解下西安高温天气的趋势特征

基于1960-2016年西安均一化气象资料,采用极点对称模态分解法,对西安市的高温天气变化特征进行分析,探讨赤道东太平洋海温异常（El Ni?o）、西太平洋副热带高压变化（WPSH）,与西安极端高温变化的关系。结果表明：① 采用非均一化数据,会低估西安暖夜、夏季、热夜、热浪日数变化趋势,高估冬季供暖能耗下降幅度、夏季制冷能耗上升幅度,对暖昼、高温日数影响相对较小。② 在年代变化上,暖昼、热浪、高温日数和制冷度日等四个指标,反映西安白天高温变化特征,呈现一致的四阶段“下降—上升—下降—上升”的变化过程;表征夜间高温变化的暖夜和热夜日数,以1993年为节点,呈现两阶段“阶梯状”的上升趋势。③ 在影响因素上,赤道太平洋中西部海温异常与西安高温关系更为密切。当Ni?o 4区海温异常偏高时,西安暖昼、夏季、炎热天气制冷耗能明显增加,寒冷天气供暖能耗显著降低;同时,当WPSH强度越大,控制面积越大、西伸脊点偏西时,西安暖夜、夏季、热夜日数明显增加、寒冷天气供暖能耗明显下降。     

THE CLIMATOLOGY OF LAKE EFFECT IN MILWAUKEE,WISCONSIN

Prevailing onshore winds off Lake Michigan in the warm season (April-October) cause cooling along the adjacent coast during the day. Mesoscale lake breeze formation occurs most frequently in August. Synoptic-aided lake breezes, which combine mesoscale inputs with existing large-scale conditions, are most prevalent in May. Lake breezes are favored by high pressure and airmass weather patterns. Synoptic lake effect dominates in April; large-scale onshore flow is often produced by high pressure, post-cold front, and pre-warm front weather conditions. Overall, lake cooling is experienced 60% of the time during the warmer months. The highest frequency of lake effect is found in May. The cooling impact of Lake Michigan across the Milwaukee area is maximized since spring is the season of greatest contrast in land and lake temperatures. Lake-effect conditions in the cool season (November-March) occur less frequently. Onshore flow off the warmer lake reduces cooling at night along the Milwaukee shoreline. Synoptic lake effect is dominant, with a peak in March. Lake snow and mesoscale land breeze developments are most frequent in midwinter, when large land-lake thermal contrasts exist during outbreaks of cold polar air under high pressure patterns. [Key words: lake effect, climatology, mesoscale, onshore winds.]     

Stable regions in the Earth's liquid core

Summary. Slow cooling of the whole Earth can be responsible for the convection in the core that is required to generate the magnetic field. Previous studies have assumed the cooling rate to be high enough for the whole core to convect. Here we study the effects of a low rate of cooling by assuming the temperature at the base of the mantle to remain constant with an initially entirely molten, adiabatic core. We argue that, in such a situation, convection would stop at the top of the core, and calculate the consequent thermal evolution. A stable, density stratified layer grows downwards from the core mantle boundary reaching a thickness of 100–1000 km in a few thousands of millions of years. There is some geomagnetic evidence to support belief in the existence of such a stable layer.     

Numerical models of mantle convection with secular cooling

A 2-D time-dependent finite-difference numerical model is used to investigate the thermal character and evolution of a convecting layer which is cooling as it convects. Two basic cooling modes are considered: in the first, both upper and lower boundaries are cooled at the same rate, while maintaining the same temperature difference across the layer; in the second, the lower boundary temperature decreases with time while the upper boundary temperature is fixed at 0°C. The first cooling mode simulates the effects of internal heating while the second simulates planetary cooling as mantle convection extracts heat from, and thereby cools, the Earth's core. The mathematical analogue between the effects of cooling and internal heating is verified for finite-amplitude convection. It is found that after an initial transient period the central core of a steady but vigorous convection cell cools at a constant rate which is governed by the rate of cooling of the boundaries and the viscosity structure of the layer. For upper-mantle models the transient stage lasts for about 30 per cent of the age of the Earth, while for the whole mantle it lasts for longer than the age of the Earth. Consequently, in our models the bulk cooling of the mantle lags behind the cooling of the core-mantle boundary. Models with temperature-dependent viscosity are found to cool in the same manner as models with depth-dependent viscosity; the rate of cooling is controlled primarily by the horizontally averaged variation of viscosity with depth. If the Earth's mantle cools in a similar fashion, secular cooling of the planet may be insensitive to lateral variations of viscosity.     

Paleoclimatic evolution indicated by major geochemical elements from aeolian sediments on the east of Qinghai Lake

As the largest inland lake of China, along with its unique landscape and geographical location, Qinghai Lake has got much attention of the scientists for a long time. The precursors have done substantive researches by using the lake sediment, which deepen our understanding of the climate changes in this region. Although sand dunes and loess sediment are widely distributed around the lake, so far the researches on geochemical elements from aeolian sediment have been less reported. In this paper, we selected a typical aeolian profile on the east of Qinghai Lake. Based on systematic sampling and analysis of seven major geochemical elements, combined with OSL dating and previous researches, this paper discusses climate changes in the Qinghai Lake area since 12.5 ka B.P.. Our conclusions are: (1) Before 12.5 ka B.P., the climate in this region was dry, cold, and accompanied by strong wind-sand activities. (2) During 12.5–11.9 ka B.P., the climate became warm and wet. However, there was an abrupt climate cooling event during 12.2–11.9 ka B.P., which likely corresponded to the Younger Dryas event. (3) During 11.9–8.0 ka B.P., the climate fluctuated greatly and frequently from warm to cold, and three cooling events occurred. (4) During 8.0–2.6 ka B.P., the climate was warm and humid. (5) Since 2.6 ka B.P., similar to the modern climate, the climate was mainly dry and cold.     

青海湖湖东风成剖面化学元素特征及其环境指示意义

通过对青海湖湖东沙地风成沉积剖面化学元素特征的分析,结合光释光测年结果,并和已有研究进行对比,探讨了青海湖区12.5 ka BP以来的气候环境变化过程,将其划分为5个阶段：12.5 ka BP前气候寒冷干燥,青海湖应处于冰川消退的寒冷期,风沙活动强烈;12.5~11.9 ka BP气候向暖湿转变,其中12.2~11.9 ka BP发生一次寒冷事件,对应于新仙女木事件;11.9~8.0 ka BP气候冷暖波动频繁,期间出现了3次寒冷事件;8.0~2.6 ka BP是一个持续时间较长的温暖湿润期;2.6 ka BP至今,气候以干冷为主,与现代气候相近。     

Quantitative Holocene climatic reconstruction from Arctic Russia

Vegetation changes reflected in fossil pollen spectra are a primary source of information about climate fluctuations in the past. A statistical-information (transfer function) method based on the correlation of recent pollen spectra with modern climate conditions has been used to reconstruct Holocene climatic changes from fossil pollen. Climatic variables used for the reconstructions are the mean annual, January, July temperatures and annual precipitation. Peat sections with pollen and ¹⁴C data from the Arctic Russia were used for the reconstructions. The reconstructed climate fluctuations are similar to the climate changes obtained from many sites in the former USSR. A clear signal for Younger Dryas cooling, 11,000-10,000 yr BP and early Preboreal warming is apparent. The early Preboreal (10,000-9000 yr BP) was the warmest time for sites from modern coastal and island areas. The warm interval occurred in the Boreal period, about 8500 yr BP. According to the reconstructions the warmest time for non-coastal areas was the last half of Atlantic period, 6000-4500 yr BP. Other warm intervals were reconstructed about 3500 and 1000 yr BP. Reconstructions show that warming periods are primarily defined as times of increased summer temperatures, and cooling periods as time of decreased winter temperatures. The precipitation followed the temperatures: during the warming periods precipitation increased and during the cooling periods it decreased. Precipitation maximum, about 100 mm higher than present, are reconstructed for the warmest interval, 6000-4500 yr BP at all sites.     

莱州湾南岸咸水入侵区晚更新世以来的古环境演变

莱州湾南岸是我国典型的咸水入侵区,古环境变化构成了现代咸水入侵发生的背景。本文通过对潍河下游地区A1、A5孔岩芯系统的孢粉、有孔虫、粒度、¹⁴C及热释光测年资料的分析,结合100余个钻孔的沉积特征,论述了莱州湾南岸地区晚更新世以来的古环境演化特征。本区经历了三次明显的冷暖气候波动,三次显著的暖湿期为85～76kaBP、50～24kaBP、10～4kaBP,为海陆过渡相沉积环境,这三个时期分别与晚更新以来的三次海侵相对应,与相邻区域相比,全新世海侵开始早、结束晚;两次冷干期为76～50kaBP、24～10kaBP,分别对应于早大理冰期、晚大理冰期,为陆相沉积环境。     

西宁地区污染气象特征与降水pH值的初步分析

西宁是我国空气污染最严重的城市之一,冬春季节尤为严重,特别是当春季受到强沙尘暴影响时,会产生5级以上的严重空气污染。这除了当地污染源过量排放和外来沙尘输送外,当地大气扩散条件也是主要原因之一。利用西宁市2000年1月至2002年12月的各种常规气象观测资料和降水pH值资料,计算分析了西宁地区月、季、年各种逆稳层日数和混合层厚度,结果表明,西宁地区月逆温平均日数和月平均混合厚度基本呈反位向。冬半年各种逆温出现的总日数一般在15~24d之间,而夏半年在7~12d之间,前后二者相差一半。月平均混合厚度夏半年高,而冬半年低;季节变化是冬季平均混合厚度最低,春、夏季较高,秋季平均混合厚度介于春季和冬季之间,年最低和最高混合层厚度的平均年变差为145m。月逆温平均日数多(少)、月逆温厚度平均偏高(低),而月平均混合厚度偏低(高)。pH值月、季平均值与月、季平均混合厚度的变化趋势基本一致。混合层厚度高(低),湍流运动强(弱),空气在垂直和水平方向交换时间短(长)、扩散能力强(弱),pH值大(小)。     

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。     

1906-2015年武汉市温度变化序列重建与初步分析

本文利用1906-2015年武汉月平均最高与最低气温资料,重建了过去110年武汉市年平均气温距平序列,分析了其年代际尺度的变化特征。主要结论为：①过去110年武汉市经历了“暖—冷—暖”3个多年代际波动,其中1906-1946年与1994-2015年气候相对温暖,1947-1993年则气候相对寒冷;②在多年代尺度上,武汉市存在多次显著增温和降温过程,其中增温速率最快的30年和50年分别出现在1980-2009年和1960-2009年;最快降温速率则出现在1928-1957年和1925-1974年;③过去110年武汉市年均温发生了3次跃变,其中由冷转暖的跃变出现在20世纪20年代初和90年代中后期,而由暖转冷的跃变则出现在40年代;④武汉市年均温变化与全球/北半球和中国的变化趋势基本一致,但变幅偏大。此外,全球增暖停滞现象在武汉市最近十几年也有所体现。     

Structural and topographic evolution of the central Transverse Ranges, California, from apatite fission-track, (U–Th)/He and digital elevation model analyses

Apatite fission‐track (FT) and (U–Th)/He analyses are used to constrain the low‐temperature thermal history of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains (SGM and SBM), which are part of the southern California Transverse Ranges. FT ages from 33 SGM samples range from 3 to 64 Ma. Helium ages, ranging from 3 to 43 Ma, were obtained from 13 of these samples: all of the He ages are the same or younger than their respective FT ages. FT ages from 10 SBM samples were older, ranging from 45 to 90 Ma. The FT and He data document at least three phases of cooling in the SGM, but only two in the SBM. Prior to ~7 Ma, the thermal history of the SGM appears to have been nearly identical to many of the core complexes in the Basin and Range of south‐eastern California: a major phase of cooling is indicated from ~60 to 40 Ma, with a more recent phase beginning at ~23 Ma and continuing until ~10 Ma. The similarity of this timing to that of core complexes suggests that the SGM also originated as a core complex, when the rocks were adjacent to the Chocolate–Orocopia Mountains, and that some of the range‐bounding faults were initially extensional. In the SBM, the two phases of cooling documented by the FT data occurred from ~65 to 55 Ma, and from ~18 Ma to the present. The timing on the second phase is very poorly constrained and, therefore, we do not speculate on the origin of the SBM. The most recent phase of cooling appears to have begun at ~7 Ma in the SGM, as the result of the onset of contractional deformation. A more accelerated phase of cooling may have begun at ~3 Ma. Distinct variations in the total amounts and rates of cooling between different fault‐bounded blocks within the SGM are documented since 7 Ma. We use these variations in cooling rates to calculate denudation rates, which are then compared to topographic characteristics for each structural block. These comparisons suggest that more rapid bedrock uplift in the eastern and southern part of the range has strongly affected the present‐day physiography. Despite a higher mean elevation, the SBM are much less dissected than the SGM, suggesting that the most recent phase of cooling and bedrock uplift began in the last 3 Myr, much later than the initiation of recent bedrock uplift in the SGM.     

Fossil chironomid assemblages and inferred summer temperatures for the past 14,000 years from a low-elevation lake in Pacific Canada

Fossil midge remains in a sediment core from Lake Stowell, a low-elevation lake in coastal British Columbia, Canada, were used to assess temporal changes in chironomid communities and to produce quantitative estimates of mean July air temperature (MJAT) for the past 14,000 years based on two different transfer functions. Chironomid assemblages are diverse throughout much of the record, with most taxa present at low relative abundances. The basal portion of the sediment record is characterized by low head capsule concentrations, taxonomic diversity and organic matter content, all of which increase towards the early Holocene. Inferred temperatures suggest a cool late-glacial interval with a minimum MJAT of 12.5 °C, ~2 °C cooler than the inferred modern temperature. Summer temperatures gradually increased from this minimum until a brief cooling of as much as ~3 °C relative to modern that coincides with the Younger Dryas chronozone. An interval of warmer summers with MJAT of ~16 to 18 °C (2–3 °C warmer than modern) is inferred between ~10,500 and 8000 cal year BP. This early Holocene warm period was followed by generally cooler inferred temperatures in the middle and late Holocene. The midge-inferred temperature record from Lake Stowell is generally consistent with other temperature reconstructions from the region based on chironomid remains and other climate proxies. This research underscores the potential of low-elevation, mid-latitude sites for chironomid-based temperature reconstructions. In order to maximize the availability of modern analogues for robust temperature reconstructions from similar sites, calibration datasets should be expanded to include more sites from the warm end of the temperature gradient.     

Wisconsinan and Holocene Climate History from an Ice Core at Taylor Dome, Western Ross Embayment, Antarctica

Geochemical data and geophysical measurements from a 554-m ice-core from Taylor Dome, East Antarctica, provide the basis for climate reconstruction in the western Ross Embayment through the entire Wisconsinan and Holocene. In comparison with ice cores from central East and West Antarctica, Taylor Dome shows greater variance of temperature, snow accumulation, and aerosol concentrations, reflecting significant variability in atmospheric circulation and air mass moisture content. Extreme aridity during the last glacial maximum at Taylor Dome reflects both colder temperatures and a shift in atmospheric circulation patterns associated with the advance of the Ross Sea ice sheet and accounts for regional alpine glacier retreats and high lake levels in the Dry Valleys. Inferred relationships between spatial accumulation gradients and ice sheet configuration indicate that advance of the Ross Sea ice sheet began in late marine isotope stage 5 or early stage 4. Precise dating of the Taylor Dome core achieved by trace-gas correlation with central Greenland ice cores shows that abrupt deglacial warming at Taylor Dome was near-synchronous with the ∼14.6 ka warming in central Greenland and lags the general warming trend in other Antarctic ice cores by at least 3000 years. Deglacial warming was following by a warm interval and transient cooling between 14.6 and 11.7 ka, synchronous with the Bølling/Allerød warming and Younger Dryas cooling events in central Greenland, and out of phase with the Antarctic Cold Reversal recorded in the Byrd (West Antarctica) ice core. Rapid climate changes during marine isotope stages 4 and 3 at Taylor Dome are similar in character to, and may be in phase with, the Northern Hemisphere stadial–interstadial (Dansgaard–Oeschger) events. Results from Taylor Dome illustrate the importance of obtaining ice cores from multiple Antarctic sites, to provide wide spatial coverage of past climate and ice dynamics.