Analysis of seasonal snowmelt contribution using a distributed energy balance model for a river basin in the Altai Mountains of northwestern China

Snowmelt water is a vital freshwater resource in the Altai Mountains of northwestern China. Yet its seasonal hydrological cycle characteristics could change under a warming climate and more rapid spring snowmelt. Here, we simulated snowmelt runoff dynamics in the Kayiertesi River catchment, from 2000 to 2016, by using an improved hydrological distribution model that relied on high-resolution meteorological data acquired from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (Fnl-NCEP) that were downscaled using the Weather Research Forecasting model. Its predictions were compared to observed runoff data, which confirmed the simulations' reliability. Our results show the model performed well, in general, given its daily validation Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) of 0.62 (from 2013 to 2015) and a monthly NSE score of 0.68 (from 2000 to 2010) for the studied river basin of the Altai Mountains. In this river basin catchment, snowfall accounted for 64.1% of its precipitation and snow evaporation for 49.8% of its total evaporation, while snowmelt runoff constituted 29.3% of the annual runoff volume. Snowmelt's contribution to runoff in the Altai Mountains can extend into non-snow days because of the snowmelt water retained in soils. From 2000 to 2016, the snow-to-rain ratio decreased rapidly, however, the snowmelt contribution remained relatively stable in the study region. Our findings provide a sound basis for making snowmelt runoff predictions, which could be used prevent snowmelt-induced flooding, as well as a generalizable approach applicable to other remote, high-elevation locations where high-density, long-term observational data are currently lacking. How snowmelt contributes to water dynamics and resources in cold regions is garnering greater attention. Our proposed model is thus timely perhaps, enabling more comprehensive assessments of snowmelt contributions to hydrological processes in those alpine regions characterized by seasonal snow cover.     

阿尔泰山南缘克兰盆地主要铅锌矿地质及成矿流体特征

克兰盆地是阿尔泰山南缘最大的火山沉积盆地,位于阿尔泰南部增生造山带的弧后盆地内.该盆地内矿床多为喷流沉积改造型铅锌矿床,它们具有相似的成因,且形成于同一时期,研究表明这些矿床也具有相似的流体包裹体特征、均一温度及组成.成矿流体物理化学条件的改变对成矿有重要意义.     

Chemical Characteristics of Snow-Firn Pack in Altai Mountains and Its Environmental Significance

In order to study the chemical characteristics of snow-firn pack in Altai Mountains and its environmental significance, a 1.5-m deep snow-firn pack was dug in the accumulation zone (3 300 m a.s.l.) of the Kanas Glacier in August 2009. A total of 15 samples were analyzed for major ions. Results show that the concentrations of major ions in the snow-firn pack are NH4+>SO42->Ca2+>NO3-> Na+>Cl->K+>Mg2+. NH4+ is the dominant cation with a medium value of 4.7 ueq·L-1, accounting for 39.8% of the total cations, an...     

Postglacial environmental change in the valley of Malye Chily River (the basin of Lake Teletskoye), northeastern Russian Altai

The evolution and current state of landscapes around Lake Teletskoye have not previously been studied in detail. In the valley of the Malye Chily River, which flows into Lake Teletskoye, the timing of dam failure and draining of two moraine-dammed lakes has been identified. Botanical analysis, ash content determination, and radiocarbon dating of two peat profiles provide insight into postglacial evolution of wetlands related to this landscape. We found clear evidence of the disappearance from the peat of higher vascular species that, today, grows mostly in the plains of Siberia. Correlation of the data obtained with the accepted chronology of the Holocene events in the Russian Altai suggests the following stages of postglacial environmental change in the Malye Chily River valley: (1) the continuation of the Late Würm glaciation degradation (before 7000?cal. yr BP); (2) Holocene Climate Optimum (7000–5000?cal. yr BP); (3) Akkem cooling (5000–4200?cal. yr BP); (4) warm period (4200–3700?cal. yr BP); and (5) Historical cooling (3700–1600?cal. yr BP).     

阿尔泰山中部树轮宽度年表特征及其气候响应

利用阿尔泰山中部地区3个采样点的树轮宽度资料,建立年表,对比3个树轮宽度标准化年表（STD）相关特征参数及年表与气候的响应,结果表明：大东沟（DDG）年表和二道房子（EDF）年表的平均敏感度和信噪比等参数均较大,表明2个年表含有较丰富的气候信息。2个年表的显著性水平达到0.01的自相关大多在4阶以内,表明气候对阿尔泰山中部树轮宽度生长的影响主要表现在当年及其后的3 a,其＂滞后效应＂较明显。位于阿尔泰山中部森林中下部林缘的大东沟树轮宽度年表（DDG）与上年11月-当年4月的降水量有显著的正相关（r=0.503,p〈0.001）;而位于阿尔泰山中部森林上树线附近的哈依萨萨依树轮宽度年表（HYS）对当年6-7月的月平均最低气温有明显的正相关（r=0.462,p〈0.001）,但同时与当年1月的降水有很好的响应。     

阿尔泰山历史时期气候水文变化特征分析

通过分析总结在中国阿尔泰山区域已取得的树轮气候学和树轮水文学研究成果,选取了5条气温重建序列,3条降水重建序列和2条径流量重建序列,对各序列在全频域、低频域和高频域的相关系数、序列的阶段变化、极值年份、周期等特征展开了讨论和对比,并对阿尔泰山气候的年代际变化进行了分析。结果表明：（1）目前在阿尔泰山开展的气温重建中,重建时段均在树木生长季内,5条气温重建序列显示在1690年代-1700年代、1730年代、1780年代-1790年代为偏冷时期,1710年代-1720年代、1800年代-1830年代、1940年代-1960年代及1990年代以来为偏暖时期。有3条序列指示1830年为暖年,1698年、1784年、1911年、1985-1986年为冷年。（2）3条降水重建序列显示,1830年代-1860年代经历了一段降水量相对平稳的时期,1870年代-1900年代为持续时间最长的干旱时期,1900年为干旱年。（3）2条径流量重建序列显示,1730年代和1810年代-1820年代为丰水期,1750年代和1870年代-1890年代为枯水期,降水量对哈巴河径流量有较大影响。（4）年代际气候变化分析显示,阿尔泰山在1830年代-1990年代以暖干为主,1990年代以后进入了暖湿时期。     

Geochronological and geochemical study of mafic dykes from the northwest Chinese Altai: Implications for petrogenesis and tectonic evolution

Fifteen zircons separated from a mafic dyke in the Chinese Altai give a concordant age population with a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 375.5 ± 4.8 Ma, suggesting a Devonian emplacement. On the basis of their mineralogical compositions and textures, the coeval dykes can be divided into gabbroic and doleritic types. They are both sub-alkaline, tholeiitic, characterized by similarly low SiO₂ contents (45.2–52.7 wt.%) and total alkaline (K₂O + Na₂O = 0.99–4.93 wt.%). Rare earth element patterns of the gabbroic dykes are similar to N-MORB (La/Yb_N = 0.86–1.1), together with their high ε_Nd(t) values (+ 7.6 to + 8.1), indicating that their precursor magma was mainly derived from a N-MORB-type depleted asthenospheric mantle. While the REE patterns of the doleritic dykes resemble that of E-MORB (La/Yb_N = 1.12–2.28), enriched in LILEs and strongly depleted in HFSEs, with relative low ε_Nd(t) values (+ 3.4 to + 5.4) and high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7057–0.7060). The zircon Hf isotopic analysis of the doleritic dykes give ε_Hf(t) values from + 10.7 to + 13.8. These signatures suggest that a depleted mantle wedge metasomatized by slab-derived fluids and/or melts was possibly involved in the generation of the doleritic magma. The refractory peridotite may have been melted with variable degrees caused by upwelling of the hot asthenosphere. The petrogenesis of the mafic dykes suggest a high heat flux as a result of upwelling of the hot asthenosphere and the contrast geochemical signatures can be interpreted by a ridge subduction, which could be an important tectonic control in the accretionary process of the Chinese Altai.     

新疆阿巴宫-蒙库地区线性构造与铁矿产分布关系初探

新疆阿勒泰地区(阿巴宫-蒙库)铁成矿带,在空间上位于阿尔泰陆缘火山岛弧带,铁矿床(点)受NW向断裂构造控制.文章利用遥感图像解译成果来讨论线性构造与铁矿的关系,结合野外地质工作认识,探讨铁矿成因类型和找矿前景.     

Transition of metamorphic series from the Kyanite- to andalusite-types in the Altai orogen, Xinjiang, China: Evidence from petrography and calculated KMnFMASH and KFMASH phase relations

Metamorphic zones in the Chinese Altai orogen have previously been separated into the kyanite- and andalusite-types, the andalusite-type being spatially more extensive. The kyanite-type involves a zonal sequence of biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite and, locally, garnet–cordierite zones. The andalusite-type zonal sequence is similar: it includes biotite, garnet and staurolite zones at lower-T conditions and sillimanite and garnet–cordierite zones at higher-T conditions, but additionally contains staurolite–andalusite and andalusite–sillimanite zones at intermediate-T conditions. As relic kyanite-bearing assemblages commonly persist in the staurolite–andalusite, andalusite–sillimanite and sillimanite zones, it is not clear that the distinction is valid. On the basis of a reevaluation of phase relations modelled in KMnFMASH and KFMASH pseudosections, kyanite and andalusite-bearing rocks of the Chinese Altai orogen record, respectively, the typical burial and exhumation history of the terrane. Mineral assemblages distributed through the various zones reflect a mix of portions of the ambient P–T array and the effects of evolving P–T conditions. The comparatively low-T biotite, garnet and staurolite zones mostly preserve kyanite-type peak assemblages that only experienced minor changes during exhumation. Rocks in the comparatively high-T sillimanite and garnet–cordierite zones are dominated by mineral assemblages of a transitional sillimanite type, having formed by the extensive modification of earlier higher pressure assemblages during exhumation. Only rocks in the intermediate-T kyanite and probably some lower sillimanite zones were clearly recrystallized by late stage andalusite metamorphism, producing the staurolite–andalusite and andalusite–sillimanite zones. This andalusite metamorphism could not reach an equilibrium state because of limited fluid availability.     

Luminescence chronology of fluvial and aeolian deposits in the Russian Altai (Southern Siberia)

Geomorphological investigations in the Russian Altai Mountains provide evidence for the extent and timing of Late Quaternary glaciations and aeolian sediments. Infrared optically stimulated luminescence (IR-OSL) and thermoluminescence (TL) dating of aeolian sediments from the central part of the Russian Altai were carried out on silty and sandy sediments that cover fluvial and glacio-fluvial terraces. Most samples from loess, loess-like sediments and sandy loess taken from different terrace sequences within the Altai Mountains provide IRSL ages suggesting a main aeolian deposition period between 25 and 15 ka. These data are consistent with those from the adjacent Mongolian Altai. Sand and silt layers within moraines yielded IRSL age estimates between 22 and 19 ka and correlate to the ice margins of the Last Glacial Maximum. Aeolian dune sands overlying or neighbouring the loess-like sediments and the fluvial terraces at some places provide evidence for Late Glacial (around 15 ka) and Early Holocene (around 9 ka) aeolian activity. The youngest sand sheets gave deposition ages of about 1.5 ka. These sediments covered graves and are related to overgrazing. They provide evidence for the significant human impact on the environment. Fluvial sediments, including silt and sandy gravel intermingled with charcoal, yielded contradicting radiocarbon and luminescence ages. IRSL age estimates obtained for the silty layers range from 19 to 18 ka and are significantly older than the radiocarbon ages, which gave sub-recent ages between 1170 and 910 BP. These data indicate fluvial sedimentation of debris and mudflows in a period of deforestation and strong soil erosion related to mining activities during the 9th and 10th century.