Inter‐annual variability of southerly winds in a coastal area of the Atacama Desert: implications for the export of aeolian sediments to the adjacent marine environment

The analysis of the aeolian content of marine cores collected off the coast of the Atacama Desert (Mejillones Bay, Chile) suggests that marine sediments can record inter‐annual to inter‐decadal variations in the regional southerly winds responsible for particle entrainment at the surface of the nearby desert. However, the establishment of a simple and direct correlation between the sediment and wind records is complicated by the difference of time scales between the erosion and accumulation processes. The aim of this work is to: (i) assess the inter‐annual variability of the surface winds responsible for the sand movements; and (ii) determine whether the integration over periods of several months completely smoothes the rapid changes in characteristics of the transported and deposited aeolian material. To accomplish this aim, 14 years of 10 m hourly wind speed, measured at the Cerro Moreno (Antofagasta) Airport between 1991 and 2003 and at the Orica Station between 2000 and 2004, were analyzed. For each year, the wind speed statistical distribution can be represented by a combination of two to three Weibull functions. Winds of the lowest Weibull mode are too weak to move the sand grains at the surface of the pampa; this is not the case for the intermediate mode and especially for the highest speed mode which are able to erode the arid surface and transport particles to the bay. In each individual year of the period of study, the highest speed mode only accounted for a limited number of strong erosion events. Quantitative analysis of the distribution of the friction velocities and of their impact on erosion using a saltation model suggests that, although all wind speeds above threshold produce erosion events, values around 0·45 m sec^?1 contribute less to the erosion flux. This gap allows separation of the erosion events into low and high saltation modes. The correlation (r = 0·997) between the importance of the third Weibull mode and the extent of higher rate saltation indicates that the inter‐annual variability of the erosion at the surface of the pampa, as well as the transport of coarse particles (>100 μm), are directly related to inter‐annual variations in the prevalence of the strongest winds. Finally, a transport and deposition model is used to assess the possible impact of the wind inter‐annual variability on the deposition flux of mineral particles in the bay. The results suggest that inter‐annual differences in the wind speed distributions have a quantifiable effect on the intensity and size‐distribution of this deposition flux. This observation suggests that a detailed analysis of the sediment cores collected from the bay could be used for reconstructing the inter‐annual variability of past winds.     

The earliest well-dated archeological site in the hyper-arid Tarim Basin and its implications for prehistoric human migration and climatic change

The routes and timing of human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are crucial for understanding the evolution of Tibetan populations and associated paleoclimatic conditions. Many archeological sites have been found in/around the Tarim Basin, on the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau. Unfortunately, most of these sites are surface sites and cannot be directly dated. Their ages can only be estimated based on imprecise artifact comparisons. We recently found and dated an archeological site on a terrace along the Keriya River. Our ages indicate that the site was occupied at ~ 7.0–7.6 ka, making it the earliest well-dated archeological site yet identified in the Tarim Basin. This suggests that early human foragers migrated into this region prior to ~ 7.0–7.6 ka during the early to mid-Holocene climatic optimum, which may have provided the impetus for populating the region. We hypothesize that the Keriya River, together with the other rivers originating from the TP, may have served as access routes onto the TP for early human foragers. These rivers may also have served as stepping stones for migration further west into the now hyper-arid regions of the Tarim Basin, leading ultimately to the development of the Silk Road.     

腾格里沙漠西北缘青土湖晚第四纪孢粉组合特征与环境变迁

根据腾格里沙漠西北缘青土湖ZK1孔晚第四纪以来沉积物孢粉组合、磁化率特征和光释光年代的研究,恢复了该区的植被面貌,论述了青土湖地区自中更新世晚期以来的气候变迁特征。研究结果表明,该地区中更新世晚期可划分为凉干和暖湿2个阶段;晚更新世可划分为暖湿和凉干2个阶段,并且与深海氧同位素曲线反映的末次间冰期、末次冰期的次一级气候旋回特征相吻合;全新世该地区主要经历了从暖湿到凉干的气候波动。     

The role of rare rainstorms in the formation of calcic soil horizons on alluvial surfaces in extreme deserts

Soils in similar geomorphic settings in hyperarid deserts (< 50 mm yr⁻¹) should have similar characteristics because a negative moisture balance controls their development. However, Reg soils in the hyperarid southern Negev and Namib deserts are distinctly different. Soils developed on stable alluvial surfaces with only direct input of rainfall and dust depend heavily on rainfall characteristics. Annual rainfall amount can be similar (15-30 mm), but storm duration can drastically alter Reg soil properties in deserts. The cooler fall/winter and dry hot summers of the southern Negev Desert with a predominance brief (≤ 1 day) rainstorms result in gypsic-saline soils without any calcic soil horizon. Although the Namib Desert receives only 50-60% of the southern Negev annual rainfall, its rainstorm duration is commonly 2-4 days. This improves leaching of the top soil under even lower annual rainfall amount and results in weeks-long grass cover. The long-term cumulative effect of these rare rain-grass relationships produces a calcic-gypsic-saline soil. The development of these different kinds of desert soils highlights the importance of daily to seasonal rainfall characteristics in influencing soil-moisture regime in deserts, and has important implications for the use of key desert soil properties as proxies in paleoclimatology.     

巴丹吉林沙漠东南缘末次冰期沉积物地球化学特征及气候指示意义

沙漠古气候重建对于了解区域古气候演变具有重要意义.通过以巴丹吉林沙漠东南缘巴润宝日陶勒盖(BRBG)剖面为研究对象,进行全样地球化学、分组分分粒级元素地球化学及Sr同位素分析,重建该地区末次冰期期间(66.8～41.0 ka)的气候演化模式.研究表明:66.8～41.0 ka呈现残留组分高Sr/Ca值、酸溶组分及残留组...     

巴丹吉林沙漠高大沙山地貌的线条美

巴丹吉林沙漠是中国第二大流动沙漠,被列入世界自然遗产提名地名录,具有独特的美学价值,但目前尚缺乏沙漠美学价值的系统论述.本文基于野外考察、影像和文献资料,将美学原理与风沙地貌学理论结合,探讨巴丹吉林沙漠高大沙山地貌的美学价值,侧重其独特的线条美.将高大沙山地貌的线条分为直线、曲线和交织线条,分别解析其美学的表现形式和所...     

塔克拉玛干沙漠沙垄起伏地形夏季地表温度差异特征

摘 要：开展塔克拉玛干沙漠沙垄起伏地形夏季地表温度观测试验，旨在为塔克拉玛干沙漠环境陆面过程研究提供科学依据。2019年6月7日至9月2日在塔中地区，沿沙垄迎风坡以及背风坡底部、中部、上部、顶点及垄间谷地共设8个地表温度观测点。结果表明：（1）夏季沙垄地表温度最高温出现在垄间谷地，为74.63 ℃，最低温出现在迎风坡底部，为10.52 ℃；地表温度一天中在7:00左右达到最低，15:00左右达到最高。（2）晴天、多云以及浮尘天各观测点地表温度日均变化曲线呈单峰型，降水、扬沙及沙尘暴天呈双峰型；地表温度的最高温与日均值最大值均出现在晴天的垄间谷地，地表温度的最低温及日均值最小值均出现在降水天的迎风坡底部。（3）沙垄顶点与两个底部最大温差范围是顶点与背风坡底部在晴天的温差范围，为0～18.62 ℃，最小温差范围是顶点与迎风坡底部在降水天的温差范围，为0.01～6.18 ℃；迎风坡和背风坡在晴天地表温度温差范围最大，为0.01～16.93 ℃，在降水天温差范围最小，为0.01～4.15 ℃；顶点与两个底部夏季综合温差范围在0～18.62 ℃，迎风坡与背风坡夏季综合温差范围为0～16.93 ℃。塔克拉玛干沙漠地表温度受典型天气影响变化类型多样，沙垄顶点与底部、迎风坡与背风坡地表温度差异受风力及地形作用明显。     

基于Grimm180粒子仪对塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴的定量观测

为了得到沙尘粒子和沙尘质量浓度的实时定量特征,利用Grimm180粒子仪在塔克拉玛干沙漠对沙尘暴进行了实时观测。通过分析Grimm180粒子仪在2018年5月20日和24日两次沙尘暴过程观测的数据得到:在浮尘、扬沙和沙尘暴期间,PM_2.5的质量浓度值随时间变化不大,一般PM_2.5浓度值<1500μg·m^-3,而PM₁₀在不同阶段的变化比较明显,数值在2000~6000μg·m^-3。沙尘粒子谱和沙尘质量浓度谱的分布形状在浮尘、扬沙和沙尘暴基本相同,当粒子直径>0.35μm时,粒子数浓度随直径的增大近似符合M-P分布。从浮尘到扬沙再到沙尘暴,小粒子区(D≤1μm)的占比越来越小,而中粒子区(1μm10μm)的粒子数越来越多并且占比越来越大。当粒子直径为0.35μm左右时,粒子数浓度达到最大值;当粒子直径在25~32μm时,沙尘质量浓度的值最大。在浮尘和扬沙阶段,PM_2.5/PM₁₀>25%;每分钟1 L体积内的沙尘粒子总数大约是4×10⁵,最大沙尘质量浓度<20μg·L^-1。在沙尘暴阶段,PM_2.5/PM₁₀<15%;每分钟1 L体积内的沙尘粒子总数>5×10⁵,最大沙尘质量浓度>25μg·L^-1。这些结论为准确地分析沙尘暴的定量特征提供了科学依据。     

基于VOSviewer的塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴研究进展分析

作为中国最大和世界第二大流动沙漠，塔克拉玛干沙漠是我国主要的沙尘暴中心之一，其沙尘天气对当地及周边地区的生产生活会造成巨大影响。利用VOSviewer可视化分析工具，以中国知网（CNKI）数据库和Web of Science核心数据库中塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴相关355篇文献为对象，从发文时间、作者、关键词、期刊来源与学科分布、发文机构（国家）等方面进行可视化与计量分析，进而综述了塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴研究的现状及发展趋势和未来展望。结果表明：塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴研究的中英文文献产出分为2个阶段，即1996—2005年为起步阶段，2006—2020年为稳步发展阶段；塔克拉玛干沙漠沙尘暴的成因、传输特征及发展规律、沙尘暴过程数值模拟预报研究、沙尘天气及沙漠气象等问题受到了国内外众多学者的高度关注；相关论文主要发表在《沙漠与绿洲气象》、《中国沙漠》及Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres等期刊，其中《沙漠与绿洲气象》为中文发文量最多的核心期刊，Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres为SCI发文量最高的...     

塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘两次极端暴雨的气流模型与水汽输送特征

采用区域自动站逐小时降水观测数据、GPS/MET大气可降水量观测数据和NCEP/NCAR提供的FNL0.25°×0.25°分析数据，通过对比塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘和田地区2次落区接近、强度不同暴雨过程的环流和水汽特征，分析了影响极端暴雨产生的急流和水汽因子特征，结果表明：沙漠南缘暴雨时环流配置符合“三支气流”模型，高空急流、中层偏南风、低层辐合切变的强度与降水量正相关，当高层有极涡直接南伸至中亚发展而成的副热带大槽、中层有气旋前部的强偏南或西南气流、低层有偏东风急流明显西伸与西风急流形成强辐合时有利于出现极端暴雨。沙漠南缘暴雨的水汽源地、输送路径、水汽含量、饱和层厚度与降水量相关，暴雨的水汽源地一般为欧洲和北冰洋，降水区水汽输入以中低层为主，低层比湿大于6 g?kg-1，饱和层位于700 hPa以上；当中高层有来自阿拉伯海、孟加拉湾的由偏南风输送水汽的加入，低层比湿达8 g?kg-1以上、饱和层扩展至750 hPa以下时，可出现极端暴雨。