THE MORPHODYNAMICS OF THE MONT BLANC MASSIF IN A CHANGING CRYOSPHERE: A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW

One of the most glacierized areas in the European Alps, the Mont Blanc massif, illustrates how fast changes affect the cryosphere and the related morphodynamics in high mountain environments, especially since the termination of the Little Ice Age. Contrasts between the north‐west side, gentle and heavily glaciated, and the south‐east side, steep and rocky, and between local faces with varying slope angle and aspect highlight the suitability of the study site for scientific investigations. Glacier shrinkage is pronounced at low elevation but weaker than in other Alpine massifs, and supraglacial debris covers have developed over most of the glaciers, often starting in the nineteenth century. Lowering of glacier surface also affects areas of the accumulation zone. While modern glaciology has been carried out in the massif for several decades, study of the permafrost has been under development for only a few years, especially in the rock walls. Many hazards are related to glacier dynamics. Outburst flood from englacial pockets, ice avalanche from warm‐based and cold‐based glaciers, and rock slope failure due to debuttressing are generally increasing with the current decrease or even the vanishing of glaciers. Permafrost degradation is likely involved in rockfall and rock avalanche, contributing to the chains of processes resulting from the high relief of the massif. The resulting hazards could increasingly endanger population and activities of the valleys surrounding the Mont Blanc massif.     

Research progress on behaviors and environmental effects of mercury in the cryosphere of the Tibetan Plateau:a critical review

The behavior and fates of environmental pollutants within the cryosphere and the associated environmental impacts are of increasing concerns in the context of global warming.The Tibetan Plateau(TP),also known as the"Third Pole",represents one of the most important cryospheric regions in the world.Mercury(Hg)is recognized as a global pollutant.Here,we summarize the current knowledge of Hg concentration levels,pools and spatio-temporal distribution in cryospheric environments(e.g.,glacier,permafrost),and its transfer and potential cycle in the TP cryospheric region.Transboundary transport of anthropogenic Hg from the surrounding heavily-polluted regions,such as South and Southeast Asia,provides significant sources of atmospheric Hg depositions onto the TP cryosphere.We concluded that the melting of the cryosphere on the TP represents an increasing source of Hg and brings a risk to the TP environment.In addition,global warming acts as an important catalyst accelerating the release of legacy Hg from the melting cryosphere,adversely impacting ecosystems and biological health.Furthermore,we emphasize on the remaining gaps and proposed issues needed to be addressed in future work,including enhancing our knowledge on some key release pathways and the related environmental effects of Hg in the cryospheric region,integrated observation and consideration of Hg distribution,migration and cycle processes at a key region,and uses of Hg isotopic technical and Hg models to improve the understanding of Hg cycling in the TP cryospheric region.     

中国冰冻圈文化服务专题区划研究

本文以中国冰冻圈服务综合区划、自然和人文地理区划等理论、方法为基础,综合中国冰冻圈主要组成要素（冰川、冻土、积雪）及其社会文化要素（民族、历史、聚落、旅游文化和行政区划）,采用相似性与差异性、综合性与主导性、等级性与逻辑性和空间连续与行政边界相结合的方法,提出了“文化服务+文化产业+经济开发”导向的中国冰冻圈文化服务专题区划方案。根据空间聚类方法和专家判断,将其划分为青藏高原冰川—冻土—积雪文化区、西北冰川—积雪文化区、东北冻土—积雪文化区、北方积雪文化区和南方积雪文化区5个一级区划大区,依据文化与地域要素异质性原则,再细分为12个二级区划亚类和51个三级区划基本类型。专题区划方案与中国冰冻圈空间分布、中国自然地理综合区划、中国人文地理综合区划等的吻合度较高,体现了冰冻圈组成要素与冰冻圈区域文化要素的依存关系及区域空间异质性规律。本文深化了对中国冰冻圈文化服务及其空间异质性的认知,可为冰冻圈文化保护、传承、发扬,以及不同区域冰冻圈文化、旅游产业的开发及相关产业的运营、管理提供科学依据。     

川西北高原山地灾害垂直地带性

由于形成山地灾害的多种自然因素具有垂直地带性,尤其作为主要动力因素的水,超过一定高度后由液态成为固态,从而也造成了山地灾害的垂直地带性,从高到低可分为冰雪型、冻融型和流水(含地下水)型等三个山地灾害垂直带,高低两带之间主体界线在川西北高原地区为4900m和3500m。各带均有其特有的山地灾害,其中冰雪型山地灾害主要有冰崩、雪崩、冰面湖崩决等;冻融型山地灾害有冻融土流、冻融滑塌、冻融坍塌、融冻泥流、寒冻岩屑流和冰湖溃决等;流水型山地灾害有滑坡、崩塌、泥石流、山洪、泥石流坝和滑坡坝溃决等。认清这些灾害分布的垂直地带性,对于在相应地带进行资源开发和经济建设时,避免、减轻或妥善处治其危害具有重要的现实意义。     

中国天山冰川生态服务功能及价值评估

山岳冰川是干旱区生态环境和社会经济可持续发展的物质基础和特色文化基础,具有独特且无法替代的生态服务功能,而目前对冰川调节生态环境和提供人类福祉等方面服务功能和价值估算研究很少。本文基于第一、二次冰川编目数据,分析中国天山冰川面积和冰储量变化特征;梳理并构建山岳冰川生态服务功能体系,结合单位面积服务功能价格法和当量因子法,评估中国天山冰川年生态服务价值。结果显示：① 1970-2010年间,中国天山冰川面积减少1274 km²,退缩了13.9%,年平均冰川储量减少约4.08×10⁹ m³。高海拔区（> 5200 m）冰川面积出现增加,可能是由于该区域降水增加对冰川积累的作用大于气温上升对冰川消融作用造成的。② 中国天山冰川年生态服务价值为602亿元,气候调节、水文调节和淡水资源供给价值分别占总价值的66.4%、21.6%和9.3%,水力发电的年均生态服务价值约为3.5亿元,其他类型的调节和服务功能价值约12.8亿元。③ 比较分析冰川、森林、草地和湿地生态系统不同服务价值所占总价值比例发现,淡水资源供给/实物生产和生态调节功能在生态系统中均占比例较大,冰川单位面积生态服务价值高于其他类生态系统。本文以期能提高冰川对人类福祉和维持生态环境等方面的认知,服务于冰冻圈生态安全、环境保护以及资源的可持续利用规划与管理。     

天山东段冰雪消融与产汇流水文过程——以乌鲁木齐河源区为例

应用天山北坡乌鲁木齐河源区1 号冰川、空冰斗和总控3 个水文断面2011 年5-9 月每10min 实测水位数据、15 min 的气温、降水数据、1 号冰川消融及空冰斗区积雪观测数据,采用排除和不排除降水对冰雪消融产流影响的研究方法,系统分析了不同冰川覆盖率下水文断面冰雪消融特征及产汇流过程。结果表明：（1） 乌鲁木齐河源区3 个水文断面流量昼夜差异明显,1 号冰川水文断面白天径流大于夜晚径流,空冰斗和总控断面则相反;3 个断面流量亦具有显著日变化过程,且流量峰值大小和到来的时间存在差异。（2） 在排除与不排除降水两种天气影响下,1 号冰川最大流量滞后最高气温分别为1~3 h 和0~1 h;空冰斗断面分别为10~16 h和13 h,总控断面分别为5~11 h 和6~7 h,反映了1 号冰川从消融产流到汇流时间最短,空冰斗积雪消融产流时间最长,总控位于二者之间,同时亦反映伴随降水过程冰雪融水汇流迅速,即从产流到汇流时间有一定的缩短。（3） 影响3 个水文断面流量变化的因素不同,冰川区热量条件是影响1 号冰川水文断面的关键,1 号冰川在过去20 余年间,冰内、冰下排水道变得更为单一,对融水的阻滞和贮存作用弱化,融水汇流过程变得更为迅速。（4） 冰川覆盖山区流域水文断面在冰川消融期的流量过程线变化及最大流量与最高气温时滞变化规律在一定程度上对于认识冰川覆盖率有差异背景下的流域下垫面水系演化、冰雪消融过程及水文断面径流补给具有重要的指示意义。     

冰冻圈旅游经济区发展水平及影响因素分析

大香格里拉地区是我国典型的冰冻圈旅游区,冰冻圈资源丰富,且旅游开发较好。以大香格里拉地区为例,运用熵值法、综合指数评价模型与地理探测器相结合的分析方法,对2008—2017年大香格里拉旅游经济区的发展水平及主要影响因素进行了分析,并提出相应政策建议。结果表明：（1）2008—2017年发展水平明显提高,但受冰冻圈资源变化影响较大;（2）该地区以中等偏下发展水平为主,各地区发展不平衡,发展水平差异呈现先扩大后缩小的趋势;（3）冰川面积、冰川面积覆盖率、人均全社会消费品零售总额、旅行社数量和城镇化率是影响大香格里拉地区发展水平的关键因子,经济和社会发展水平的迅速提升,在一定程度上抵消了冰冻圈资源萎缩的负面影响。基于此,应严格遵循生态保护红线,从实际出发,支持各地区发挥比较优势,利用当前冰冻圈资源优势,重点培育冰雪旅游产业,以促进大香格里拉地区发展进程。     

冰湖的界定与分类体系——面向冰湖编目和冰湖灾害研究

冰川湖泊（简称冰湖）不仅是高山区重要的水资源,而且是许多冰川灾害的孕育者和发源地,在冰冻圈科学、气候变化和山地灾害研究中具有重要地位。本文系统讨论了现有冰湖定义及存在的问题,从冰湖编目和冰湖灾害研究视角提出冰湖的定义,指出现有冰湖研究主要是基于“以现代冰川融水为主要补给源或在冰碛垄洼地内积水形成的天然水体”这一冰湖定义的。同时,从冰湖形成机理、地貌形态和空间分布位置将冰湖划分为冰川侵蚀湖（冰斗湖、冰川槽谷湖和其他冰川侵蚀湖）、冰碛阻塞湖（终碛阻塞湖、侧碛阻塞湖、冰碛垄热融湖）、冰川阻塞湖（冰川前进阻塞湖和其他冰川阻塞湖）、冰面湖、冰下（内）湖和其他冰川湖6大类及8个亚类,并给出各冰湖类型相应的遥感判识指标和定量指标,以期建立具有普适性和可操作性的冰湖分类体系。     

Current Behaviour and Dynamics of the Lowermost Italian Glacier (Montasio Occidentale,Julian Alps)

Smaller glaciers (<0.5 km²) react quickly to environmental changes and typically show a large scatter in their individual response. Accounting for these ice bodies is essential for assessing regional glacier change, given their high number and contribution to the total loss of glacier area in mountain regions. However, studying small glaciers using traditional techniques may be difficult or not feasible, and assessing their current activity and dynamics may be problematic. In this paper, we present an integrated approach for characterizing the current behaviour of a small, avalanche‐fed glacier at low altitude in the Italian Alps, combining geomorphological, geophysical and high‐resolution geodetic surveying with a terrestrial laser scanner. The glacier is still active and shows a detectable mass transfer from the accumulation area to the lower ablation area, which is covered by a thick debris mantle. The glacier owes its existence to the local topo‐climatic conditions, ensured by high rock walls which enhance accumulation by delivering avalanche snow and reduce ablation by providing topographic shading and regulating the debris budget of the glacier catchment. In the last several years the glacier has displayed peculiar behaviour compared with most glaciers of the European Alps, being close to equilibrium conditions in spite of warm ablation seasons. Proportionally small relative changes have also occurred since the Little Ice Age maximum. Compared with the majority of other Alpine glaciers, we infer for this glacier a lower sensitivity to air temperature and a higher sensitivity to precipitation, associated with important feedback from increasing debris cover during unfavourable periods.     

PREFACE: THE MOUNTAIN CRYOSPHERE – A HOLISTIC VIEW ON PROCESSES AND THEIR INTERACTIONS

Gruber, S., Egli, M., Gärtner‐Roer, I. and Hoelzle, M., 2012. Preface: The mountain cryosphere – a holistic view on processes and their interactions. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geography, ??, ??–??. doi :10.1111/j.1468‐0459.2012.00468.x     

西藏自治区洛扎县冰湖溃决危险度评价

西藏自治区湖泊星罗棋布,在高山极高山地区分布大量冰湖,受各种因素的影响,有时会产生冰湖溃决并形成灾害。本文根据最新TM遥感影像对西藏自治区洛扎县283个冰湖进行了初步评价。依据冰湖类型、规模、后方现代冰川与冰湖的距离及冰湖离居民地、公路等设施的距离等,将冰湖溃决分为高危险度、中危险度及低危险度。并针对高危险度的冰湖提出防护对策。     

基于树木地貌法重建崩塌历史事件——-以川东华蓥山石林为例

了解崩塌活动史与区域气候变化之间的关系对于掌握区域山地灾害形成规律,预测未来发展趋势具有非常重要的作用。利用树木地貌法可以准确掌握山地灾害发生频率,并为定量分析气候变化对山地灾害发生发展趋势提供支撑。本文以川东华蓥山石林景区一大型崩塌为研究对象,通过杉木树木年轮、降水和气温数据对该崩塌活动时间进行分析。结果表明:该崩塌可能共有四个活动年份,2015年为大规模活动年份,2008年、2012年和2016年为小规模活动年份,崩塌活动的季节主要集中在早材期间(4月—9月)。基于滚石冲击树干产生的愈伤组织和标准木年轮对比表明:树木在受到滚石冲击后,都表现为生长抑制,且树木年轮宽度要滞后滚石活动1年。参考树木与干扰树木年轮宽度和月降雨量没有相关性,但干扰树木年轮与月平均气温(4月—9月)呈负相关关系。本研究结果可以为研究区内山地灾害活动史与气候变化关系提供支撑,尤其是为研究区域降雨诱发的崩塌活动规律提供借鉴。     

Hydrological processes of glacier and snow melting and runoff in the Urumqi River source region,eastern Tianshan Mountains,China

Hydrological processes were compared, with and without the influence of precipitation on discharge, to identify the differences between glacierized and non-glacierized catchments in the Urumqi River source region, on the northern slope of the eastern Tianshan Mountains, during the melting season (May-September) in 2011. The study was based on hydrological data observed at 10-min intervals, meteorological data observed at 15-min intervals, and glacier melting and snow observations from the Empty Cirque, Zongkong, and Urumqi Glacier No.1 gauging stations. The results indicated that the discharge differed markedly among the three gauging stations. The daily discharge was more than the nightly discharge at the Glacier No.1 gauging station, which contrasted with the patterns observed at the Zongkong and Empty Cirque gauging stations. There was a clear daily variation in the discharge at the three gauging stations, with differences in the magnitude and duration of the peak discharge. When precipitation was not considered, the time-lags between the maximum discharge and the highest temperature were 1-3 h, 10-16 h, and 5-11 h at the Glacier No.1, Empty Cirque, and Zongkong gauging stations, respectively. When precipitation was taken into consideration, the corresponding time-lags were 0-1 h, 13 h, and 6-7 h, respectively. Therefore, the duration from the generation of discharge to confluence was the shortest in the glacierized catchment and the longest in the catchment where was mainly covered by snow. It was also shown that the hydrological process from the generation of discharge to confluence shortened when precipitation was considered. The factors influencing changes in the discharge among the three gauging stations were different. For Glacier No.1 station, the discharge was mainly controlled by heat conditions in the glacierized region, and the discharge displayed an accelerated growth when the temperature exceeded 5°C in the melt season. It was found that the englacial and subglacial drainage channel of Glacier No.1 had become simpler during the past 20 years. Its weaker retardance and storage of glacier melting water resulted in rapid discharge confluence. It was also shown that the discharge curve and the time-lag between the maximum discharge and the highest temperature could be used to reveal the evolution of the drainage system and the process of glacier and snow melting at different levels of glacier coverage.     

我国山地灾害及其防治

我国山地自然环境独特，具备山地灾害形成条件，因而山地灾害发育，分布广泛，活动频繁，危害严重．２０世纪８０年代以来，山地灾害有了新发展，造成经济损失巨大．对山地灾害成因。分布特征，以及综合防治原则和方法作了分析．     

典型季风海洋型冰川流域水循环过程变化对气候变暖的响应(英文)

Studying the response to warming of hydrological systems in China’s temperate glacier region is essential in order to provide information required for sustainable development.The results indicated the warming climate has had an impact on the hydrological cycle.As the glacier area subject to melting has increased and the ablation season has become longer,the contribution of meltwater to annual river discharge has increased.The earlier onset of ablation at higher elevation glaciers has resulted in the period of minimum discharge occurring earlier in the year.Seasonal runoff variations are dominated by snow and glacier melt,and an increase of meltwater has resulted in changes of the annual water cycle in the Lijiang Basin and Hailuogou Basin.The increase amplitude of runoff in the downstream region of the glacial area is much stronger than that of precipitation,resulting from the prominent increase of meltwater from glacier region in two basins.Continued observations in the glacierized basins should be undertaken in order to monitor changes,to reveal the relationships between climate,glaciers,hydrology and water supplies,and to assist in maintaining sustainable regional development.     

Definition and classification system of glacial lake for inventory and hazards study

Glacial lakes are not only the important refresh water resources in alpine region, but also act as a trigger of many glacial hazards such as glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) and debris flow. Therefore, glacial lakes play an important role on the cryosphere, climate change and alpine hazards. In this paper, the issues of glacial lake were systematically discussed, then from the view of glacial lake inventory and glacial lake hazards study, the glacial lake was defined as natural water mainly supplied by modern glacial meltwater or formed in glacier moraine’s depression. Furthermore, a complete classification system of glacial lake was proposed based on its formation mechanism, topographic feature and geographical position. Glacial lakes were classified as 6 classes and 8 subclasses, i.e., glacial erosion lake (including cirque lake, glacial valley lake and other glacial erosion lake), moraine-dammed lake (including end moraine-dammed lake, lateral moraine-dammed lake and moraine thaw lake), ice-blocked lake (including advancing glacier-blocked lake and other glacier-blocked lake), supraglacial lake, subglacial lake and other glacial lake. Meanwhile, some corresponding features exhibiting on remote sensing image and quantitative indices for identifying different glacial lake types were proposed in order to build a universal and operational classification system of glacial lake.     

冰湖的界定与分类体系——面向冰湖编目和冰湖灾害研究（英文）

Glacial lakes are not only the important refresh water resources in alpine region, but also act as a trigger of many glacial hazards such as glacial lake outburst flood(GLOF) and debris flow. Therefore, glacial lakes play an important role on the cryosphere, climate change and alpine hazards. In this paper, the issues of glacial lake were systematically discussed, then from the view of glacial lake inventory and glacial lake hazards study, the glacial lake was defined as natural water mainly supplied by modern glacial meltwater or formed in glacier moraine's depression. Furthermore, a complete classification system of glacial lake was proposed based on its formation mechanism, topographic feature and geographical position. Glacial lakes were classified as 6 classes and 8 subclasses, i.e., glacial erosion lake(including cirque lake, glacial valley lake and other glacial erosion lake), moraine-dammed lake(including end moraine-dammed lake, lateral moraine-dammed lake and moraine thaw lake), ice-blocked lake(including advancing glacier-blocked lake and other glacier-blocked lake), supraglacial lake, subglacial lake and other glacial lake. Meanwhile, some corresponding features exhibiting on remote sensing image and quantitative indices for identifying different glacial lake types were proposed in order to build a universal and operational classification system of glacial lake.     

Seasonal evolution of the englacial and subglacial drainage systems of a temperate glacier revealed by hydrological analysis

Englacial and subglacial drainage systems of temperate glaciers have a strong influence on glacier dynamics, glacier-induced floods, glacier-weathering processes, and runoff from glacierized drainage basins. Proglacial discharge is partly controlled by the geometry of the glacial drainage network and by the process of producing meltwater. The glacial-drainage system of some alpine glaciers has been characterized using a model based on proglacial discharge analysis. In this paper, we apply cross-correlation analysis to hourly hydro-climatic data collected from China＇s Hailuogou Glacier, a typical temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, to study the seasonal status changes of the englacial and subglacial drainage systems by discharge-temperature （Q-T） time lag analy-sis. During early ablation season （April-May） of 2003, 2004 and 2005, the change of englacial and subglacial drainage system usually leads several outburst flood events, which are also substantiated by observing the leakage of supraglacial pond and cre-vasses pond water during field works in April, 2008. At the end of ablation season （October-December）, the glacial-drainage net-works become less hydro-efficient. Those events are evidenced by hourly hydro-process near the terminus of Hailuogou Glacier, and the analysis of Q-T time lags also can be a good indicator of those changes. However, more detailed observations or experi-ments, e.g. dye-tracing experiment and recording borehole water level variations, are necessary to describe the evolutionary status and processes of englacial and subglacial drainage systems evolution during ablation season.     

中国山地灾害研究进展与未来应关注的科学问题

本文首先简要回顾了山地灾害研究与防治方面的新进展：认识了山地灾害的空间分布规律,建立了山洪、泥石流、滑坡危险性评价方法;发展了滑坡稳定性分析的原理和计算方法,建立了泥石流流体应力本构关系、泥石流流速流量和冲击力计算公式、粘性泥石流起动模型,提出了山洪和泥石流规模放大效应;基于降雨和地面成灾环境要素耦合分析,发展了山地灾害气象预报方法;基于对灾害物理特性的认识,研发了一系列灾害监测预警仪器、数字流域平台与智能手机网络相结合的山洪预警系统;发展了灾害治理工程技术,形成了适合欠发达地区特点的灾害治理技术体系。在此基础上,分析了在灾害形成、运动、预测预报、防治技术和风险管理等方面还需要进一步深化研究的问题,提出山地灾害学科今后面临的任务。最后,针对国家减灾需求和学科发展目标,提出灾害对生态的响应机制、气候变化对山地灾害的影响与巨灾预测、水—土耦合的细观结构力学、灾害风险的理论与方法、基于灾害形成理论的机理预报模式、灾害防治技术规程的健全等未来应该关注的科学技术问题。     

High-precision measurements of the inter-annual evolution for Urumqi Glacier No.1 in eastern Tien Shan,China

High-precision measuring of glacier evolution remains a challenge as the available global and regional remote sensing techniques cannot satisfactorily capture the local-scale processes of most small- and medium-sized mountain glaciers. In this study, we use a high-precision local remote sensing technique, long-range terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), to measure the evolution of Urumqi Glacier No.1 at an annual scale. We found that the dense point clouds derived from the TLS survey can be used to reconstruct glacier surface terrain, with certain details, such as depressions, debris-covered areas, and supra-glacial drainages can be distinguished. The glacier experienced pronounced thickness thinning and continuous retreat over the last four mass-balance years (2015-2019). The mean surface slope of Urumqi Glacier No.1 gradually steepened, which may increase the removal of glacier mass. The glacier was deeply incised by two very prominent primary supra-glacial rivers, and those rivers presented a widening trend. Extensive networks of supra-glacial channels had a significant impact on accelerated glacier mass loss. High-precision measuring is of vital importance to understanding the annual evolution of this type of glacier.