Temperature variation and its driving forces over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 250 years

By comparing the oxygen isotopic temperatures recorded by many shallow ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica, this paper presents the special characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions in the past 50 years, 150 years and 250 years. In the past 50 years, the isotopic temperatures recorded in the ice cores over different sites on the Antarctic coastal regions differ greatly. For instance, although increasing isotopic temperatures have been reported for many sites studied, many sites show decreasing trends, the regional regularity in temperature variations is still insignificant. In the past 150 years, the isotopic temperature trends in the coastal regions of Antarctica show an alternate-distributing pattern. In the past 250 years, all the ice cores from the coastal regions of Antarctica have recorded the so-called Little Ice Age (LIA). The above-mentioned spatial characteristics of the temperature variations over the Antarctic coastal regions are likely to reflect the impacts of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave (ACW) and the special terrain (such as the large drainage basins) on the coastal regions of Antarctica. Furthermore, the impacting intensity of the unique Southern Hemisphere atmospheric circulation, the Antarctic Circumpolar Wave and the special terrain differs in terms of the temporal scale of the temperature change.     

南极冰盖边缘近250年来气温变化的地域分布特征

通过对南极冰盖边缘17支浅冰芯氧同位素的对比研究,揭示了整个南极冰盖边缘近50年来、150年来和250年来气温变化的地域分布特征。近50年来,南极冰盖边缘的氧同位素温度有的呈现上升趋势,有的呈现下降趋势,但气温变化的地域规律性不强;近150年来,南极冰盖边缘的同位素温度的升高和降低趋势大致呈现出一种交替分布的态势;近250年来,南极冰盖边缘所有的氧同位素温度都记录了小冰期的降温事件。气温的这种地域分布特征可能是南大洋独特的环流形式--环南极波 (ACW) --在特殊地形 (如大的冰盆) 影响下,在南极冰盖边缘的表现形式,并且随着时间尺度的不同,南大洋独特的环流形式 、ACW和地形的影响强度各异。     

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.     

南极冰盖SO_4~(2-)浓度记录研究进展

本文综述了南极冰盖雪冰中SO2 -4 的来源、SO2 -4 浓度记录的时空分布特征 ,特别对nss SO2 -4 记录的火山活动事件进行了概括与总结 ,反映了近年来南极雪冰中SO2 -4 记录的最新研究进展。南极冰盖雪冰中SO2 -4 来源的综述表明南极地区雪冰中的SO2 -4 主要来源于海盐、海洋生物和火山喷发三种。很多研究表明 ,用南极冰芯中记录的nssSO2 -4 可以恢复火山活动的历史 ,虽然对同一次火山活动 ,在取自南极不同地区的冰芯中 ,其浓度和沉积通量大不一样 ,然而 ,各次火山活动引起的硫酸根离子的沉积通量相对于Tambora火山的沉积通量的百分比在不同冰芯中却经常具有可比性 ,这使得利用冰芯中nssSO2 -4 的沉积通量推算历史时期火山喷发的强度成为可能     

南极伊利莎白公主地250年来海、陆盐离子浓度特征

中国首次南极内陆冰盖考察获得的50m冰芯的雪冰化学资料研究表明:南极伊利莎白公主地海盐离子浓度季节变化特征明显,为冰芯定年提供了可靠的依据。伊利莎白公主地雪冰中Cl^-、Na⁺和Mg²⁺等海盐离子浓度与南极冰盖其它地方相当,而Ca²⁺含量异常的高,可能与局地较强的陆地源有关。近150年来,伊利莎白公主地海盐离子浓度具有明显升高的趋势,可能是整个南半球100多年来升温的结果。     

Lambert冰川流域东西两侧气候环境变化

1992~1993年,中国科学家参加了澳大利亚南极考察队对Lambert冰川流域西侧的考察,1996起,中国南极考察队对Lambert流域东侧进行了多次考察。本文基于以上考察的研究成果,对Lambert冰川流域东西两侧气候环境变化特征进行了对比研究。结果表明：Lambert冰川两侧无论是降水还是温度,在几十年时间尺度上其变化趋势都存在着明显差异,Lambert冰川东西两侧从海岸向内陆近500 km断面上表面积累速率的分布截然不同,同时,Lambert冰川东西两侧的δ¹⁸O随温度的变化率 (又简称δ－温度梯度) 差别也很大,另外,反映水汽输送强度的海盐离子浓度近50年来的变化趋势相反。以上证据表明,Lambert冰川谷地可能是东南极洲一条重要的气候界线,其原因可能是特殊的局地环流 (顺时针的气旋活动) 导致不同的水汽来源,再加上局部地形的影响所致。     

The concentration variation features of sea salt ions and non sea salt ions in a firn core recovered from Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica

A 51.85 m firn core drilled in Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica, during the 1996-1997 Chinese First Antarctic Inland Expedition, has been measured for δ 18 O and major ions. Based on the high quality data of the seasonal variations of major ions, the firn core was dated with errors within ±3 years. The 51.85 m firn core record extends for 251 years (A. D. 1745-1996). The results of the glaciochemistry data of the firn core show that the mean concentrations of Cl -, Na + and Mg 2+ are similar to those reported from other coastal areas in East Antarctica. However, mean concentrations of Ca 2+ are much higher than those reported from other regions, this anomaly phenomenon may be related to the strong local terrestrial sources. It is found that the variations of three kinds of sea salt ions (Cl -, Na + and Mg 2+ ) in the past 150 years show very similarly rising trends, which may be the results the Southern Hemisphere warming in the past century.     

南半球环状模与南极冰芯中气候信息关联研究综述

冰芯作为气候环境信息的良好载体,在研究过去大气环流异常中具有其他气候代用指标难以比拟的优势。本文重点综述了南极冰芯气候记录与南半球环状模(SAM-Southern Annular Mode)的关联特征:SAM与冰芯记录为同期变化,冰芯中NO-3、海盐组分(以Na+为代表)和水同位素比值δ18O同SAM指数具有较好的关联性;冰芯中SO2-4和MSA同SAM存在一定的关联,但相关性不显著;西南极冰芯记录的积累率同SAM具有较强的关联。需要说明的是,冰芯中各参数与SAM的相关性存在较大的空间差异。     

2005年北极冰川首期GPS监测

2005年7月至8月,中国北极黄河站第二次科学考察期间,科考队员针对黄河站附近首次队踏勘选定的两条典型冰川(AustreLov啨nbreen和Pedersenbreen),开展了以监测冰川物质平衡和冰川运动为主要内容的研究课题。本文分析了利用差分GPS进行北极冰川运动监测的可行性和优越性;初步处理了首期GPS监测的数据,并进行了精度分析,得出了较为满意的结果;针对北极冰川特殊的地理环境,探讨了在北极冰川上进行GPS测量应该注意的问题。     

南极冰盖SO_4~(2-)浓度记录研究进展

本文综述了南极冰盖雪冰中SO2 -4 的来源、SO2 -4 浓度记录的时空分布特征 ,特别对nss SO2 -4 记录的火山活动事件进行了概括与总结 ,反映了近年来南极雪冰中SO2 -4 记录的最新研究进展。南极冰盖雪冰中SO2 -4 来源的综述表明南极地区雪冰中的SO2 -4 主要来源于海盐、海洋生物和火山喷发三种。很多研究表明 ,用南极冰芯中记录的nssSO2 -4 可以恢复火山活动的历史 ,虽然对同一次火山活动 ,在取自南极不同地区的冰芯中 ,其浓度和沉积通量大不一样 ,然而 ,各次火山活动引起的硫酸根离子的沉积通量相对于Tambora火山的沉积通量的百分比在不同冰芯中却经常具有可比性 ,这使得利用冰芯中nssSO2 -4 的沉积通量推算历史时期火山喷发的强度成为可能     

南极伊利莎白公主地250年来雪芯累积、氧同位素与化学研究

1Introduction In the ongoing discussion of climate change,the mass balance of Antarctica has received increasing attention during recent decades,since its reaction to global warming will strongly influence sea-level change(Schlosser and Oerter,2002).Many …     

Spatial-temporal characters of Antarctic sea ice variation

Using sea ice concentration dataset covering the period of 1968-2002 obtained from the Hadley Center of UK, this paper investigates characters of Antarctic sea ice variations .The finding demonstrates that the change of mean sea-ice extent is almost consistent with that of sea-ice area, so sea-ice extent can be chosen to go on this research. The maximum and the minimum of Antarctic sea ice appear in September and February respectively. The maximum and the maximal variation of sea ice appear in Weddell Sea and Ross Sea, while the minimum and the minimal variation of sea-ice appear in Antarctic Peninsula. In recent 35 years, as a whole, Antarctic sea ice decreased distinctly. Moreover, there are 5 subdivision characteristic regions considering their different variations. Hereinto, the sea-ice extent of Weddell Sea and Ross Sea regions extends and area increases, while the sea-ice extent of the other three regions contracts and area decreases. They are all of obvious 2-4 years and 5-7 years significant oscillation periods. It is of significance for further understanding the sea-ice-air interaction in Antarctica region and discussing the relationship between sea-ice variation and atmospheric circulation.     

Meltwater production in Antarctic blue-ice areas: sensitivity to changes in atmospheric forcing

In the near coastal regions of Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, below-surface ice-melt in blue-ice areas has been observed. The low scattering coefficients of the large-grained blue-ice allow penetration of solar radiation, thus providing an energy source below the ice surface. The sub-surface meltwater is significant enough to show up on remote-sensing imagery in the form of ice-covered lakes. Adjacent snow-accumulation areas have much higher scattering coefficients and consequently limit solar radiation penetration in these regions. These snow and ice surfaces are generally below freezing, and little surface melting occurs. To assess the response of these melt features to changes in atmospheric forcings such as cloudiness, air temperature, and snow accumulation, a physically-based model of the coupled atmosphere, radiation, snow, and blue-ice system has been developed. The model consists of a heat transfer equation with a spectrally-dependent solar-radiation source term. The penetration of radiation into the snow and blue-ice depends on the surface albedo, and the snow and blue-ice grain size and density. Model simulations show that ice melt occurring in this area is sensitive to potential variations in atmospheric forcing. Under certain conditions more traditional surface melting occurs and, under other conditions, the existing melt processes can be shut down completely. In light of the sensitivity of this system to variations in atmospheric forcing, and the ability to view melt-related features using remote sensing, a tool exists to efficiently monitor variations in Antarctic coastal climate.     

250 years of accumulation, oxygen isotope and chemical records in a firn core from Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica

A 51.85-m firn core collected from site DT001 (accumulation rate 127 kgm-2a-1, mean annual temperature -33.1 oC) on Princess Elizabeth Land, East Antarctica, during the 1996-97 Chinese First Antarctic Inland Expedition has been analyzed for chemical composition and oxygen isotope ratio. A comparison between the seasonal variations of major ions was carried out in order to reduce the dating uncertainty, using the volcanic markers as time constrains. A deposition period of 251 years was determined. The calculated accumulation rates display an increasing trend before 1820, while after 1820, the trend of the accumulation is not obvious. Overall, temperature change in the region shows a slight increasing trend over the past 250 years. But, notably, a temperature decline of -2 oC is observed from 1860 to the present. This feature, at odds with the warming trend over the past century recorded in both hemispheres, likely reflects a regional characteristic related to the lack of a high latitude/low latitude link in the Southern Hemisphere circulation patterns. The results of the glaciochemical records of the firn core show that the mean concentrations of Cl-, Na+ and Mg2+ are similar to those reported from other sites in East Antarctica. However, the mean concentration of Ca2+ is much higher than that reported from other regions, suggesting the influence of the strong local terrestrial sources in Princess Elizabeth Land. There is no evidence of a positive correlation between NO3- concentrations and solar activity (11-year solar cycle and solar cycle length), although solar proton events may account for some of the NO3- peak values in the record.     

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。     

A hindcast simulation of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice variability, 1955–2001

A hindcast simulation of the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice variability during 1955-2001 has been performed with a global, coarse resolution ice-ocean model driven by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis daily surface air temperatures and winds. Both the mean state and variability of the ice packs over the satellite observing period are reasonably well reproduced by the model. Over the 47-year period, the simulated ice area (defined as the total ice-covered oceanic area) in each hemisphere experiences large decadal variability together with a decreasing trend of Ø1% per decade. In the Southern Hemisphere, this trend is mostly caused by an abrupt retreat of the ice cover during the second half of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. The modelled ice volume also exhibits pronounced decadal variability, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Besides these fluctuations, we detected a downward trend in Arctic ice volume of 1.8% per decade and an upward trend in Antarctic ice volume of 1.5% per decade. However, caution must be exercised when interpreting these trends because of the shortness of the simulation and the strong decadal variations. Furthermore, sensitivity experiments have revealed that the trend in Antarctic ice volume is model-dependent.     

南极海冰的时空变化特征

依据Hadley中心提供的全球海冰密集度格点资料 ,利用诊断分析方法 ,对近 35年来南极海冰的时空变化特征进行了研究。研究表明 ,在南极地区 ,海冰平均北界和海冰总面积的变化基本一致 ,可以用海冰北界来研究南极海冰的时空变化特征。南极海冰最多和最少期分别出现在 9月和 2月 ;威德尔海和罗斯海地区海冰最多、变化最大 ,南极半岛地区海冰最少 ,变化也小 ;近 35年来环南极地区的海冰有明显的减少趋势。南极海冰变化的时空多样性十分明显 ,存在着 5个变化不同的区域 ,其中有两个区域近 35年来海冰范围扩大 ,面积增加 ,而另三个区域则海冰范围缩小 ,面积减少。不同区域的海冰都存在着较明显的 2- 3年和 5- 7年主振荡周期。南极海冰时空变化特征的研究对进一步认识南极地区海 冰 气相互作用的物理过程 ,讨论南极海冰变异与大气环流和天气气候的关系有重要意义     

The spatial and seasonal distributions of air-transport origins to the Antarctic based on 5-day backward trajectory analysis

Transport of moisture-bearing air to the Antarctic is one of the important factors that control the mass balance of the ice sheet. Here, we investigate the distribution of air-parcel transport using a backward trajectory analysis over the entire Antarctic ice sheet, based on whether the air parcel was located inside or outside of Antarctica at 5 days before arrival. At this time, we considered the air from outside Antarctica to be moisture rich. Oceanic air was found to dominate in West Antarctica throughout the year, whereas air from inland was more prominently distributed around East Antarctica, especially in summer. In East Antarctica, there was a significant seasonal variation: air from inland dominated in summer, while air of oceanic origin dominated in winter. The distribution of air parcels that came from oceanic/inland sources was similar to the accumulation map (based on satellite data), which indicates that oceanic air parcels could be a substitute for moisture transport to the Antarctic. To determine the future impacts of climate change (e.g., sea level rise), more precise predictions of the variations in the surface mass balance will be required. Our results contribute towards the improved understanding of the spatial distributions of accumulation and aerosols found in Antarctic snow and ice cores.     

Spatial Sciences on Ice: 50 years of Australian activities on the Amery Ice Shelf,East Antarctica

The Antarctic climate system involves many complex interactions between the atmosphere, oceans and ice and is sensitive to variations in these components. Ice shelves represent the ice–ocean–atmosphere interface of the Antarctic continent and are therefore very important indicators of climate change in the region. The Amery Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf in East Antarctica and has been the focus of many scientific research projects over the past 50 years. This paper presents a history of the use of spatial science techniques from basic survey equipment to satellite systems in Australian research projects based on the Amery Ice Shelf (and surrounding glaciers) since 1955. The application of these spatial data to projects based primarily in the fields of geodesy, glaciology, climatology, and oceanography has allowed the measurement and monitoring of the physical, dynamic and environmental characteristics of this large and remote region. This new information provides scientists with a better understanding of the ice shelf/ocean/atmosphere system allowing future monitoring to observe the effects of global climate change.     

中国冰川研究进展

Glacier inventory compilation during the past 20 years and modifications of that for the Eastern Pamir and Banggong Lake indicate that there are 46,342 modern glaciers with a total area and volume of 59415 km^2 and 5601 km^3 respectively in China. These glaciers can be classified into maritime and continental (including sub-continental and extremely continental) types. Researches show that glaciers in China have been retreating since the Little Ice Age and the mass wastage was accelerated during the past 30 to 40 years. Being an important part of glaciological studies in China,ice core climatic and environmental studies on Tibetan Plateau and in the Antarctica have provided abundant, high resolution information about past climatic and environmental evolution over the Tibetan Plateau and Antarctica. Except for different parameters recorded in ice cores relating to climate and environment changes on Tibetan Plateau, records from ice cores extracted from different glaciers show that the discrepancies in climatic and environmental changes on the north and south parts of the plateau may be the consequence of different influencing effects from terrestrial and solar sources.Glaciological and meteorological phenomena imply that Lambert Glacier valley is an important boundary of climate in the east Antarctica, which is thought to be connected with cyclonic activities and Circum-polar Waves over the Antarctica.