Surface Heat Balance and Spatially Distributed Ablation Modelling at Koryto Glacier, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

To investigate the characteristics of ablation at Koryto Glacier, a mountain glacier under maritime climate in Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, we made field observations from August to early September 2000. At a site near the equilibrium line, the 31‐day average net radiation, sensible heat flux, and latent heat flux were 43, 59 and 31 W^?2, respectively. We developed a new distributed ablation model, which only needs measurements of air temperature and global radiation at one site. Hourly ablation rates at this site obtained by the energy balance method are related to measured air temperature and global radiation by linear multiple regression. A different set of multiple regression coefficients is fitted for snow and ice surfaces. Better estimates of ablation rate can be obtained by this approach than by other temperature index models. These equations are then applied to each grid cell of a digital elevation model to estimate spatially distributed hourly melt. Air temperature is extrapolated using a constant temperature lapse rate and global radiation is distributed considering topographic effects. The model enables us to calculate the hourly spatial distribution of ablation rates within the glacier area and could well provide a realistic simulation of ablation over the whole glacier.     

Glacier Distribution in the Alps: Statistical Modelling of Altitude and Aspect

Mass balance of glaciers in mountain areas varies not only with altitude and regional position but also with aspect, gradient, glacier size, glacier type and detailed topographic position. These factors are combined here in models of how glacier altitude varies, tested with data for the Alps edited from the World Glacier Inventory. An overall northward tendency in glacier numbers (toward 005 ± 4°) and lower altitudes (013 ± 5°) is maintained across a range of glacier sizes, types, altitudes and the major divisions of the Alps. Variation with aspect of glacier altitude (and, by implication, of glacier balance) in the Alps is essentially unimodal, and north‐facing glaciers average 220 m lower in middle altitude than south‐facing: 148 m in the Western Alps, 232 m in the West‐central, 252 m in the East‐central, and 268 m in the Eastern Alps. For smaller subdivisions, confidence intervals on estimates are broader and many differences lack statistical significance. Contrasts are greater in the higher massifs, with greater relief, and lower in cloudy, windward areas. There are small windrelated tendencies east of north along the northern and western fringes, but trends across space are weak: position is thus treated by subdivision into districts and groups. Mid‐altitude averages 2891 m overall and varies from 2552 to 3127 m for 27 glacier districts, and from 2124 to 3209 m for 103 glacier groups. Glacier mid‐altitude varies also with glacier form, nourishment, height range and area, which account for over two‐thirds of variance in combined models.     

希夏邦马峰抗物热冰川离子淋溶作用对冰芯记录的影响(英)

The ion elution process has a severe effects on the formation of ice core record, which is discussed on the results of ice core record from kangwure Glacier, Xixabangma Peak.     

天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川的气候敏感性研究

依据山地冰川规模对于气候变化平衡态响应的一种统计模型,探讨了天山乌鲁木齐河源１号冰川东,西支在不同气候情景下的平衡态规模大小,根据该冰川的历史变化并应用这一统计模型,对于乌鲁木齐河源地区气候变化的趋势进行了研究。     

Structure and stability of the former subglacial drainage system of the glacier De Tsanfleuron,Switzerland

A well-developed subglacial drainage system consisting of large cavities developed in the lee of bedrock steps connected together by a network of Nye channels is exposed on an area of recently deglaciated limestone bedrock in front of Glacier de Tsanfleuron, Switzerland. This system covers some 51 per cent of the bedrock surface area, and is believed to have transported the bulk of supraglacially-derived meltwaters through the glacier. Using the cavity hydraulics model of Kamb (1987), it is shown that the geometry of the system rendered it stable against collapse by meltback of channel roofs into a tunnel-dominated system. For likely combinations of glacier geometry and meltwater discharge, the steady state water pressure in this system would have been only a small fraction of that required for flotation, and for discharges of less than about 0·5–5 m³ s^?1 water would have flowed at atmospheric pressure. The system appears to have adjusted to varying discharges by a combination of varying water pressure and changing the total cross-sectional area of flow by altering the number of active channels connecting cavities. Glacier sliding velocity would have been independent of meltwater discharge for discharges at which water flowed at atmospheric pressure, but would have risen with increasing discharge for higher flows. Velocities on the order of 0·1 m d^?1 are predicted for a realistic range of discharges and effective pressures, and these are believed to be plausible. Episodes of enhanced sliding in glaciers with similar drainage systems could be triggered by a rise in meltwater discharge across the threshold between flows at atmospheric pressure and flow under pressure from the glacier.     

Ice-distal Upper Miocene marine strata from inland Antarctica

ABSTRACT Glacimarine strata of the Battye Glacier Formation (≈ 130 m thick), Pagodroma Group, exposed in the Amery Oasis of East Antarctica, provide a record of Late Miocene palaeoenvironmental conditions in an ice‐distal setting. The formation overlies the Amery Erosion Surface (≈ 300 m to ≈ 270 m above sea level) that formed during an advance of the Lambert Glacier into Prydz Bay (ODP Site 739), at least 750 km further north than today. Two lithological members: a grey and muddier Lower Member and a brown, sand‐rich Upper Member, reflect variation in proximity to the terminus of the Lambert Glacier. Ice‐distal, glacimarine, diatom‐bearing mud (up to 12% biogenic silica) and in situ articulated molluscs occur in the Lower Member. The Battye Glacier Formation is significant because of its inland location, which indicates that ice‐distal marine conditions existed 250 km inland from the current Amery Ice Shelf edge. Similar Neogene strata are known on land only from the Pliocene Sørsdal Formation in the Vestfold Hills, near the Antarctic coast. Three stratigraphic intervals of diatom‐bearing mud are recognized from glacially reworked clasts and from in situ strata informally referred to as the McLeod Beds and ‘Bed A’. The diatom‐bearing mud also contains sponge spicules and minor silicoflagellates and ebridians. Marine diatom biostratigraphy constrains the age of the beds to between 10·7 and 9·0 Ma (late Miocene). Abundant benthic diatoms suggest deposition within shallow euphotic waters. The high abundance of intercalary valves of Eucampia antarctica from an interval of the McLeod Beds suggests that there was less winter sea‐ice than in Prydz Bay today. It is unlikely that sea‐ice was perennial because the presence of Thalassionema spp. and Stellarima stellaris (Roper) Hasle et Sims suggests that summer sea‐surface temperatures were too warm (> 0°C and > 3°C respectively). The palaeoclimate at the time of deposition appears to have been analogous to that in modern fjords of East Greenland (e.g. Kangerdlugssuaq Fjord), which is consistent with the depositional model proposed previously for the Pagodroma Group. The three diatom‐bearing mud intervals were deposited in the Amery Oasis, ≈ 250 km inland of the current Amery Ice Shelf edge, when the East Antarctic Ice Sheet was reduced in size relative to today.     

南极地区数百年来气候变化的冰芯记录对比研究

随着国际横穿南极科学考察计划的实施, 近年来开展了沿中山站-Dome A考察路线的冰芯研究, 获得了伊丽莎白公主地250 a来气候环境变化的高分辨率记录. 通过与Lambert冰川流域西侧有关研究结果的对比, 揭示了该冰川谷地为东南极洲重要气候分界线的特征. 综合南极地区其它地点冰芯记录和冰盖变化研究结果, 发现以小冰期为代表的寒冷期在东南极洲较为明显, 在西南极洲则不明显, 甚或恰好相反, 表现为温暖阶段. 就东南极洲来说, 也存在明显的区域差异: 以Lambert冰川谷地为界, 东部地区, 如Wilkes Land (Law Dome), Victoria Land北部(Hercules Neve)等地, 小冰期冷期比较突出;西部地区, 如Dronning Maud Land和Mizuho高原, 情况不是很明确. Lambert冰川流域是非常特殊的地方, 虽然小冰期冷期也存在, 但1850年前后的显著高温和近100多年来的降温与南极洲其它地方都不一样, 而与南极半岛北侧一冰芯所给出的400 a温度变化记录极为相似, 我们尚不能解释为何如此遥远的两个地点具有很好的一致性而与其它地方则不一致.     

四川省黑水县冰川水资源的特征与评价

首次专门对四川黑水县羊拱山脉等地的现代冰川水资源，第四纪古冰川以及相应的景观地貌环境进行了科学考察。境内共发育分布现代冰川19条，形态类型有悬冰川，坡面冰川，冰斗悬冰川，冰斗山谷冰川，总面积达6.04km^2冰储量为0.1736km^3。值得注意的是在海拔5000m附近背阴处发现零星的婴儿冰川（Baby Glacier)分布。这对当地区域气候环境的变化具有重要的窗口监测作用。打古冰川盆地上源的古冰蚀，冰碛湖泊星罗棋布，达数百个之多，这为当地未来的生态，环境科学探险，旅游业的开发提供了良好基础。