Ice cover,landscape setting,and geological framework of Lake Vostok,East Antarctica

Lake Vostok, located beneath more than 4 km of ice in the middle of East Antarctica, is a unique subglacial habitat and may contain microorganisms with distinct adaptations to such an extreme environment. Melting and freezing at the base of the ice sheet, which slowly flows across the lake, controls the flux of water, biota and sediment particles through the lake. The influx of thermal energy, however, is limited to contributions from below. Thus the geological origin of Lake Vostok is a critical boundary condition for the subglacial ecosystem. We present the first comprehensive maps of ice surface, ice thickness and subglacial topography around Lake Vostok. The ice flow across the lake and the landscape setting are closely linked to the geological origin of Lake Vostok. Our data show that Lake Vostok is located along a major geological boundary. Magnetic and gravity data are distinct east and west of the lake, as is the roughness of the subglacial topography. The physiographic setting of the lake has important consequences for the ice flow and thus the melting and freezing pattern and the lake’s circulation. Lake Vostok is a tectonically controlled subglacial lake. The tectonic processes provided the space for a unique habitat and recent minor tectonic activity could have the potential to introduce small, but significant amounts of thermal energy into the lake.     

The hydrochemistry of Lake Vostok and the potential for life in Antarctic subglacial lakes

Our understanding of Lake Vostok, the huge subglacial lake beneath the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, has improved recently through the identification of key physical and chemical interactions between the ice sheet and the lake. The north of the lake, where the overlying ice sheet is thickest, is characterized by subglacial melting, whereas freezing of lake water occurs in the south, resulting in ～210 m of ice accretion to the underside of the ice sheet. The accreted ice contains lower concentrations of the impurities normally found in glacier ice, suggesting a net transfer of material from meltwater into the lake. The small numbers of microbes found so far within the accreted ice have DNA profiles similar to those of contemporary surface microbes. Microbiologists expect, however, that Lake Vostok, and other subglacial lakes, will harbour unique species, particularly within the deeper waters and associated sediments. The extreme environments of subglacial lakes are characterized by high pressures, low temperatures, permanent darkness, limited nutrient availability, and oxygen concentrations that are derived from the ice that provides the meltwater. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reassessing Lake Vostok’s behaviour from existing and new ice core data

Interpretation of new ice core data and reappraisal of existing data, both from the basal part of the Vostok ice core, give strong support to a kind of thermohaline circulation in Lake Vostok. Although the salinity of the lake is considered as weak (less than 1‰), the prominent influence of salinity at high pressure and low temperature on water density makes such a circulation possible. As a consequence, subglacial melting along the northern shores of the lake is balanced, further south, by frazil ice production in the upper water column, its accretion and consolidation at the ice–water interface followed by accreted ice export out of the system together with the southeasterly glacier flow. The dynamics of the system is documented by a stable water isotope budget estimate, by inferences concerning accreted ice formation and by an investigation of ice properties at the transition between meteoric ice and accreted ice. This complex behaviour is the controlling factor on water, biota and sediment fluxes in the lake environment.     

Sensitivity of subglacial Lake Vostok's flow regime on environmental parameters

Subglacial lakes provide unique habitats, but the exact nature of physical and geochemical conditions are still a matter of debate and await direct sampling of water. Due to its isolation from external atmospheric forcing other environmental parameters influence the flow characteristics within the lake. In this study we use an improved treatment of the physical processes at the ice–water boundary interface to identify and quantify the impact of (1) the geothermal heat flux, (2) the heat flux from the lake into the ice, (3) the influence of the salinity of the lake water, and (4) the ice thickness on the size of the freezing area and the freeze/melt rates. We show that the modelled basal mass imbalance (that is the produced melt water minus the re-frozen water) depends on the geothermal heating as well as the heat flux into the ice. The circulation and the temperature distribution within subglacial Lake Vostok are rather stable against variations of geothermal heat flux, heat flux into the ice sheet, salinity of the lake, and small changes of the ice thickness above the lake. However, the flow regime for any subglacial lake with less than 2000 m ice thickness above, will be substantially different from those that experience higher pressures. This is because the buoyancy–temperature relationship reverses at this depth.     

Seismic modelling study of a subglacial lake

We characterize the seismic response of Lake Vostok, an Antarctic subglacial lake located at nearly 4 km depth below the ice sheet. This study is relevant for the determination of the location and morphology of subglacial lakes. The characterization requires the design of a methodology based on rock physics and numerical modelling of wave propagation. The methodology involves rock-physics models of the shallow layer (firn), the ice sheet and the lake sediments, numerical simulation of synthetic seismograms, ray tracing, τ–p transforms, and AVA analysis, based on the theoretical reflection coefficients. The modelled reflection seismograms show a set of straight events (refractions through the firn and top-ice layer) and the two reflection events associated with the top and bottom of the lake. Theoretical AVA analysis of these reflections indicates that, at near offsets, the PP-wave anomaly is negative for the ice/water interface and constant for the water/sediment interface. This behaviour is shown by AVA analysis of the synthetic data set. This study shows that subglacial lakes can be identified by using seismic methods. Moreover, the methodology provides a tool for designing suitable seismic surveys.     

Paleomagnetic Logs: A Tool for Dating Lake Erie's Past

An examination of the lithology, paleomagnetic and Mossbauer Effect Spectroscopy (MES) log data and ¹⁴C determinations of cores taken from three small basins located in western Lake Erie, in conjunction with data obtained from earlier studies, has been used to re-evaluate the postglacial history of the area. After the re-advance of the Laurentide Ice Sheet into the Huron basin and the eastern part of the Erie basin during the Port Huron stadial about 13,000 yrs B.P., lacustrine clay was deposited across much of the western Erie basin in a lake ponded against the glacial ice front to the east. However, by 12,000 yrs B.P. as the ice front retreated, the waters from the Huron basin bypassed Lake Erie, first by the Kirkfield outlet to Lake Ontario, and later by the Fossmill and North Bay outlets to the Ottawa River. This resulted in the draining of water from most of the western Erie basin. Extensive swamps choked with plants formed in the small basin areas, and the surrounding low-lying former lake bottom was subjected to subaerial weathering. It would appear that by about 9,500 yrs B.P. there was an increase in surface run off into these basins and the swamps evolved into shallow, relatively warm-water lakes in which calcareous-rich clay was deposited. Isostatic rebound of the northeastern outlets of the Huron basin led to a gradual tilting of the basin and a progressive migration of the southern shoreline of Lake Huron (Lake Stanley phase) to the southwest. By about 5000 yrs B.P. the water level in the southern Huron basin had been raised sufficiently to re-open the Port Huron outlet into the Erie basin. This resulted in a substantial rise in the lake level in the Erie basin, terminated the deposition of calcareous-rich clay in the small basins, and led to the deposition of normal lacustrine sediments in the modern phase of Lake Erie.     

Regional geoid modeling in the area of subglacial Lake Vostok,Antarctica

We present a geoid model for the area of Lake Vostok, Antarctica, from a combination of local airborne gravity, ice-surface and ice-thickness data and a lake bathymetry model. The topography data are used for residual terrain modeling (RTM) in a remove–restore approach together with GOCE satellite data. The quasigeoid is predicted by least-squares collocation (LSC) and subsequently converted to geoid heights. Special aspects of that method in presence of an ice sheet are discussed.It is well known that a body freely floating in water is in a state of hydrostatic equilibrium (HE). This usually applies, e.g., to ice shelves or sea ice. However, it has been shown that this is valid also for the ice sheet covering the subglacial Lake Vostok. Thus, we demonstrate the use of such a refined regional geoid model for glaciological and geophysical applications by means of the HE surface of that lake. The mean quadratic residual geoid signal (0.56 m) w.r.t. the GOCE background model exceeds the residual variations of the estimated apparent lake level (ALL) (0.26 m) within the central part of the lake. An approach considering the actual geopotential at the ALL has been derived and subsequently applied. In this context, downward continuation of the potential field within the ice sheet as well as the latitudinal tilt of off-geoid equipotential surfaces are discussed. In view of the accuracy of the ice-thickness measurements that dominate the total error budget of the estimated ALL these effects are negligible. Thus, the HE surface of subglacial lakes may safely be described by a constant height bias in small-scale regional applications. However, field continuation is significant with respect to the formal uncertainty of the quasigeoid, which is at the level of 5 cm given that accurate airborne gravity data (±2 mGal) are available.     

The 1996 eruption at Gjálp,Vatnajökull ice cap,Iceland: efficiency of heat transfer,ice deformation and subglacial water pressure

The 13-day-long Gjálp eruption within the Vatnajökull ice cap in October 1996 provided important data on ice–volcano interaction in a thick temperate glacier. The eruption produced 0.8 km³ of mainly volcanic glass with a basaltic icelandite composition (equivalent to 0.45 km³ of magma). Ice thickness above the 6-km-long volcanic fissure was initially 550–750 m. The eruption was mainly subglacial forming a 150–500 m high ridge; only 2–4% of the volcanic material was erupted subaerially. Monitoring of the formation of ice cauldrons above the vents provided data on ice melting, heat flux and indirectly on eruption rate. The heat flux was 5–6×10⁵ W m^-2 in the first 4 days. This high heat flux can only be explained by fragmentation of magma into volcanic glass. The pattern of ice melting during and after the eruption indicates that the efficiency of instantaneous heat exchange between magma and ice at the eruption site was 50–60%. If this is characteristic for magma fragmentation in subglacial eruptions, volcanic material and meltwater will in most cases take up more space than the ice melted in the eruption. Water accumulation would therefore cause buildup of basal water pressure and lead to rapid release of the meltwater. Continuous drainage of meltwater is therefore the most likely scenario in subglacial eruptions under temperate glaciers. Deformation and fracturing of ice played a significant role in the eruption and modified the subglacial water pressure. It is found that water pressure at a vent under a subsiding cauldron is substantially less than it would be during static loading by the overlying ice, since the load is partly compensated for by shear forces in the rapidly deforming ice. In addition to intensive crevassing due to subsidence at Gjálp, a long and straight crevasse formed over the southernmost part of the volcanic fissure on the first day of the eruption. It is suggested that the feeder dyke may have overshot the bedrock–ice interface, caused high deformation rates and fractured the ice up to the surface. The crevasse later modified the flow of meltwater, explaining surface flow of water past the highest part of the edifice. The dominance of magma fragmentation in the Gjálp eruption suggests that initial ice thickness greater than 600–700 m is required if effusive eruption of pillow lava is to be the main style of activity, at least in similar eruptions of high initial magma discharge.Editorial responsibility: J. Donnelly-Nolan     

鄱阳湖成因与演变的历史论证

本文通过大量史料分析和地质钻孔证据,认为鄱阳湖大水面形成于公元400年前后,为距今约1600年的年青湖泊。鄱阳湖形成的直接和主导因素是长江主泓道南移到湖口一带,因江水阻碍赣江水的下泄,使湖泊水域向南扩张,到唐初面积最大时曾达6000km~2。之后,鄱阳湖水位和面积的变化主要取决于湖口处长江水位的变化。     

Contribution to the detection of Lake Masoko (Tanzania) groundwater outflow: isotopic evidence (18O,D) / Contribution à la détection des pertes souterraines du Lac Masoko (Tanzanie): évidences isotopiques (18O,D)

Abstract

The isotopic compositions (¹⁸O and D) of groundwater, springs, rivers and lake waters are used to account for the hydrological processes in the area of the closed maar Lake Masoko in Tanzania. Springs and groundwater from the northern, western and southern parts of the lake basin display relatively stable compositions, close to those of the mean precipitation, evidencing their fast infiltration rate. Springs located in the eastern part of the basin have enriched compositions, which are on the mixing line between the ?"non evaporated? water and the evaporated lake water. This underlines the hydraulic continuity between the lake and the eastern springs and supports a previous proposition of grounwater outflow from Lake Masoko. The mixing parts of lake water calculated at each spring are constant through time, evidencing the inertia of the system. Furthermore, the mixing part of the lake water decreases linearly with the distance from the lake, suggesting an homogeneous and continuous aquifer. These observations point to a west to east groundwater flow, in agreement with the altitude of different potentials.     

Proglacial sediment trapping in recently formed Silt Lake,upper Lillooet Valley,Coast Mountains,British Columbia

The sedimentology of proglacial Silt Lake was assessed by lake sediment coring and monitoring of lacustrine processes during a late‐summer period of high glacier melt to characterize sediment delivery from the heavily glacierized catchment and investigate the sediment trapping dynamics of this upland lake. A complete varve chronology was established for a distal basin of the lake which was exposed by Lillooet Glacier retreat between 1947 and 1962. The varve record showed decreasing sedimentation rates in the basin while the glacier retreated, and as the lake became free of ice contact in the early 1970s. Although recession has continued over recent decades, and glacier proximity to the lake has, therefore, continued decreasing, lacustrine sedimentation rates are now accelerating due to changing basin morphometry caused by delta progradation. Over shorter time scales, lake sedimentation patterns respond to changing runoff conditions, including late‐summer glacier melt intensity, intra‐annual flooding events, diumal runoff fluctuations, and within‐lake turbidity currents. Turbidity currents included quasi‐regular flows during high diurnal discharges and an episodic flushing of temporarily stored sediment from the sandur or delta at a time of low stage. Suspended sediment yield to Silt Lake is estimated to exceed 10³ Mg km^?2 a^?1, a magnitude that surpasses previous local and regional yield estimates for the glacierized headwaters of the Lillooet River valley. Since Silt Lake currently traps a significant prooportion of that upland sediment supply, and the trapping efficiency of the basin has been variable at decadal time scales, the formation and continued development of Lilt Lake has likely had a significant influence on downstream sediment delivery. Lacustrine sediment‐based proxies of long‐term hydroclimatic variability being developed in glacially distal settings should include provisions for dynamic sediment trapping effects in upstream water bodies that often form in the active proglacial environment. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

近三百年来洪泽湖演变过程及其原因分析

洪泽湖是淮河水系中最重要的湖泊之一,是我国的第四大淡水湖,它在防洪、灌溉、航运、跨流域调水以及水资源与水环境保护等方面发挥着重要作用.过去300年来,由于黄淮关系的演变和人类活动的影响,洪泽湖水域面积发生剧烈变化.研究湖泊水域空间变化有助于认识流域环境变化与人类活动影响.本文利用18世纪初以来的古地图、历史文献资料及1981-2016年期间的7期遥感影像数据,采用遥感和地理信息系统技术相结合的方法,分析了近300年来洪泽湖水域时空演变过程及其原因.研究结果表明：过去300年来,洪泽湖面积总体呈减少趋势,年际缩减速率为0.17%,且湖域范围总体表现为由四周向中心缩小的趋势,其中西南湖域的形态变化最为显著.具体而言,清中期以前,黄河多次夺泗入淮,洪泽湖面积变化受黄淮关系、高家堰等水利枢纽的修建以及降水等因素影响.至清末,洪泽湖面积由3078.78 km²下降至2335.73 km²,共减少743.05 km²,其空间形态也发生了剧烈变化,该时期黄河改道、降水以及人口增长导致的湖滨围垦是影响洪泽湖演变的主要原因.建国以来（1949-2016年）,洪泽湖面积进一步缩小,由1757.60 km²下降至1488.43 km²,共减少了269.17 km²,其中1995-2000年间湖泊面积下降最为显著,共减少了281.43 km²,湖泊动态变化度达到2.78%,该时期自然因素对湖泊水域面积的影响减弱,而人口增长、围垦及水利工程的修建等人类活动逐渐成为影响洪泽湖演化的主导因素.     

青海湖最近25年变化的遥感调查与研究

青海湖是我国最大的内陆水体,它及其流域的生态环境近来一直倍受广泛关注．其水位下降、湖水面积缩小、湖体分离等更是研究的热点问题．本文针对这些问题展开遥感调查与研究,收集了多时相、多种信息源的影像数据;分析了1975年至2000年25年以来湖泊的变迁及成因,湖岸变化及湖体分离状况;用遥感方法反推25年以来湖水位的变化;计算了1975、2000年两个年份的湖水面积,并遥感分析了湖水面积萎缩的原因．此外,对青海湖进行了实地调查与水深测量,建立了该湖泊水深反演模型．     

1974-2016年青海湖水面面积变化遥感监测

位于青藏高原东北部的青海湖是我国最大的咸水湖和内陆湖,也是青藏高原东北部的重要水汽源,青海湖面积的动态变化是气候和周围生态环境状况的重要体现.本研究利用长时间序列中分辨率遥感影像数据,通过人工提取湖岸水涯线信息对青海湖水面面积进行监测.结果显示：1974-2016年期间,青海湖面积总体上呈先减后增的变化趋势.2004年水面积最小,为4223.73 km²,比1974年减少253.80 km².其中1974-1987年期间面积骤减;2000 2009年期间青海湖水面面积变化幅度相对较小,平均变化幅度为6.85 km².2009-2016年7 a间,水面面积增加了128.27 km².2012年青海湖面积骤增,比2011年8月同期增加65.12 km²;同年6月和9月的面积变化为2002-2016年最大,达到59.18 km².湖东岸沙岛的湖岸线变化最为显著,1974-2004年岸线后退最大距离达4.59 km,2012年的年内最大变化距离为0.39 km.青海湖流域内降水补给增加,生态环境治理措施促使入湖河流径流量增大,是近年来湖水面积增加的主要原因.     

太湖与流域治理

太湖流域是中国最重要的经济区.流域面积36500km~2,六分之五为平原,有上海、无锡、苏州、杭州等重要城市.以太湖为中心和其周围的河网构成了流域水系的特点.治理和开发的目标是防洪、供水、水资源保护和航运.治理的方案充分发挥太湖的调蓄作用,规划了十项骨干工程,可使流域内收到十分显著的综合效益.其中以望虞河和太浦河最为重要,可以解决80％上游洪水的出路和从长江引水2.8km~3,缓解防洪和水污染的压力,建议及早兴建.     

Flow prediction in high altitude ungauged catchments: A case study in the Italian Alps (Pantano Basin,Adamello Group)

We develop a simple model to evaluate the daily flow discharges in the ablation season for the 11 km² Pantano basin in the Retiche Italian Alps, based upon the data gathered during a three years field campaign. The Pantano basin embeds the Venerocolo debris covered and the Avio debris free glaciers, covering 2.14 km² in the Adamello Group, where the widest Italian glacier Adamello is located. First, degree-day models based upon air temperature are tuned to calculate snow and ice melt at daily scale. Glaciers’ meteorological data are collected from an automatic weather station (AWS), operating on the glacier during summer 2007. The melt factors in the debris covered areas of the glacier are estimated against debris thickness, using a data driven parameterization. The flow discharge from the catchment is estimated using semi distributed flow routing for the ablation seasons of four years, from 2006 to 2009. The predicted discharges are compared to those derived from inverse reservoir's routing at the Benedetto lake, catching the basin outflow. The proposed approach is valuable as a tool to investigate the hydrology of poorly gauged glacierized areas, including those with debris covered ice, widely diffused and yet poorly understood. Pending accurate parameterization the approach is usable for water resources evaluation and for long term assessment of the climate change impact on the glacierized areas within the Alps.     

2004年以来青海湖快速扩张对人居设施与草地的潜在影响

作为我国最大的内陆咸水湖,青海湖是青藏高原东北部重要水汽源,在维持区域生态环境及半干旱生态系统功能方面发挥着重要作用.近年来,青海湖水位迅速上升,但是湖泊扩张对周边人居设施与草地的影响尚未得到广泛关注和报道.基于1995-2019年Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI遥感影像、Hydroweb多源测高同化水位数据、SRTM-1 DEM数据等,本研究以青海湖近年来增长速率情景开展湖泊快速扩张对周边人居设施(道路、居民点)与草地影响和潜在威胁的定量研究.结果表明:1995-2004年期间青海湖处于萎缩态势,2004年水位和面积出现最小值,之后,青海湖进入稳定扩张期.2004-2019年期间,青海湖水位累计上涨3.27 m,年均增长率约为0.22 m/a;相应地,青海湖水量增长了14.25 km³,年均增长率为0.95 km³/a.湖泊扩张模拟结果显示,若青海湖水量以当前速率增长,水位将在2070年前后达到3207 m(相对2019年约10 m的水位涨幅),届时将会淹没178个居民点、长度约为1286.91 km的道路以及2042.22 km²的植被,其中预测的高风险区域主要为切吉乡、泉吉乡和金滩乡.该研究有望为青海湖快速扩张对当地居民的影响和潜在威胁提供重要的科学参考,并在气候变化背景下为制定缓解气候变化风险的预案提供科学依据.     

近40 a西藏那曲当惹雍错湖泊面积变化遥感分析

西藏著名圣湖之一的当惹雍错,是藏北高原腹地内陆封闭大湖,对湖泊面积变化的长时间序列研究较少,本文通过高分辨率陆地资源卫星Landsat TM/ETM+数据源,利用遥感和地理信息系统软件,通过人工目视解译方法对1977-2014年当惹雍错湖泊面积变化进行系统分析,并结合流域临近气象站资料,流域冰川等辅助数据对其湖泊面积变化原因进行综合分析.结果表明,1977-2014年当惹雍错湖泊平均面积为835.75 km~2,1977-2014年湖泊面积总体呈上升趋势,1970s湖泊平均面积为829.15 km~2,1980s和1990s湖泊平均面积分别为827.50和826.42 km~2,2000年之后湖泊面积明显增加,2000s湖泊平均面积与1970s相比,增幅为8.04 km~2.当惹雍错湖泊空间变化特点是,位于最大河流入口处达尔果藏布的湖泊东南部扩大明显,湖泊西南部小湖1于2014年9月开始明显扩大并与当惹雍错有相连趋势;流域冰川融水是当惹雍错主要补给源,近40 a当惹雍错湖泊面积变化是在气温升高的背景下,冰川、降水量和蒸发量三者共同变化作用的结果.     

1975-2013年西藏佩枯错湖面变化及分析

根据1975年地形图、1970s末至2013年19期Landsat（MSS、TM、ETM⁺）陆地资源卫星和20032009年ICESat卫星数据,以及近40年气象资料,对西藏佩枯错湖泊面积变化进行分析.结果表明,湖泊面积、湖泊高度变化波动较大,均呈减少和退缩趋势.19752013年间湖泊面积减少10.68 km²,减幅为3.79%.从空间动态变化来看,变化较明显的区域位于该湖的南岸和东北岸,南岸、东北岸湖岸线分别向北、向西南萎缩.20032009年湖面高度和湖泊面积均呈现出下降趋势,分别下降了0.17 m和4.4 km².19992013年之间对该流域湖泊有影响的冰川变化分析显示,冰川呈现出退缩、面积减少趋势.数据显示冰川面积总共减少了17.17 km²,减少率为7.91%.自1971年以来,流域气温总体呈上升趋势,2000年以后升温显著.佩枯错43 a来降水量年际变化波动较大,年降水量呈减少趋势,总的来说降水量每10 a减少6.99 mm.虽然佩枯错属于降水和冰雪融水补给湖泊,但该流域湖面增减与周围冰川变化的关系并不明显,与温度变化呈负相关,而与流域内降水量呈正相关.综合分析表明,佩枯错流域湖泊变化与冰川退缩关系不密切,降水量是湖泊变化的主要原因.     

人类活动对青海湖水位下降的影响

青海湖是我国最大的内陆湖泊,位于青藏高原的东北隅。近三十年来由于自然要素和人为活动的影响,湖周生态环境急剧退化,湖水位下降达3.35m,湖面收缩约300多km~2。根据调查研究以及其他方面的资料。青海湖多年平均亏水量4.36×10~8m~3,而人为活动耗水量占亏水量的8.7％。仅占湖面蒸发量的1％。所以,人为耗水与湖水位波动无明显相关,湖水位下降虽然是综合效应,但主导因素是气候变化,并导致湖周生态环境的恶化。