Comments on Jansson, K.N. and Glasser, N.F. (2008) “Modification of peripheral mountain ranges by former ice sheets: The Brecon Beacons, southern UK,” Geomorphology 97, 178–189

Jansson and Glasser (Jansson, K.N., Glasser, N.F., 2008. Modification of peripheral mountain ranges by former ice sheets: the Brecon Beacons, southern UK. Geomorphology 97, 178–189.) have recently provided unconventional interpretations of selected glacial erosional and depositional landforms in the Brecon Beacons, UK, based on remotely sensed imagery. These new interpretations contradict well-established and reliable evidence for the origins and ages of certain glacial landforms of this upland area and elsewhere. They suggest that during a post-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice-sheet event ice flowed up supposed, essentially “fluvial” valleys producing “glacial lineations” and depositing marginal moraines at the valley heads and on cirque floors. We argue that their interpretations of some key landforms are incorrect and that they have ignored much of the previous dating and field geomorphological evidence. Sedimentary and morphological evidence (e.g., lack of erratic content; convex planform with respect to the headwall; relatively large height range of moraines; and close association with headwall extent, height, and steepness) all indicate that higher level cirque-floor and valley-head moraines in the Brecon Beacons (> c. 400 m) were formed by cirque glaciers. Available dating evidence indicates a Younger Dryas age. We demonstrate that the supposed “fluvial” valleys, comprising trough heads with steep headwalls, have more nearly parabolic than V-shaped cross profiles indicating substantial glacial modification. Field evidence shows that proposed key exemplar post-LGM glacial lineations are in fact debris flow deposits. We conclude that whilst the adoption of a macroscale approach can shed new light on large-scale, ice-sheet movements, this approach should not be undertaken without consideration of the associated field evidence.     

山东沂河中游段古河道形态特征与古流量

选择沂河中游段作为研究河段。根据芭山橡胶坝、北社橡胶坝、沂水县南王庄沂河大桥、336省道(S336)沂河大桥、沂南县澳柯玛沂河大桥的钻孔资料,绘制了5个断面沂河古河槽地质剖面图。在洙阳村附近沂河断面进行了电测法物探,根据钻探验证结果对物探测量的沉积层厚度进行了校正,绘制了洙阳村附近沂河断面古河槽地质剖面图。在洙阳村附近沂河两岸,澳柯玛沂河大桥附近沂河西岸,挖掘剖面采集了光释光(OSL)年代样品,在中国科学院青海盐湖研究所、南京师范大学光释光实验室进行了测试,获得了15个年代结果。选择澳柯玛沂河大桥附近剖面,用河相关系法计算了末次冰期最盛期(LGM)、晚冰期(约12 000 aB.P.)和全新世中期(约7 000 aB.P.)的古流量。结论认为,沂河现在河床下方的基岩河槽为末次冰期最盛期的古河槽,古河道纵比降较大;古河槽宽深比大,河槽宽浅,属于砾石河床分汊型;澳柯玛沂河大桥断面,末次冰期最盛期、晚冰期、全新世中期古流量分别约为17 m~3/s、20 m~3/s、30 m~3/s。     

Comparison of humus and till as prospecting material in areas of thick overburden and multiple ice-flow events: An example from northeastern New Brunswick

Thirty-nine elements in humus and till matrix were compared at 109 sites overlying Ag–As–Cu–Mo–Pb–Zn mineralized occurrences in northeastern New Brunswick to assess humus for anomaly identification. Humus element concentrations were not consistently correlative with maximum or minimum concentrations found in the underlying till or bedrock. The humus demonstrated significantly higher mean elemental concentrations than the till for six specific elements: 9 times greater for Mn, 6 times greater for Cd, 5 times greater for Ag and Pb, 3 times greater for Hg, and double the concentration of Zn. Spatial dispersal patterns for these elements were much larger for humus content than that exhibited by the till matrix analysis, but did not delineate a point source. For elements in till, the highest concentrations were commonly found directly overlying the underlying mineralized bedrock source or within one km down-glacier of the source.The complexity of the humus geochemical patterns is attributed to the effects of post-glacial biogenic, down-slope hydrodynamic and solifluction modification of dispersed mineralization in the underlying till, and the greater capacity of humus to adsorb cations and form complexes with some elements, relative to the till matrix. Humus sampling in areas of glaciated terrain is considered to be mostly valuable for reconnaissance exploration as elements can be spatially dispersed over a much larger area than that found in the till or underlying bedrock.     

A sedimentary facies model for glacial-age sediments in Baldwin Lake, Southern California

A combined sedimentological and high-resolution petrographic analysis was conducted on a glacial-age (20,000–65,000 cal yr BP) sediment core from Baldwin Lake, Southern California. The results of this research represent the most complete glacial-age, terrestrial climate record from Southern California to date. These results are used to characterize the different sediment types and to investigate the difference in depositional processes and environments between the core's three predominant sediment types: massive, semi-laminated, and laminated sediments. Massive sediments are commonly associated with a blocky texture and/or desiccation cracks, are organic-poor, have high magnetic susceptibility values, and are coarser-grained. Thin-sections from massive sediments reveal a homogenous sediment fabric. Sub-centimeter-scale laminated and centimeter-scale semi-laminated sediments are generally organic-rich, have low magnetic susceptibility values, and are finer grained. Thin-sections from laminated and semi-laminated sediments reveal diffuse sub-millimeter- to millimeter-scale laminae. This combination of sedimentological and high-resolution petrographic data enabled us to characterize four sediment facies, each related to specific depositional processes and environments: (1) a playa lake; (2) a perennial shallow lake; (3) an intermediate lake with variable lake level; and, (4) a perennial deep lake. At centennial-to millennial-timescales, lower lake levels are represented by deposition of massive to semi-laminated sediments in a playa to a perennial shallow lake environment. At similar timescales, higher lake levels are recorded by semi-laminated to laminated sediments deposited in an intermediate lake to a perennial deep lake environment. These results provide an additional sedimentological study for comparison to similar arid environment basins, and for comparison to existing regional paleoclimatic reconstructions.     

Anatomy of a subaqueous ice-contact fan and delta complex, Middle Pleistocene, North-west Germany

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the high‐resolution facies architecture of the Middle Pleistocene Porta subaqueous ice‐contact fan and delta complex, deposited on the northern margin of glacial Lake Weser (North‐west Germany). A total of 10 sand and gravel pits and more than 100 wells were examined to document the complex facies architecture. The field study was supplemented with a ground‐penetrating radar survey and a shear‐wave seismic survey. All collected sedimentological and geophysical data were integrated into a high‐resolution three‐dimensional geological model for reconstructing the spatial distribution of facies associations. The Porta subaqueous fan and delta complex consist of three fan bodies deposited on a flat lake‐bottom surface at the margin of a retreating ice lobe. The northernmost fan complex is up to 55 m thick, 6·2 km wide and 6·5 km long. The incipient fan deposition is characterized by high‐energy flows of a plane‐wall jet. Very coarse‐grained, highly scoured jet‐efflux deposits with an elongate plan shape indicate a high Froude number, probably >5. These jet‐efflux sediments are deposited in front of a large ～3·2 km long, up to 1·2 km wide, and up to 25 m deep flute‐like scour, indicating the most proximal erosion and bypass area of the jet that widens and deepens with distance downstream to the region of maximum turbulence (approximately five times the conduit diameter). Evidence for subsequent flow splitting is given by the presence of two marginal gravel fan lobes, deposited in front of 1·3 to 2·5 km long flute‐like scours, that are 0·8 to 1 km wide and 7 to 20 m deep. In response to continued aggradation, small jets developed at the periphery of these bar‐like deposits and filled in the low areas adjacent to the original superelevated regions, locally raising the depositional surface and characterized by large‐scale trough cross‐stratified sand and pebbly sand. The incision of an up to 1·2 km wide and up to 35 m deep channel into the evolving fan is attributed to a catastrophic drainage event, probably related to a lake outburst and lake‐level fall in the range of 40 to 60 m. At the mouth of this channel, highly scoured jet‐efflux deposits formed under hydraulic‐jump conditions during flow expansion. Subsequently, Gilbert‐type deltas formed on the truncated fan margin, recording a second lake‐level drop in the range of 30 to 40 m. These catastrophic lake‐level falls were probably caused by rapid ice‐lobe retreat controlled by the convex‐up bottom topography of the ice valley.     

Was There Savanna Corridor on the Exposed Sunda Shelf During the Last Glacial Period?

To date, it is still heatedly debated that whether the exposed Sunda Shelf was covered by savanna or rainforest in the Last Glacial Period (LGP). A lot of palynological evidences revealed that large increase of non-arboreal pollen did not occurred on the southern South China Sea (SCS), and lowland and montane rainforest pollen were still predominant. Most of the herb-predominated pollen records occurred on the northern Australia, possibly indicating dispersions of herbs from current distribution centers. As a result, we advocated that inland and connected exposed Sunda Shelf around the southern SCS were covered by tropical forests rather than savanna during the LGP, although climate was drier then. This conclusion is not only supported by palaeoclimate-vegetation modeling, but also corresponds with most of the palynological evidences from South America. Current palynological records also showed the lack of palaeoenviromental reconstruction in Southeast Asia, including less pollen records and ambiguous correlations between marine pollen assemblage and its catchment vegetation.     

The Himalayan cryosphere: A critical assessment and evaluation of glacial melt fraction in the Bhagirathi basin

The cryosphere constitutes an important subset of the hydrosphere.The Himalayan cryosphere is a significant contributor to the hydrological budget of a large river system such as the Ganges.Basic data on the cryosphere in the Himalaya is inadequate and also has large uncertainties.The data on glacial melt component in the Himalayan rivers of India also shows high variability.The Gangotri glacier which constitutes nearly a fifth of the glacierized area of the Bhagirathi basin represents one of the fastest receding,large valley glaciers in the region which has been surveyed and monitored for over sixty years.The availability of measurement over a long period and relatively small glacier-fed basin for the Bhagirathi river provides suitable constraints for the measurement of the glacial melt fraction in a Himalayan river.Pre- and post-monsoon samples reveal a decreasing trend Of depletion of δ~(18)O in the river water from glacier snout(Gaumukh) to the confluence of the Bhagirathi river with the Alaknanda river near Devprayag.Calculations of existing glacial melt fraction(~ 30%at Rishikesh) are not consistent with the reported glacial thinning rates.It is contended that the choice of unsuitable end-members in the three component mixing model causes the overestimation of glacial melt component in the river discharge.Careful selection of end members provides results(~11%at Devprayag) that are consistent with the expected thinning rates.     

Characteristics and runoff volume of the Yangtze River paleo-valley at Nanjing reach in the Last Glacial Maximum

The stratigraphical cross-sections of the Yangtze River incised-valley near the No.1, No.3 and No.4 Nanjing Yangtze River bridges were established with respective bore date and documents. By 14C age analysis of the samples of four drilling cores near the No.4 Bridge (to be built), we can find that the time range of paleo-valley is dated in the LGM at a depth of –60 m to –90 m near Nanjing. It is also indicated that the deep incised-valley channel was narrow and the river flowed swiftly. The ancient Yangtze River deep channel presented partially and deeply incised features near the No.1 Bridge. According to previous publications, much research has been done on the main paleo-channel of the Yangtze River, but few results have been achieved on discharge estimation. In this paper, the incipient velocity and average velocity of the LGM was calculated with Vc = 4.60d1/3h1/ 6, 95 Vc 1.28lg 13.15. h . gd , d ? ? = ? ? ? ? 1 6 * 90 V 6.5u h d ≈ , etc., in terms of the river shape, sedimentary grain size and sequences near the No.3 and No.1 bridges. Moreover, the discharge in Nanjing reach of the Yangtze River during the LGM has been estimated to be around 12,000–16,000 m3/s according to the relationship of discharge, velocity of flow and cross-section.     

末次盛冰期太平洋赤道辐合带对暖池外热带海表温度变化的敏感性

利用美国NCAR CAM3大气环流模式,分析了末次盛冰期（LGM）两个不同的热带海表温度重建方案中,北半球冬季热带中、西太平洋对流活动及大气环流对暖池外（赤道东太平洋和热带大西洋）热带SST异常的敏感性。结果表明：  1）SST异常首先引起大气环流的改变。  赤道东太平洋对流层下沉增强,而作为经向补偿,副热带东太平洋上升运动增强,其中南半球尤为明显,同时南半球热带中、西太平洋上升运动增强,加剧了该区纬向逆时针环流,说明冰期热带海气耦合过程受气候背景场（如SST）影响很大;   2）大气环流格局改变引起热带中西太平洋的大气加热、对流活动、表层风场及降雨的巨大变化。  140°E以西的婆罗洲和菲律宾区域,总的大气加热减少是由于对流与辐射加热减少所致,对应于该区风场辐散和降雨减少;   而140°E以东的南半球热带中、西太平洋,大气吸收热量增加,对流与辐射加热均增强,总降雨量也随之增加,反映该区赤道辐合带南移并增强。该项研究为探索热带太平洋在冰期/间冰期旋回中的古海洋学变化提供了新的数据支撑。此外,不同重建SST对赤道辐合带的影响比较大,因此利用重建SST进行数值模拟或者利用耦合模式研究LGM热带海气相互作用时,应该十分重视全球热带SST分布特征。     

中国西南山区第四纪冰川堆积物工程地质分类探讨

中国的大陆冰川堆积物几乎都属于巨粒土或块石（漂石）土、碎石土,但因复杂的物质组成和组构特征,各地或同一地区不同成因类型（冰碛、冰水）的堆积物具有极为不同的工程地质性质,其地质体稳定性和地质灾害的易发性存在着显著的差异。我国已有的工程分类框架不能满足当代冰川堆积物甚至其他碎石土（巨粒土）的工程地质和地质灾害研究的需要。中国西南山区冰川堆积物的物质成分、细观结构等的野外调查和室内测试分析结果表明,冰川堆积物的物质成分和组构特征主要表现为:颗粒组成的不均一性和多元性、组构单元的双元性、结构的无序性和胶结性等。冰川堆积物的物质成分和组构特征与其工程性质具有密切的关系,是冰川堆积物工程地质分类的基础。本文探讨了中国西南山区冰川堆积物的工程地质分类问题,提出基于胶结程度和粒度组成的二级分类方案,对冰川堆积物及其他块（漂）石土的工程地质研究和工程实践具有一定指导意义。