A 2000 year varve-based climate record from the central Brooks Range,Alaska

Varved minerogenic sediments from glacial-fed Blue Lake, northern Alaska, are used to investigate late Holocene climate variability. Varve-thickness measurements track summer temperature recorded at Atigun Pass, located 41 km east at a similar elevation (r ² = 0.31, P = 0.08). Results indicate that climate in the Brooks Range from 10 to 730 AD (varve year) was warm with precipitation inferred to be higher than during the twentieth century. The varve-temperature relationship for this period was likely compromised and not used in our temperature reconstruction because the glacier was greatly reduced, or absent, exposing sub-glacial sediments to erosion from enhanced precipitation. Varve-inferred summer temperatures and precipitation decreased after 730 AD, averaging 0.4°C above the last millennial average (LMA = 4.2°C) from 730 to 850 AD, and 0.1°C above the LMA from 850 to 980 AD. Cooling culminated between 980 and 1030 AD with temperatures 0.7°C below the LMA. Varve-inferred summer temperatures increased between 1030 and 1620 AD to the LMA, though the period between 1260 and 1350 AD was 0.2°C below the LMA. Although there is no equivalent to the European Medieval Warm Period in the Blue Lake record, two warm intervals occurred from 1350 to 1450 AD and 1500 to 1620 AD (0.4 and 0.3°C above the LMA, respectively). During the Little Ice Age (LIA; 1620 to 1880 AD), inferred summer temperature averaged 0.2°C below the LMA. After 1880 AD, inferred summer temperature increased to 0.8°C above the LMA, glaciers retreated, but aridity persisted based on a number of regional paleoclimate records. Despite warming and glacial retreat, varve thicknesses have not achieved pre-730 AD levels. This reflects limited sediment availability and transport due to a less extensive retreat compared to the first millennium, and continued relative aridity. Overall, the Blue Lake record is similar to varve records from the eastern Canadian Arctic that document a cool LIA and twentieth century warming. However, the occurrence and timing of events, such as the LIA and Medieval Warm Period, varies considerably among records, suggesting heterogeneous climatic patterns across the North American Arctic.

A soil chronosequence in Late Glacial and Neoglacial moraines, Humboldt Glacier, northwestern Venezuelan Andes

Late Glacial and Neoglacial (Little Ice Age) deposits on the Humboldt Massif were analyzed for relative-age dating parameters, including geomorphic and weathering characteristics, geochemical and soil properties. The soil chronosequence, formed in chemically uniform parent materials, provides an important database to study soil evolution in a tropical alpine environment. Extractable and total Fe and Al concentrations, examined to assess their use in relative-age determination, and as paleoenvironmental indicators, provide an important measure of the accumulation and downward profile movement over time of organically-bound Al, ferrihydrite and other crystalline forms (hematite and goethite) of extractable Fe. Ferrihydrite is particularly useful in determining former perched water levels in soils with relation to paleoclimate. The ratios of most Fe extracts are time dependent. The Fe_d/Fe_t ratio, within statistical limits, shows a slow increase from LIA (Little Ice Age) to Late Glacial soils, which closely correlates with other alpine soil studies in the middle latitudes and other tropical alpine locales. Values of Al_d (dithionite) and Al_o (oxalate extractable) generally do not correlate with time; however, Al_p (pyrophosphate extractable) measured against Al_t (total) provides insight on the downward translocation over time of organically-bound Al. Low leaching rates in this chronosequence are further supported by clay mineralogy trends and the geochemical data.     

全球小冰期的气候变化

根据全球小冰期气候信息的不同代用指标的结果分析,全球小冰期冷、暖气候变化趋势具有一致性.其中,太阳活动是影响全球小冰期气候变化的主要因素,强火山爆发及厄尔尼诺事件则是其强化因素,这些因素通过海-气作用这一复杂机制对全球气候产生深远影响.     

新疆阿勒泰地区小冰期特征的树轮δ13C记录

建立了新疆阿勒泰地区一个长约450a的落叶松树轮碳同位素年表.该年表一个最为明显的特点是1850年后年轮δ¹³C显著降低,这是化石燃料燃烧和土地利用方式改变的缘故.在1550—1850年期间,该年表经历了明显的距平“正负”(即暖冷)变化:17世纪年轮δ¹³C值相对偏负,气温较低,18世纪年轮δ¹³C值相对偏正,温度较高.根据已有的树轮δ¹³C温度系数,17世纪的温度相对偏低约0.67～2.46℃.广泛的区域性对比表明,该年表所揭示的小冰期温度变化具有较高的可信度。     

祁连山西段小冰期以来的冰川变化研究

根据航空摄影相片、地形图、遥感影像数据,分析了祁连山西段自小冰期至1990年的冰川变化,得出该地区在小冰期至1956年间冰川面积减小幅度为16.9%,冰川储量减少了14.1%;1956-1990年间冰川仍以退缩为主,此时段冰川面积和储量减小量占1956年时相应量的10.3%和9.3%.分析认为冰川退缩主要与1956-1966年时段气温偏高、降水偏少有关,而且该流域区对应于1956-1966年间强负物质平衡的冰川退缩可能出现于1960年代中期至1970年代中期.     

广东韶关南华寺水松的年代及生境初步研究

通过树轮钻取样及查考历史资料,论证南华寺水松栽种年代分别为明代正德十四年、清代康熙初年及清代同治末年.取水样作化学分析及收集近数十年环境观测资料,分析水松荣枯的原因.认为环境污染及不恰当人为活动是多株水松枯萎的主要原因.     

可可西里苟仁错湖泊沉积物元素地球化学特征及其环境意义

湖泊沉积物元素地球化学特征及其比值，有效地揭示了湖泊沉积物物源区的化学风化程度．已成为反映古气候波动的有效指标。根据可可西里苟仁错湖泊沉积物的元素地球化学特征，通过CIA，ICV等元素比值的结果，揭示该地区1400AD以来化学风化作用十分微弱，因此湖泊沉积物元素组成，对气候变化非常敏感。研究表明1400AD以来该地区气候经历多次冷暖波动，且呈干旱化的趋势，1420AD左右进入小冰期，其中1480～1520AD最为寒冷，1900AD后干旱化加剧。     

青藏高原西北缘盆山过渡带陡坡地貌的形成时代与成因

平均海拔大于4500 m的青藏高原,是通过高原边缘的陡坡地貌与海拔低于1500 m的周缘盆地或平原相连接的,这些围绕高原的陡坡地貌是何时、如何形成的呢？本文通过对西昆仑山中段北缘主逆冲断层上盘陡坡地貌区9件磷灰石样品的裂变径迹年龄与长度分析表明：在海拔3900～4635 m的陡坡地貌中的裂变径迹样品年龄为6.2±1.4 Ma～0.9±0.3 Ma,呈现“上新下老”的反序分布特征; 而通过热历史模拟显示约5 Ma,约3～2 Ma,约2～1 Ma 和约1 Ma该地区出现多阶段的隆升与剥露。结合前人研究成果和野外地质的观察认为,现今青藏高原西北缘陡坡地貌的形成是中新世晚期以来高原边界叠瓦状断裂系经历了约8 Ma、约5 Ma、约3～2 Ma、约2～1 Ma和约1 Ma多阶段后展式逆冲运动的结果,这为青藏高原周缘陡坡地貌的形成和青藏高原的隆升时代与型式提供了关键的热年代学约束。     

青藏高原东北缘贵德坳陷源岩时代及勘探潜力

青藏高原东北缘贵德坳陷发育一套烃源岩,长期以来,其时代归属不统一,其生烃能力认识不清,制约了该坳陷油气资源勘探的进程.本文通过野外踏勘、露头剖面实测和样品分析及连续电磁剖面(CEMP)测量结果得出以下认识:①根据沉积特征及孢粉组合,结合区域地质资料,确定了该套地层形成时代为早白垩世,沉积环境为浅湖—半深湖;②借助野外实测剖面及连续电磁剖面(CEMP)资料,确定了该套烃源岩的发育规模;③通过对剖面样品的有机质丰度、热演化程度等实验分析,对该套烃源岩的油气勘探潜力进行了综合评价,认为该套烃源岩分布范围广,厚度大,有机质丰度高,热演化程度适中,可以作为贵德坳陷的有效烃源岩,提升了贵德坳陷油气勘探潜力;④利用野外调查结果及连续电磁剖面(CEMP)资料对贵德坳陷生储盖组合进行综合分析,并指出了有利的勘探方向.     

巢湖流域新石器至汉代古聚落变更与环境变迁

以GIS为手段,在对巢湖流域新石器中晚期至汉代聚落遗址时空分布特征进行分析的基础上,探讨流域内古聚落变更对环境变迁的响应关系.研究表明,巢湖流域新石器中晚期至汉代古聚落变更的规律主要表现为,随着时代推进聚落遗址从高海拔逐渐向低海拔地区转移并向湖泊靠近,这种变更响应于中全新世以来流域气候由温暖湿润向温和干燥的发展,以及由此导致的巢湖湖泊收缩、水位持续下降和生活范围扩展,反映了在气候变化的大背景下,地貌演化和水文条件的改变对古聚落变更的影响;而各时期聚落遗址西多东少的分布格局,则与流域东部极易受河道摆动和洪涝灾害影响的地貌条件有关.因此,气候变化成为巢湖流域古聚落变更的重要激发因子,对古聚落的分布、扩展、演变都产生了重要影响,古聚落变更对环境变迁的响应明显.