Aluminium in glacial meltwater demonstrates an association with nutrient export (Werenskiöldbreen,Svalbard)

The aluminium (Al) cycle in glacierised basins has not received a great deal of attention in studies of biogeochemical cycles. As Al may be toxic for biota, it is important to investigate the processes leading to its release into the environment. It has not yet been ascertained whether filterable Al (passing through a pore size of 0.45 μm) is incorporated into biogeochemical cycles in glacierised basins. Our study aims to determine the relationship between the processes bringing filterable Al and glacier‐derived filterable nutrients (particularly Fe and Si) into glacierised basins. We investigated the Werenskiöldbreen basin (44.1 km², 60% glacierised) situated in SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard. In 2011, we collected meltwater from a subglacial portal at the glacier front and at a downstream hydrometric station throughout the ablation season. The Al concentration, unchanged between the subglacial system and proglacial zone, reveals that aluminosilicate weathering is a dominant source of filterable Al under subglacial conditions. By examining the Al:Fe ratio compared with pH and the sulphate mass fraction index, we found that the proton source for subglacial aluminosilicate weathering is mainly associated with sulphide oxidation and, to a lesser degree, with hydrolysis and carbonation. In subglacial outflows and in the glacial river, Al and Fe are primarily in the forms of Al(OH)₄^‐ and Fe(OH)₃. The annual filterable Al yield (2.7 mmol m^‐2) was of a magnitude similar to that of nutrients such as filterable Fe (3.0 mmol m^‐2) and lower than that of dissolved Si (18.5 mmol m^‐2). Our results show that filterable Al concentrations in meltwater are significantly correlated to filterable and dissolved glacier‐derived nutrients (Fe and Si, respectively) concentrations in glaciers worldwide. We conclude that a potential bioavailable Al pool derived from glacierised basins may be incorporated in biogeochemical cycles, as it is strongly related to the concentrations and yields of glacier‐derived nutrients.     

Snow and stream-water chemistry of the Ganga headwater basin,Garhwal Himalaya,India

Abstract

Studies of the chemical composition of snowpack and stream water were carried out in a catchment having an area of 53km² (31°03′-30°55′N and 78°40′-78°51′E) in the Garhwal Himalaya, India. The dominant ions in the snowpack and stream water were Ca²⁺, Na⁺, NO^? ₃, SO^2- ₄ and HCO^? ₃. Solute patterns in the snowpack show preferential elution. Investigation of the chemical composition of stream water shows that meltwater changes its composition substantially as it passes through soil pathways to the stream. The groundwater flushing perhaps controls the chemical composition of meltwater in the early spring. However, in the period from July to September, the stream water carries the chemical signature of monsoonal precipitation.     

Late summer glacial meltwater contributions to Bull Lake Creek stream flow and water quality,Wind River Range,Wyoming, USA

ABSTRACT

The Wind River Range in Wyoming contains more glacial ice than any other location within the USA’s Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming. Bull Lake Creek watershed in the southeast portion of the range contains five major (0.6–1.5 km²) glaciers along with numerous smaller glaciers that contribute to the Wind River. Field measurements were made of discharge from the Knife Point and Bull Lake Glaciers to determine the contribution of glacial meltwater to the river system. Water samples were collected and analyzed for stable isotopes, major ions, nutrients, and selected trace elements. Meltwater from the two glaciers contributed 13.9% to Bull Lake Creek streamflow (site BL-3), with all glaciers within the Bull Lake Creek watershed estimated to be contributing 55.6% to the streamflow of Bull Lake Creek (United States Geological Survey gage) during the August 2015 study period. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope analysis indicated as much as 80% of late summer discharge in the upper Bull Lake Creek watershed was attributed to glacial meltwater. This study also found that nutrients (NO₃ – NO_2, total P) from glacial meltwater can be a significant source of nutrient loading to Bull Lake Creek.     

Projected glacier meltwater and river run‐off changes in the Upper Reach of the Shule River Basin,north‐eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau

Glacier meltwater change in the north‐eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau is greatly important for the projection of the impact of future climate change on local water resource management. Although the glaciated area is only approximately 4% of the Upper Reach of the Shule River Basin (URSRB), the average glacier meltwater contribution to river run‐off was approximately 23.6% during the periods 1971/1972 to 2012/2013. A new glacier melting module coupled with the macroscale hydrologic Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC‐CAS) was adopted to simulate and project changes in the glacier meltwater and river run‐off of the URSRB forced by downscaled output of the BCC‐CSM1.1(m), CANESM2, GFDL‐CM3, and IPSL‐CM5A‐MR models. Comparisons between the observed and simulated river run‐offs and glacier area changes during the periods 2000/2001, 2004/2006, 2008/2009, and 2012/2013 suggest that the simulation is reasonable. Due to increases in precipitation, the annual total run‐off is projected to increase by approximately 2.58–2.73 × 10⁸ m³ in the 2050s and 0.28–1.87 × 10⁸ m³ in the 2100s compared with run‐off in the 2010s based on the RCP2.6 (low greenhouse gas emission) and RCP4.5 (moderate greenhouse gas emission) scenarios, respectively. The contribution of glacier meltwater to river run‐off will more likely decrease to approximately 10% and less than 5% during the 2050s and 2100s, respectively.     

长链烯酮在西北大西洋重建全新世气候变化的研究进展

大量研究表明,长链烯酮不饱和度(UK37?指数)可用于重建过去的海面温度(sea surface tempera-ture,SST),然而是否存在其他因素导致实际温度与重建的SST之间存在差异,以及重建的温度是代表年均SST还是季节性温度都仍有争议.除了反映温度,在受季节性海冰影响或SST较低的区域,长链烯酮C37:4...     

A JÖKULHLAUP FROM A LAURENTIAN CAPTURED ICE SHELF TO THE GULF OF MEXICO COULD HAVE CAUSED THE BØLLING WARMING

Since the rapid rate of global warming at the onset of the Bølling interstadial became evident, its cause has been under debate. It coincides closely in time with a strong global transgression called meltwater pulse 1a. One attempt at solution says that a meltwater pulse of Antarctic origin could cause an increase in North Atlantic Deep Water formation, and thus give rise to the Bølling interstadial. However, others have disputed that Antarctic meltwater would have that effect, and furthermore, the start of the Bølling interstadial is not even associated with an increase in North Atlantic Deep Water. A controversial hypothesis says that some Laurentian meltwater came from a jökulhlaup (sub-glacial outburst flood), but no study has yet shown unequivocally that sufficient amounts of water could be stored under the ice. Furthermore, according to all available data a melt-water pulse from the Laurentian ice would give rise to strong cooling, not warming. Nevertheless, meg-afloods appear instrumental in accumulating the Mississippi Fan, created entirely during the Quaternary period, and dramatic climate changes are characteristic of this period. This paper presents a hypothetical chain of events, building on the published literature and simple calculations, to investigate whether the order of magnitude is reasonable. The hypothesis is that a jökulhlaup from a Laurentian captured ice shelf flowed out through the Mississippi, boosted the Gulf Stream, reinvigorated the North Atlantic circulation, and as a result triggered the Bølling warm phase.     

祁连山老虎沟流域产汇流特征分析

为了研究老虎沟流域冰川产汇流特征,根据老虎沟流域2009年消融期4-10月的气象与水文观测资料,采用排除和不排除降水对冰雪消融产流影响的方法,对老虎沟流域融水径流的产流特征、白天和夜晚径流特征、径流的滞后效应进行了分析。结果表明： 5-9月各月流量占到整个消融期流量的比例分别为7%、26%、33%、19%、14%。降水对河流的产流贡献率约为22%,冰雪融水和地下水对河流的产流贡献率为78％。观测期内,除5月外,白天流量全部大于晚上流量,而且6-8月白天和夜晚径流之间的差值较大。老虎沟冰川区以裸冰消融为主,冰面湖较少而且小,汇流较快,储水性能并不明显。5-9月流量峰值和谷值平均分别滞后气温7.0 h、3.5 h、2.5 h、2.5 h和4.5 h,冰川排水系统也随着流量变化经历慢速-快速-慢速的变化过程。     

The tunnel through Torghatten,northern Norway: Landforms and discussion of formation

The tunnel through the mountain of Torghatten, in northern Norway, is generally regarded as a product of wave action. The tunnel is above the late Weichselian marine limit. Fresh looking polished bedrock that resembles subglacial ice-sculptured and meltwater forms, p-forms, occurs near the opening to the landward eastern side of the tunnel and inside. Most likely, the tunnel is a polygenetic formation. Storm action during deglaciations and also subglacial meltwater drainage and plastically sliding ice during glaciations have been active processes in the formation of the tunnel.     

The application of artificial neural networks to simulate meltwater runoff of Keqikaer Glacier,south slope of Mt. Tuomuer,western China

Because glacial melting provides a significant amount of surface water resources, especially in cold arid regions, it is critical that effective methods be developed for predicting their behavior. Glacier runoff differs from other types of stream flows, being characterized by large diurnal fluctuations, with maximum discharge during the summer months. Moreover, the size and remoteness of glaciers makes them difficult to study directly. Hence, developing effective modeling techniques is our best hope for understanding and predicting glacial melting phenomena. In the past, physics-based models have been used with some success. In this study, conducted in 2003 and 2004 on the Keqikaer Glacier on the south slope of Mt. Tuomuer, however, we used the newer artificial neural networks (ANNs) modeling technique. As the input nerve cell, we used the hourly wind speed, precipitation, air temperature, radiation balance, and ground temperature; the output nerve cell was the diurnal runoff at the glacial terminus. We then analyzed the simulated results under different scenarios by varying the input-nerve-cell parameters. It was found that ANN can simulate the process of glacier meltwater runoff successfully when basic parameters such as air temperature, precipitation and radiation balance are few. The results indicate that ANN can simulate the process of glacial meltwater runoff quite well, and that meteorological variables could in fact be used successfully to simulate glacier meltwater runoff using the ANN method.