Evaluating patterns of temporal glacier changes in Greater Himalayan Range,Jammu & Kashmir,India

To account for the variable response of the Himalayan glaciers towards climatic warming during the recent past, an attempt has been made in the present study to evaluate the changes in glacier area and shift in glacier snout position of selected glaciers in a part of the Greater Himalayan Range (GHR), Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), India. Multi-temporal satellite images of different years viz. 1975, 1989, 1992, 2001 and 2007 were used for mapping the boundaries of glaciers. Among the three observation periods (1975–1989/1992, 1989/1992–2001 and 2001–2007), during 1989/1992–2001 the majority of the glaciers exhibited considerable decrease in area. In contrast during 2001–2007, some glaciers exhibited increase in area indicating comparatively cooler climatic conditions as compared to the previous period. With reference to snout retreat, all the glaciers had a fluctuating trend of retreat during the observation periods although the retreat rate was higher during 1989/1992–2001 in some glaciers.     

Performance of Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) in predicting runoff in mid-Himalayan micro-watersheds with limited data / Performances de régressions par splines multiples et adaptives (MARS) pour la prévision d'écoulement au sein de micro-bassins versants Himalayens d'altitudes intermédiaires avec peu de données

Abstract

Steep topography and land-use transformations in Himalayan watersheds have a major impact on hydrological characteristics and flow regimes, and greatly affect the perenniality and sustainability of water resources in the region. To identify the appropriate conservation measures in a watershed properly, and, in particular, to augment flow during lean periods, accurate estimation of streamflow is essential. Due to the complexity of rainfall—runoff relationships in hilly watersheds and non-availability of reliable data, process-based models have limited applicability. In this study, data-driven models, based upon the Multiple Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) technique, were employed to predict streamflow (surface runoff, baseflow and total runoff) in three mid-Himalayan micro-watersheds. In addition, the effect of length of historical records on the performance of MARS models was critically evaluated. Though acceptable MARS models could be developed with a 2-year data set, their performance improved considerably with a 3-year data set. Various indicators of model performance, such as correlation coefficient, average deviation, average absolute deviation and modelling efficiency, showed significant improvement for simulation of surface runoff, baseflow and total flow. To further analyse the versatility and general applicability of the MARS approach, 2-year data sets were used to develop the model and test it on a third-year data set to assess its performance. The models simulated the surface runoff, baseflow and total flow reasonably well and can be reliably applied in ungauged small watersheds under identical agro-climatic settings.     

Physically-based distributed soil erosion and sediment yield model (DREAM) for simulating individual storm events

Abstract

A relatively simple process-oriented, physically-based distributed (PBD) hydrological model, the distributed runoff and erosion assessment model (DREAM), is described, and a validation study conducted in the semi-forested watershed of Pathri Rao, in the Garhwal Himalayas, India, is reported. DREAM takes account of watershed heterogeneity as reflected by land use, soil type, topography and rainfall, measured in the field or estimated through remote sensing, and generates estimates of runoff and sediment yield in spatial and temporal domains. The model is based on simultaneous solution of flow dynamics, based on kinematic wave theory, followed by solution of soil erosion dynamics. As the storm rainfall proceeds, the process of overland flow generation is dependent on the interception storage and infiltration rates. The components of the soil erosion model have been modified to provide better prediction of sediment flow rates and sediment yields. The validation study conducted to test the performance of the model in simulating soil erosion and sediment yield during different storm events monitored in the study watershed showed that the model outputs are satisfactory. Details of a sensitivity analysis, model calibration and the statistical evaluation of the results obtained are also presented and discussed. It is noteworthy that the distributed nature of the model combined with the use of geographical information system (GIS) techniques permits the computation and representation of the spatial distribution of sediment yield for simulated storm events, and a map of the spatial distribution of sediment yield for a simulated storm event is presented to highlight this capability.

Citation Ramsankaran, R., Kothyari, U.C., Ghosh, S.K., Malcherek, A., and Murugesan, K., 2013. Physically-based distributed soil erosion and sediment yield model (DREAM) for simulating individual storm events. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (4), 872–891.     

Petrology and zircon U–Pb dating of well‐preserved eclogites from the Thongmön area in central Himalaya and their tectonic implications

The discovery of eclogites is reported within the Great Himalayan Crystalline Complex in the Thongmön area, central Himalaya, and their metamorphic evolution is deciphered by petrographic studies, pseudosection modelling, and zircon dating. For the first time, omphacite has been found in the matrix of eclogites taken from a metamorphic mafic lens. Two groups of garnet have been identified in the Thongmön eclogites on the basis of major and rare earth elements and mineral inclusions. Core and intermediate sections of garnet represent Grt I, in which the major elements (Ca, Mg, and Fe) show a nearly homogenous distribution with little or weak zonation. This Grt I displays an almost flat chondrite‐normalized HREE pattern, and the main inclusions are amphibole, apatite, quartz, and abundant omphacite. Grt II, forms thin rims on large garnet grains, and is characterized by rim‐ward Ca decrease and Mg increase and MREE enrichment relative to HREE and LREE. No amphibole inclusions are found in Grt II, indicating the decomposition of amphibole contributed to its MREE enrichment. Two metamorphic stages, recorded by matrix minerals and inclusions in garnet and zircon, outline the burial of the Thongmön eclogites and progressive metamorphic processes to the pressure peak: (a) the assemblage of amphibole–garnet–omphacite–phengite–rutile–quartz, with the phengite interpreted as having been replaced by Bt+Pl symplectites, represents the prograde amphibole eclogite facies stage M1₍₁₎, (b) in the peak eclogite facies [stage M1₍₂₎], amphibole was lost and melting started. Based on the compositions of garnet and omphacite inclusions, M1₍₁₎ is constrained to 19–20 kbar and 640–660°C and M1₍₂₎ occurred at >21 kbar, >750°C, with appearance of melt and its entrapment in metamorphic zircon. SHRIMP U–Pb dating of zircon from two eclogite samples yielded consistent metamorphic ages of 16.7 ± 0.6 Ma and 17.1 ± 0.4 Ma respectively. The metamorphic zircon grew concurrently with Grt II in the peak eclogite facies. Thongmön eclogites characterized by the prograde metamorphism from amphibolite facies to eclogite facies were formed by the continuing continental subduction of Indian plate beneath the Euro‐Asian continent in the Miocene.     

西藏喜马拉雅成矿带错那洞超大型铍锡钨多金属矿床的发现及意义

经过地质调查工作在西藏喜马拉雅成矿带东段扎西康矿集区南部新识别出由花岗片麻岩、强变形片岩和弱变质板岩组成的错那洞大型片麻岩穹隆构造系统。穹隆核部侵入的淡色花岗岩主体为含电气石和石榴子石的二云母花岗岩,具多期侵入的特征,其中与成矿有关的中细粒电气石二云母花岗岩的锆石U-Pb年龄为(16.64±0.38)Ma。在岩体边部强变形的片岩带中新发现了环穹隆展布,层位稳定的矽卡岩带和厚大的铍多金属工业矿体。预查工作通过稀疏地表工程控制,证实铍达到超大型规模,共生的锡、钨达到大型矿床规模,揭示出西藏喜马拉雅成矿带除原有的铅锌、金锑等矿种外,铍锡钨多金属还具有巨大的找矿潜力。该首次发现和报道的超大型铍锡钨多金属矿床对再认识喜马拉雅成矿带新生代构造-岩浆演化与成矿作用,指导区域找矿具有重要的意义。     

喜马拉雅造山带东段错那地区高喜马拉雅结晶岩系的变质作用与构造意义

位于造山带核部的高喜马拉雅结晶岩系是由印度大陆俯冲到亚洲大陆之下经历变质作用的产物,是研究喜马拉雅造山带形成与演化过程的理想载体。本文对造山带东段错那地区高喜马拉雅结晶岩系上部构造层位的正片麻岩进行了岩石学、相平衡模拟,锆石与独居石U-Pb年代学研究。研究结果表明这些岩石的峰期矿物组合为石榴石+斜长石+钾长石+黑云母+白云母+石英+钛铁矿,保留有深熔作用的结构特征。岩石中的石榴石具有生长成分环带。相平衡模拟表明,岩石的峰期变质条件为710~750℃和9.0~10.5kbar,具有一个顺时针型变质作用P-T轨迹,其进变质过程以升温、升压和部分熔融为特征,退变质作用为降温、降压过程。锆石与独居石U-Pb定年表明,这些正片麻岩具有510~490Ma的原岩年龄,和27~11Ma的退变质时间。本研究表明高喜马拉雅结晶岩系的上部构造层位经历了高角闪岩相变质作用与部分熔融,为造山带的构造演化提供了重要信息。     

藏南帕里至达吉地带的上地壳结构特征──REFTEK顺带广角地震观测结果分析

本文主要介绍１９９２年中美喜马拉雅和青藏高原深剖面与综合研究项目第一阶段（ＩＮＤＥＰＴＨＩ－１）广角地震观测资料利用Ｓｅｉｓ８１程序（Ｃｅｒｖｅｎｙ，１９８１）进行二维解释所获得的帕里一达吉地带的上地壳结构特征。主要成果为：（１）前寒武结晶基底之顶界表现为Ｒ１界面。据本项目地质调查，藏南拆离系（ＳＴＤＳ）在帕里以北约１０ｋｍ处出露，向北缓倾并向地下延伸。认为Ｒ１界面不仅是结晶基底之顶界的反映，而且ＳＴＤ可能沿着Ｒ１界面展布，也即Ｒ１界面同时是一条沉积盖层和基底之间的拆离层。Ｒ１界面埋深３±０．６—１１±０．６ｋｍ。（２）上述拆离层在萨马达一达吉之间，以Ｒ１界面之上的负速度梯度楔状体（ＬＶＬ）为特征。ＬＶＬ可能是ＳＴＤＳ活动时拖带下沉的中生代特提斯沉积，或可能是含水破碎带。（３）在结晶基底内部存在第二条拆离带（ＬＶＺ），表现为Ｔ２反射波组。ＬＶＺ在帕里埋深８．５±０．６ｋｍ，向北陡倾，至萨马达为２２．５±０．６ｋｍ深；再向北，倾角变缓，至达吉之下，达２７±０．６ｋｍ深。ＬＶＺ在帕里─萨马达之间，厚仅０．５ｋｍ；至达吉，增厚至５ｋｍ；也具楔形负速度梯度带性质；它可能是花岗岩局部融熔体之反映...更多。（４）在萨马达─达吉。     

东喜马拉雅缺口的地质与地貌成因

东喜马拉雅缺口位于西藏东南部米林地区,平均海拔高度只有4500m,远远低于喜马拉雅山其它地段。我们的研究揭示,它的形成是由一条规模很大的,称之为米林韧性正断层的活动造成的。断层带的宽度至少有20km,大体倾向西,主要由眼球状糜棱岩组成,岩石中的拉伸线理以及眼球旋转的方式表明位于其东西两侧的高喜马拉雅深变质岩系和特提斯喜马拉雅中浅变质岩系之间发生过大规模的拆离运动,导致了东喜马拉雅构造结的最高峰——南迦巴瓦(7756m)的早期抬升以及特提斯喜马拉雅的重力垮塌。该断裂的南西端和藏南拆离系(STDS)相交,因此,它很可能是藏南拆离系的东翼断裂,同样形成于中新世。拆离构造的发生表明喜马拉雅山在中新世发生南北向构造缩短的同时还伴随着近东西向的拉伸。米林断裂的北东端和派区断裂相接。后者在中新世呈左旋剪切,构成东喜马拉雅挤入构造的西边界。米林断裂和上述两个断裂的衔接关系表明该断裂是一个协调高喜马拉雅和特提斯喜马拉雅之间斜向拆离运动的转换断层。     

喜马拉雅琼嘉岗超大型伟晶岩型锂矿的发现及意义

近年来，喜马拉雅新生代淡色花岗岩的"高度分离结晶、异地深成侵入"成因，及其具有良好的稀有金属成矿潜力而倍受关注。已有野外调查和资源勘查工作表明该花岗岩带可能成为我国稀有金属重要的战略储备基地。目前带内金属组合以铍-铌-钽（锡-钨）组合为主（如错那洞大型锡-钨-铍矿床），但尚未发现工业锂矿体的产出。本次工作在高喜马拉雅琼嘉岗地区发现了超大型伟晶岩型锂矿，并初步揭示该伟晶岩型锂矿的基本地质特征。琼嘉岗伟晶岩属于过铝质LCT型伟晶岩，稀有金属（REL）类REL-Li亚类钠长石-锂辉石型。含矿伟晶岩呈串珠状、囊状体产出在前寒武系肉切村群大理岩中，伟晶岩具有一定分带，目前主要包括细粒钠长石带、文象结构带、分层细晶岩带和块体微斜长石+锂辉石带，赋矿主体结构带为后两者。矿石矿物主要为锂辉石、铌铁矿-铌锰矿，以及少量锡石和绿柱石。59件样品中44件Li₂O含量在工业品位（0.80%）之上，平均1.30%。4条伟晶岩脉群资源量估算表明琼嘉岗锂资源可达超大型规模，琼嘉岗是喜马拉雅首例具有工业价值的伟晶岩型锂矿，其发现证实我国高喜马拉雅地区具有找寻大型-超大型花岗伟晶岩型锂（铍）矿的潜力。     

北喜马拉雅变质作用和花岗岩研究及其与高喜马拉雅结晶岩系的对比

沿北喜马拉雅(拉轨岗日山脉)分布一条变质-花岗岩带,其变质级别沿垂直于走向方向呈高低起伏变化,而不是单调递增或递减。花岗岩与围岩以和谐过渡为主,岩体不同部位的矿物、岩石成分均有相当程度的变化,熔融程度较低;而高喜马拉雅花岗岩是低共熔的结果。北喜马拉雅变质-花岗岩带与高喜马拉雅结晶岩相比,从变质作用到岩浆活动均有很大的相似性。本文认为,二者形成的构造环境相似,但时间上又有一定的差异。