What controls dead-ice melting under different climate conditions? A discussion

In the geological record, hummocky dead-ice moraines represent the final product of the melt-out of dead-ice. Processes and rates of dead-ice melting in ice-cored moraines and at debris-covered glaciers are commonly believed to be governed by climate and debris-cover properties. Here, backwasting rates from 14 dead-ice areas are assessed in relation to mean annual air temperature, mean summer air temperature, mean annual precipitation, mean summer precipitation, and annual sum of positive degree days. The highest correlation was found between backwasting rate and mean annual air temperature. However, the correlation between melt rates and climate parameters is low, stressing that processes and topography play a major role in governing the rates of backwasting. The rates of backwasting from modern glacial environments should serve as input to de-icing models for ancient dead-ice areas in order to assess the mode and duration of deposition.A challenge for future explorations of dead-ice environments is to obtain long-term records of field-based monitoring of melt progression. Furthermore, many modern satellite-borne sensors have high potentials for recordings of multi-temporal Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) for detection and quantification of changes in dead-ice environments. In recent years, high-accuracy DEMs from airborne laser scanning altimetry (LiDAR) are emerging as an additional data source. However, time series of high-resolution aerial photographs remain essential for both visual inspection and high-resolution stereographic DEM production.     

Geomorphological hazards related to deep dissolution phenomena in the Western Italian Alps: Distribution, assessment and interaction with human activities

Deep dissolution affects great part of soluble rocks (e.g. gypsum and anhydrite) of the Western Italian Alps. The related superficial phenomena (sinkholes, gravity-induced processes and a local worsening of geomechanical rock properties) are not limited to typical karsts landscape and cause slope instability also affecting populated sites and infrastructures. The paper aims to describe general characteristic of dissolution phenomena, to interpret their conditioning factors and evolutionary stages and to assess possible hazards due to their superficial effects.The search for evidences of deep dissolution leads to the selection of representative sites in the central part of the Western Italian Alps (Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta Region). Detailed geological and geomorphological studies have been used to classify the selected sites by type, size and variable state of activity. Very different evolutionary stages of dissolution phenomena have been interpreted by comparison of case-studies: some are early “embryonic”; others are more evolved, up to typical sinkholes, or even remodelled by other phenomena. Some cases show an extreme complexity in the interactions between corrosion phenomena and other geomorphic processes: slope deformations, from one side, and karst, fluvial and glacial phenomena, to the other. A wide range of movement rates on slope instabilities induced by deep dissolution have been estimated by topographic and geomorphic data. Geochemical data on removed rocks by dissolution indicate 0.4 mm/year values for local subsidence. Historical and technical data indicate low frequency of major dissolution-induced collapses, but highlight widespread damages to tunnels, roads and buildings, especially along slopes.     

长江三角洲北翼J9孔揭示地层和古地磁特征

长江三角洲北翼地区缺少较长尺度的第四纪海陆变迁及环境演变的深入探讨,深达423m的海安县基岩标J9孔为此提供了较好的研究对象。通过观察该孔松散层岩心,总结其沉积特征,认为岩心可明显地划分为6个特征岩性段。同时,地层古地磁测试结果显示:0～200m为布容正极性世,200～334m为松山负极性世,334m以下为高斯正极性世。综合分析岩心沉积特征并参考古地磁测试结果对地层进行了初步划分,认为:0～39m为全新世地层,39～153m为晚更新世地层,153～200m为中更新世地层,200-334m为早更新世地层,之下为新近纪地层。地层中存在晚更新世晚期特征的硬粘土标志层,指示本地不是冰后期古河谷的发育地。     

鲁中南隆起区第四纪晚期断裂活动特征

根据野外调查，并综合前人的研究资料，对鲁中南地区第四纪晚期断裂活动进行了分析，研究表明，鲁中南隆起区第四纪断裂活动具有时空不均匀性，主要表现为第四纪时期断层活动强度变化和断裂活动的群集性以及第四纪晚期断裂活动段分布的局限性上。对于鲁中南地区而言，活动断层可以分为中更新世中期（500kaBP)至晚更新世初期（90kaBP)活断层和晚更新世中、晚期至全新世早期活断层两类；其中前一类（主要是中更新世断裂）断裂数量较多，分布较为广泛，而晚更新世晚期以来的活动断裂段的数量较少，分布较局限。它们对地震的控制能力不同，前者可控制5．5级左右的地震，而后一类可控制6－7级地震的发生。     

南极冰退与深圳湾北岸海平面变化的地质记录

南极冰层的冰量为２４．５×１０６ｋｍ３，占地球总冰量的９０％以上，南极冰川进退控制着全球海平面变化和气候波动。酉部南极乔治王岛第四纪冰碛与湖积剖面记录了近１２０００ａ来南极曾于距今１１０００ａ，９０００ａ和６１００ａ出现过３次快速的冰消过程，近６０００ａ来是一小幅度冷暖交替的气候波动过程。深圳湾北岸潮间带堆积是在近６０００ａ以来发育的，堆积物的环境记录表明，海平面呈周期性升降变化，波动周期平均为６７０ａ，低海面时期发生于距今５５００—４９００ａ，３９００—３６００ａ，２４００—２２００ａ和１３００—１２００ａ。相邻低海面间则是海面上升时期，每一升降周期的海平面变化幅度为８０ｃｍ左右，近１００ａ的现代增温，海平面处于上升阶段，上升速率为２—３ｍｍ·ａ（－１）。     

珠江三角洲晚第四纪沉积物的有机地球化学特征

本文根据有机地球化学资料,首次研究和探讨了珠江三角洲晚第四纪沉积物中有机质丰度和可溶有机质的组成特征。现代沉积物有机质丰度,有机碳为0.58％,氯仿沥青“A”为210ppm,烃含量为33.8ppm;钻孔中有机碳为0.77％,氯仿沥青“A”为253ppm,烃含量为16.4ppm。从有机质组成、红外吸收光谱特征、δ~(13)C、干酪根H/C原子比,均表现为陆生植物为主,水生生物为铺,为腐殖型或腐泥—腐殖型的母质类型。     

Rock magnetic records of the sediments of the eastern Arabian Sea: Evidence for late Quaternary climatic change

Rock-magnetic measurements along with grain size, acid-insoluble residue (AIR), organic carbon (OC), CaCO₃ and δ¹⁸O of the planktonic foraminifers of the sediments were determined for 15 gravity cores recovered from the western continental margin of India. Magnetic susceptibility (MS) values in the surficial sediments reflect the land-derived input and, in general, are the highest in terrigenous sediment-dominated sections of the cores off Saurashtra–Ratnagiri, followed by the sediments off Indus–Gulf of Kachchh and then Mangalore–Cape Comorin.

The down-core variations in mineral magnetic parameters reveal that the glacial sediments off the Indus are characterized by low MS values/S-ratios associated with high AIR-content, low OC/CaCO₃ contents and relatively high δ¹⁸O values, while those off SW India are characterized by low MS values/high S-ratio% associated with low AIR content, and relatively high OC, CaCO₃ and δ¹⁸O values. Conversely, the Early Holocene sediments of all cores are characterized by high MS values/S-ratio% associated with high AIR content, low OC, CaCO₃ contents and gradually decreased δ¹⁸O values. These results imply that during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the cores off northwestern India received abundant continental supply leading to the predominance of eolian/fluvial sedimentation. In the SW region the influence of hinterland flux is less evident during this period, but convective mixing associated with the NE monsoon resulted in increased productivity. During the early Holocene intense SW monsoon conditions resulted in high precipitation on land, which in turn contributed increased AIR content/MS values in the continental margin sediments. A shallow water core off Kochi further suggests that the intense SW monsoon conditions prevailed until about 5 ka. The late Holocene organic-rich sediments of the SW margin of India were, however, subjected to early diagenesis at different intervals in the cores. Therefore, caution is needed when interpreting regional climatic change from down-core changes in sediment magnetic properties.     

Late Quaternary Seasonal Sea-Ice History of the Northeastern Japan Sea

The Late Quaternary sea-ice history of the northeastern Japan Sea is discussed on the basis of the occurrence of dropstones and ice-rafted debris (IRD) in fine sediment cores. IRD was found in all strata except those from the Holocene and oxygen isotope stage 5.5. The largest expansion of sea ice was recognized at the last glacial maximum (LGM; oxygen isotope stage 2), when the southern margin of seasonal sea ice was probably located in the vicinity of the Matsumae Plateau. The margin might occasionally have expanded further southward to off the Oga Peninsula. Sea ice expanded southward from mid-stage 5 to the LGM in response to global cooling, but with much fluctuation. Sea ice remained during deglaciation until around 10 ka, but after 10 ka it retreated northward rapidly in response to global warming and changes in surface water conditions. Greater fluctuations in IRD were found in core GH95-1208 collected from off Rumoi, Hokkaido, Japan. More IRD was found in sediments from late stage 3, late stage 5, and early stage 6. The fluctuations were not concordant with global climate changes (based on the standard oxygen isotope curve), and may have been controlled by regional climate factors such as the strength of the winter monsoon, which is related in turn to high-latitude atmospheric circulation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

南海南部粉红色 Globigerinoides ruber 冰期旋回及影响因素

对南海南部ODP1143站氧同位素11-5e期大约2ka分辨率的粉红色Globigerinoides ruber进行分析,发现其冰期／间冰期旋回与代表全球冰量的底栖有孔虫氧同位素(δ^18O)的变化相反,即在间冰期时含量低,而冰期时高,与其他海区的记录相反。海水表层温度和温跃层深度转换函数结果以及碎壳率的变化显示,在一定的温度背景下,温跃层深度的变化可能是控制粉红色G．ruber冰期旋回的主要因素,而这段时期南海南部溶解作用的影响则不明显。     

柴达木盆地昆特依盐湖的地球化学演化与古气候变化

１９９０年用铀系年代学及古地磁对昆特依盐湖沉积物进行年代测定，探讨该湖区地球化学演化与古气候变化关系。结果表明，该区最老的盐层形成于早更新世晚期（大于７３０ｋａ），大量的盐类沉积则始于３００ｋａ左右；盐湖沉积物中元素含量变化主要受古盐度、矿物、类质同象和吸附控制；沉积物水溶Ｆ／Ｃｌ比值与古盐度成反比关系；该湖２０００ｋａ以来的古环境演变：盐层形成于干冷、偏酸性的氧化环境，泥岩层形成于湿暖、偏碱性的