Investigations on the Quaternary Glaciation in the Khumbu Himal (Nepal, East-Himalaya)

Based on geomorphological field work the mapping of former lateral/terminal moraines in the middle segment of the Bhotekoshi Nadi is quite similar to the geomorphological findings of Heuberger (1956: Fig. 2). The deductive calculation of the equilibrium line altitudes is oriented on the reconstructed types of former glaciers. Based on the geomorphological findings of this valley segment the relation of Neoglacial and Late Glacial ice margins of the glaciers of the tributary valleys of the Bhotekoshi Nadi is not conclusive. A post-late glacial maximum snow-line depression of at least 950 m has not obligatory caused an ice fill of the Bhotekoshi Nadi below 3200 m. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Key Layout of UK Marine Science and Technology Plans and Some Implications for China

In this paper, we have analysed the major marine research strategies, programs and projects and the overall layout on marine research of the United Kingdom in recent years and found several characteristics: The United Kingdom increased emphasis on the national top-level design of marine research; The marine research infrastructures of the United Kingdom will be given long-term support in the future; Priority areas on marine research in the future will be determine and identified according to the national science and technology status and national needs of national economy; The United Kingdom will focus on ocean acidification, marine renewable energy development and coastal hazards research in the future. Then we gave out some recommendations on our courtry’ development on marine science and technology: Establishing a long-term national marine science and technology strategic plan; strengthening the investment in the important marine research infrastructure; setting several reasonable research priorities according to China’s national strategic needs.     

Late Pleistocene sea-level oscillations (MIS 10–2) recorded in shallow marine and coastal plain sediments of the southern Wanganui Basin, New Zealand

The northern Wanganui Basin, New Zealand, is one of the key global sites for understanding marine cyclic sedimentation during the Quaternary. This paper presents the first evidence of marine cyclic sedimentation from its central-southern parts. Sedimentological, micropalaeontological and palynological analyses on a 280-m-deep borehole encountered units dating back to MIS 10. The sequence includes four marine cycles spanning MIS 9–5, which are overlain by terrestrial fluvial aggradation surfaces dating from MIS 4–2. Each marine unit represents a progressively shallowing depositional environment from the mid-shelf to coastal plain. This is overlain by a terrestrial sequence of lowstand fluvial terraces. Localized fault movements appear to have influenced the sedimentary character of the sequence during MIS 7a and 5e producing basement highs which provided protection to the shoreline. The cyclothems described in this paper now extend the already extensive, previously described record from MIS 17–10 to produce a combined eustatic record of Quaternary sea level change within the basin to MIS 5. They also provide an excellent example of the sedimentary response of a coastal basin to a progressive loss of sedimentation accommodation space.     

Paleoenvironmental records of water level and climatic changes from the middle to late Holocene at a Lake Erie coastal wetland, Ontario, Canada

Pollen and diatom assemblages, and peat stratigraphies, from a coastal wetland on the northern shore of Lake Erie were used to analyze water level and climatic changes since the middle Holocene and their effects on wetland plant communities. Peat deposition began 4700 cal yr B.P. during the Nipissing II transgression, which was driven by isostatic rebound. At that time, a diatom-rich wild rice marsh existed at the site. Water level dropped at the end of the Nipissing rise at least 2 m within 200 yr, leading to the development of shallower-water plant communities and an environment too dry for most diatoms to persist. The sharp decline in water level was probably driven primarily by outlet incision, but climate likely played some role. The paleoecological records provide evidence for post-Nipissing century-scale transgressions occurring around 2300, 1160, 700 and 450 cal yr B.P. The chronology for these transgressions correlates with other studies from the region and implies climatic forcing. Peat inception in shallow sloughs across part of the study area around 700 cal yr B.P. coincides with the Little Ice Age. These records, considered alongside others from the region, suggest that the Little Ice Age may have resulted in a wetter climate across the eastern Great Lakes region.     

Development of sediment–landform associations at cold glacier margins,Dry Valleys,Antarctica

The impact of modern cold glaciers on arid periglacial landscapes has received little attention compared with other glacial regimes, and there is a widely held assumption that cold glaciers are not effective geomorphological agents, despite recent studies to the contrary. This paper focuses on the processes operating at the margins of a number of glaciers in the Dry Valleys of Victoria Land, notably the Wright Lower Glacier. The glaciers are entraining primarily older drift deposits and highly weathered regolith which texturally are sandy gravels, as well as well‐sorted sands of fluvial origin. Despite basal temperatures of the order of ?16°C, frozen layers and blocks of sand and gravel are being incorporated into the base of the glaciers by folding and thrusting. The sedimentary products are ridges and aprons several metres high within which the principal lithofacies are sand, gravel, foliated glacier ice, lake ice and snow. These facies are glaciotectonized strongly. Draped over these landforms is a veneer of well‐sorted aeolian sand up to half a metre thick. Supraglacial streams flowing off the glaciers incise these landforms and the sediment is redeposited as alluvial fans, lake deltas and lake‐bottomset deposits. Overall the sediment/landform association differs markedly from those of other glacial regimes, with sand and gravel being the dominant facies, while the usual indicators of glacier working (such as facets and striations on clasts) are lacking. The preservation potential for these landforms on a thousand‐year time scale is high, as modification in this arid regime by slope processes and running water is limited. Sublimation of buried ice is so slow that ridge features are likely to remain ice‐cored almost indefinitely, modified only by wind transport and weathering.     

继承性宇生核素对暴露测年结果影响的定量分析方法探讨

宇生核素暴露测年过程中,通常假设在样品最后一次暴露前,样品中的宇生核素（继承性宇生核素）浓度为0。然而,大量的测年数据研究发现,样品的暴露年代结果会受到继承性核素的影响从而高估地貌的真实年代。因此,如何降低继承性核素对暴露年代结果的影响或者定量分析继承性核素的影响程度不仅可为地貌演化提供准确的年代数据,而且对宇生核素暴露测年技术的研究具有重要意义。因此,本文以宇生核素暴露测年技术在冰川地貌中应用为例,通过分析继承性核素的研究概况,并结合宇生核素暴露测年原理,探讨继承性核素对测年结果影响的定量分析方法。研究结果表明： ① 通过样品中 n ( 26 Al)/ n ( 10 Be) 值\[即同一样品中宇生核素Al 26 与Be 10 浓度（单位为atom/g）的比值\]以及同一地貌位置多个的样品年代数据分布情况可初步判断测年结果是否受到继承性核素的影响;② 通过现代冰川冰碛物中宇生核素的浓度可以定量分析继承性核素对暴露测年结果的影响; ③ 通过计算冰碛垄顶部和一定深度（＞2~3 m）样品的宇生核素浓度差,可以减少继承性核素的影响。本研究内容对冰川地貌宇生核素暴露测年具有重要意义。     

Relationship between pedogenetic manifestations in some arid soil and age of the landforms

Arid soils with slight variations in parent material, vegetation and climate were studied for their morphological, chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Results show that the soils are at different stages of profile development. Varying degrees of pedogenic features have been tied up with data on palaeoenvironment to develop a relationship between the soil and age of the landform. Studies reveal that Dune and Shergarh sandy soils with least degree of manifestation belong to early Holocene to latest Pleistocene, whereas Chirai sandy soil with weakly developed B horizon belongs to the upper Holocene. Soils (Khajwana and Gajsinghpura) with well-developed B horizon and a calcic layer with lime segregations belong to mid-Pleistocene whereas Pali and Pipar soils with illuvial clay in B horizon belong to early Pleistocene.     

基于生态工程的海岸带全球变化适应性防护策略

在全球变化导致的海平面上升和灾害性气候等压力下,我国海岸带风暴潮、海岸侵蚀、地面沉降等灾害发生频率和强度正在增加,对海岸防护体系的需求日益提高。传统海岸防护工程维护成本高,更新困难,而且可能造成地面沉降、水质恶化、生态退化、渔业资源衰退等后果。基于生态工程的海岸防护提供了抵御海岸带灾害的新理念。修复和重建沙滩、红树林、沼泽湿地、珊瑚礁等海岸带生态系统,可以起到消浪、蓄积泥沙、抬升地面的作用,有效应对全球变化引发的灾害风险,形成更可持续的海岸防护体系。通过分析不同海岸防护技术的优势和限制,认为以生态工程为核心理念构建和管理我国海岸防护体系,才能起到保障社会经济发展和维持生态健康的最佳效果。     

The Upper Devonian Kellwasser event recorded in a regressive sequence from inner shelf to lagoonal pond,Catalan Coastal Ranges,Spain

This study, conducted in the Catalan Coastal Ranges, north‐east Spain, describes the Upper Devonian Kellwasser event in a shallowing‐upward sequence of black shales, siltstones and quartz arenites. This sequence was deposited in a progradational and regressive coastal system where the sedimentary environment evolved from the inner shelf to a lagoonal pond located landward of the shoreline. Three anomalous succeeding steps have been identified by geochemical analysis. The first one, detected on the inner shelf, was characterized by oxygen depletion and high organic productivity. The second, detected in the nearshore, was caused by hydrothermal activity occurring under normal oxic conditions. The third and most intense step was identified in the muds of the lagoonal pond and has been linked to strong anoxic conditions, elevated clastic input derived from changes in the weathering regime at the source area and moderate hydrothermal activity. The Kellwasser event is thus defined in the study area as stepwise and multi‐causal. This is the first time that the Kellwasser event has been identified in a sedimentary environment behind the shoreline. It is also the first time that it has been reported in the Catalan Coastal Ranges.     

环境同位素特征对滨海岩溶地区海水入侵过程的指示意义

大连大魏家水源地位于中国北方典型滨海岩溶地区。近30年来,地下淡水的不合理开采造成的地下水位降落漏斗引发了严重的海水入侵。以大魏家水源地为研究对象,通过大量的水文地质调查和水化学及同位素采样测试分析,探讨海水入侵形成的水动力条件,通过分析滨海岩溶含水层中地下水主要水化学和多种同位素(δ2H-δ18O,δ34S,δ13C)组成特征,识别了海水入侵过程中发生的主要水文地球化学作用,并对其进行了定量模拟,从而阐明了岩溶含水层中的海水入侵机理。研究结果表明:大连大魏家海水入侵主要通道为大魏家地区存在的导水断裂、岩溶裂隙以及第四系松散地层。对δ2H-δ18O同位素的组成分析表明,研究区地下水主要来自大气降水补给,结合Cl-浓度分布,认为除海水入侵淡水含水层后增加了地下水中的盐分外,浅层地下水的蒸发也对地下水中盐分的累积起到了重要作用。根据不同水体中δ34SSO4,δ13CHCO3等同位素特征,结合水化学成分(如SO2-4,Cl-)分析认为,研究区微咸水和咸水并不是地下水淡水和海水简单混合而成。利用反向水文地球化学模拟揭示了控制滨海岩溶含水层中水化学演化的主要水文地球化学反应有方解石、蒙脱石和石膏的溶解作用,伊利石的沉淀作用以及Ca-Na离子交换作用,伴随着CO2的释放。