Tree-ring dates on two pre-Little Ice Age advances in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska, USA

Two interstadial tree ring-width chronologies from Geikie Inlet, Glacier Bay Southeast, Alaska were built from 40 logs. One of these chronologies has been calendar dated to AD 224–999 (775 yr) crossdating with a living ring-width chronology from Prince William Sound, Alaska. Trees in this chronology were likely killed through inundation by sediments and meltwater from the advancing Geikie Glacier and its tributaries ca. AD 850. The earlier tree-ring chronology spans 545 yr and is a floating ring-width series tied to radiocarbon ages of about 3000 cal yr BP. This tree-ring work indicates two intervals of glacial expansion by the Geikie Glacier system toward the main trunk glacier in Glacier Bay between 3400 and 3000 cal yr BP and again about AD 850. The timing of both expansions is consistent with patterns of ice advance at tidewater glaciers in other parts of Alaska and British Columbia about the same time, and with a relative sea-level history from just outside Glacier Bay in Icy Strait. This emerging tree-ring dated history builds on previous radiocarbon-based glacial histories and is the first study to use tree-ring dating to assign calendar dates to glacial activity for Glacier Bay.     

Coupled 2D Hydrodynamic and Sediment Transport Modeling of Megaflood due to Glacier Dam-break in Altai Mountains,Southern Siberia

One of the largest known megafloods on earth resulted from a glacier dam-break,which occurred during the Late Quaternary in the Altai Mountains in Southern Siberia.Computational modeling is one of the viable approaches to enhancing the understanding of the flood events.The computational domain of this flood is over 9460 km2 and about 3.784 × 106 cells are involved as a 50 m × 50 m mesh is used,which necessitates a computationally efficient model.Here the Open MP(Open Multiprocessing) technique is adopted to parallelize the code of a coupled 2D hydrodynamic and sediment transport model.It is shown that the computational efficiency is enhanced by over 80% due to the parallelization.The floods over both fixed and mobile beds are well reproduced with specified discharge hydrographs at the dam site.Qualitatively,backwater effects during the flood are resolved at the bifurcation between the Chuja and Katun rivers.Quantitatively,the computed maximum stage and thalweg are physically consistent with the field data of the bars and deposits.The effects of sediment transport and morphological evolution on the flood are considerable.Sensitivity analyses indicate that the impact of the peak discharge is significant,whilst those of the Manningroughness,medium sediment size and shape of the inlet discharge hydrograph are marginal.     

Meteorological Observations in 1999 at the Arctic Station,Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), Central West Greenland/Evidence of a warmer climate around AD 600, Mittivakkat Glacier,South East Greenland

In october 1990 an automatic weather station was established at the Arctic Station (65° 15', 53°31'W), Qeqertarsuaq (Godhavn), Central West Greenland. The Station register parameters each 20 minutes, and the paramters have been described in an earlier paper in this journal by Nielsen et al.(1995). The present paper summarizes meteorological parameters during 1999.

During a field campaign in 1999, woody remains from Salix glauca were found on a nunatak, 515 m. a.s.l. on the Mittivakkat Glacier, South East Greenland. Radio carbon dating determined the age of a wood sample to AD 640. Together with analyses of macroscopic botanical remains and insect rests in peaty material found nearby, these results indicate, that a warmer climate prevailed near the glacier around AD 600. These findings are in accordance with temperature records based on studies of ice cores from the Greenland Ice sheet.     

Modelling and estimation of different components of streamflow for Gangotri Glacier basin,Himalayas / Modélisation et estimation des différentes composantes de l'écoulement fluviatile du bassin du Glacier Gangotri,Himalaya

Abstract

The understanding of the runoff generation processes is reviewed and simulation of daily streamflow is reported for the Gangotri Glacier basin (Central Himalayas) with area of ～556 km², of which ～286 km² is occupied by the glaciers, and altitude of 4000 to 7000 m.a.s.l. A hydro-meteorological database was established by collecting meteorological and hydrological data near the snout of the glacier for four melt seasons (2000–2003) covering the period from May to October every year. Flow was simulated using a snowmelt model (SNOWMOD) based on the temperature index approach. Two years (2000 and 2001) of the four-year data set were used to calibrate the model, and the remaining two years (2002 and 2003) were used for verification. The study was carried out during the ablation period, as the availability of data was restricted to that period, responsible for a major part of the runoff. The model performed well for both calibration and verification periods. The overall efficiency of the model, R ², was 0.96 and the difference in volume of computed and observed streamflow was ?2.5%, indicating a good model performance. Simulation of different components of streamflow clearly indicates that almost all the high peaks are attributed to melt. The model was also used to estimate the respective contributions by melt and rainfall to the total seasonal flow: for summer runoff, these were estimated to be about 97% and 3%. Such studies are very useful for the planning and management of water resources in high-altitude areas and for designing hydropower projects.     

Glacier Peak and mid-Lateglacial Katla cryptotephras in Scotland: potential new intercontinental and marine-terrestrial correlations

Using contiguous high resolution sampling methods, we report the detection of a Glacier Peak volcanic ash from North America in Lateglacial Interstadial lake sediments in western Scotland. It occurs in close proximity to the Icelandic Borrobol and Penifiler tephras, but is distinguishable by its rhyolitic major-element composition that is consistent with the earliest set G layer, one of a number of mid-Interstadial Glacier Peak eruptions dated between 13.71 and 13.41 cal ka bp. Another cryptotephra layer present in these same Interstadial sediments has a rhyolitic composition consistent with the Icelandic Katla source. However, it is in a stratigraphic position below the widespread mid-Lateglacial Stadial Vedde Ash from Katla, which is also present in these cores. The Katla layer is stratigraphically well defined, suggesting primary airfall, and is compositionally similar to a mid-Interstadial rhyolitic tephra reported from a North Atlantic marine sequence south of Iceland dated to ~13.6 ka. The detection of Glacier Peak G in the European tephrostratigraphy will permit direct high-precision correlation of mid-Interstadial palaeoenvironments between North American and European terrestrial sequences. Any correlation between the new Katla layer and similar marine layers remains provisional, though if verified would permit similar correlation between North Atlantic marine and European terrestrial records.     

Source of major ions from an ice core of the No. 12 Glacier in Laohugou Valley, Qilian Mountain

In June 2006,a 20.12 m shallow ice core was recovered from an elevation of 5,040 m in the northern branch firn basin of No.12 Glacier,Great Snow Mountain,in the western part of Qilian Mountain,China.Isotopes(δ 18 O),major soluble ions,and radionuclide(β-activity) measurements from the ice core revealed a 46-year record(1960-2006).In this paper,the method of sea-salt ion tracer,correlation analysis and trend analysis were used in this research to confirm the source of the chemical composition.The correlation analysis and HYSPLIT backward trajectory analysis suggests that atmospheric soluble dust species dominate the chemical signature.     

祁连山老虎沟12号冰川雷达测厚和冰下地形特征研究

冰川地形是构建冰川流动模型的基础,对于认识冰川响应气候变化的动力机制具有重要意义.在2009年和2014年消融季,使用探地雷达对祁连山老虎沟12号冰川进行了厚度测量和冰下地形观测,获得了沿冰川中流线和多条横剖面的厚度资料,并对中流线上的厚度分布特征和槽谷形态进行了研究.研究结果表明,东、西支冰川的平均厚度分别为190m和150m,东支冰川冰下地形起伏大于西支,支冰川的表面坡度都较缓和.东、西支冰川进入汇合区时厚度分别为122m和157m,由于支冰川的横向挤压和汇流,汇合区中部冰川厚度增加到162m.冰川槽谷形态具有空间差异,东、西支冰川槽谷形态近似于对称的V型,但是在冰川汇合区,槽谷底部变宽,边坡变缓,发育有不对称槽谷.     

祁连山东段冷龙岭地区宁缠河3号冰川变化研究

2009年7月对祁连山东段冷龙岭地区宁缠河3号冰川进行了野外考察, 对冰川周围布设测量控制网, 并利用GPS-RTK技术测量了冰川表面高程与面积、 末端等信息, 同时使用加拿大EKKO型探地雷达测量了冰川厚度. 结合1972年航测1973年调绘出版的地形图以及1995年与2009年两景TM影像等资料, 分析研究了宁缠河3号冰川自1972年以来的变化. 结果表明: 宁缠河3号冰川近37 a以来萎缩严重, 冰川末端退缩约6%, 面积减小13.1%, 冰川体积减少35.3%; 冰川主要以减薄的形式在萎缩, 冰川平均厚度由1972年的36.8 m, 减为2009年的27.4 m. 周边站点气象资料表明, 该区域近几十年来出现不同程度的升温, 是导致冰川快速萎缩的主要原因.     

THE RESPONSE OF PARTIALLY DEBRIS‐COVERED VALLEY GLACIERS TO CLIMATE CHANGE: THE EXAMPLE OF THE PASTERZE GLACIER (AUSTRIA) IN THE PERIOD 1964 TO 2006

Long‐term observations of partly debris‐covered glaciers have allowed us to assess the impact of supra‐glacial debris on volumetric changes. In this paper, the behaviour of the partially debris‐covered, 3.6 km² tongue of Pasterze Glacier (47°05′N, 12°44′E) was studied in the context of ongoing climate changes. The right part of the glacier tongue is covered by a continuous supra‐glacial debris mantle with variable thicknesses (a few centimetres to about 1 m). For the period 1964–2000 three digital elevation models (1964, 1981, 2000) and related debris‐cover distributions were analysed. These datasets were compared with long‐term series of glaciological field data (displacement, elevation change, glacier terminus behaviour) from the 1960s to 2006. Differences between the debriscovered and the clean ice parts were emphasised. Results show that volumetric losses increased by 2.3 times between the periods 1964–1981 and 1981–2000 with significant regional variations at the glacier tongue. Such variations are controlled by the glacier emergence velocity pattern, existence and thickness of supra‐glacial debris, direct solar radiation, counter‐radiation from the valley sides and their changes over time. The downward‐increasing debris thickness is counteracting to a compensational stage against the common decrease of ablation with elevation. A continuous debris cover not less than 15 cm in thickness reduces ablation rates by 30–35%. No relationship exists between glacier retreat rates and summer air temperatures. Substantial and varying differences of the two different terminus parts occurred. Our findings clearly underline the importance of supra‐glacial debris on mass balance and glacier tongue morphology.     

祁连山老虎沟12号冰川微粒在沉积后过程的变化特征

2008年10月和2009年10月在祁连山老虎沟12号冰川积累区采集了2个雪坑样品, 通过样品中δ¹⁸O、可溶性离子、不溶性微粒的变化特点划分了雪坑季节. 2008年雪坑季节变化信号明显, 而2009年雪坑不明显, 微粒浓度、Ca²⁺与Mg²⁺含量在春季较高. 离子平衡、pH值、电导率及同期气象记录观测资料均显示, 2009年雪坑受淋溶影响较大. 淋溶强烈时, 受融水造成的粉尘溶解及离子淋溶的影响, 雪坑中微粒与Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺变化趋势不甚一致; 与Ca²⁺相比, Mg²⁺变化能够较好表征微粒的变化; d>5 μm的微粒可能更易于溶解迁移. 通过分析室内雪冰样品在液态下的变化, 发现伴随静置过程微粒的质量浓度呈下降的趋势, 期间Ca²⁺、Mg²⁺却呈现增加的变化, 可能与碳酸盐矿物的溶解有关.