Subglacial drainage system structure and morphology of Brewster Glacier,New Zealand

A global positioning system and ground penetrating radar surveys is used to produce digital elevation models of the surface and bed of Brewster Glacier. These are used to derive maps of subglacial hydraulic potential and drainage system structure using three different assumptions about the subglacial water pressure (P_w): (i) P_w = ice overburden; (ii) P_w = half ice overburden; (iii) P_w = atmospheric. Additionally, 16 dye‐tracing experiments at 12 locations were performed through a summer melt season. Dye return curve shape, together with calculations of transit velocity, dispersivity and storage, are used to infer the likely morphology of the subglacial drainage system. Taken together, the data indicate that the glacier is underlain by a channelised but hydraulically inefficient drainage system in the early summer in which water pressures are close to ice overburden. By mid‐summer, water pressures are closer to half‐ice overburden and the channelised drainage system is more hydraulically efficient. Surface streams that enter the glacier close to the location of major subglacial drainage pathways are routed quickly to the channels and then to the glacier snout. Streams that enter the glacier further away from the drainage pathways are routed slowly to the channels and then to the snout because they first flow through a distributed drainage system. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

高分一号山地冰川运动速度提取与分析

近年来国产遥感卫星数据增多,但在山地冰川运动速度监测研究中,国产卫星遥感数据的使用却很少。基于此现状,本研究利用"高分一号"卫星数据(GF-1)对藏东南雅弄冰川运动速度进行了提取。通过与同分辨率、同时段的Landsat 8数据进行对比,以及利用非冰川稳定区域的残余位移和冰川主冰流线剖面运动速度两方面,评估了GF-1数据提取的冰川运动速度的精度。结果表明:GF-1数据在非冰川稳定区域的平均偏移量为7.48 m·a~(-1),虽较Landsat 8数据的高(平均偏移量4.58 m·a~(-1)),但小于冰川平均运动速度的5%;GF-1数据与Landsat 8数据在2015年—2016年时段内的冰川主冰流线运动速度变化趋势一致,两者的偏差均方根为7.41 m,小于冰川平均运动速度的5%。研究结果证明了国产高分一号卫星遥感数据在青藏高原山地冰川运动速度监测应用中的可行性。     

高分一号卫星遥感影像提取冰川堰塞湖水体方法比较

快速准确地从遥感影像提取冰川堰塞湖水体信息,是研究冰坝遥感监测与应急监测的核心热点问题。以GF-1卫星遥感影像为主要数据源,采用归一化差分水体指数(NDWI)、改进阴影水体指数(ENDWI)和面向对象(SVM)对克亚吉尔冰川堰塞湖水体进行定量提取。比较分析3种水体判识方法,3种方法均可以提取完整的水体边界,并且抑制了90%以上的非水体信息。NDWI法和ENDWI法可应用于GF-1地表水体提取,能够满足冰坝水体监测与应急监测需求,但面向对象法最适宜GF-1影像的水体信息准确提取。     

新疆冰川近期变化及其对水资源的影响研究

新疆的冰川水资源居全国第一,在新疆水资源构成和河川径流调节方面占有重要地位。最近30多年来,随着气温升高,冰川出现了剧烈的消融退缩,冰川融水径流量普遍增加,并对气温的依赖性增强。文章基于最新冰川观测研究资料,阐述新疆冰川的近期变化,分析对水资源的影响。研究表明,所研究的1800条冰川,在过去26～44年间,总面积缩小了11.7％,平均每条冰川缩小0.243km2,末端退缩速率5.8m/a。冰川在不同区域的缩小比率为8.8％～34.2％,单条冰川的平均缩小量为0.092～0.415km²,末端平均后退量为 3.5～10.5m/a。由于新疆各流域中冰川的分布、变化特征,以及融水所占河川径流的比例不同,因此,未来气候变化对新疆各个区域水资源的影响程度和表现形式是不同的。分析表明,在塔里木河流域,冰川水资源具有举足轻重的作用,但是,一旦冰川消融殆尽,对该地区将产生灾难性影响,现今该区冰川消融正盛,估计在今后30～50年,只要保持升温,冰川融水量仍会维持。未来20～40年,天山北麓水系中,1km²左右的小冰川趋于消失,大于5km²冰川消融强烈,因此,以小冰川居多的河流受冰川变化的影响较大。东疆盆地水系中的冰川数量少,并处在加速消融状态,河川径流对冰川的依赖性强,冰川的变化已经对水资源量及年内分配产生影响,水资源已经处在不断恶化之中。对于伊犁河与额尔齐斯河流域,未来冰川变化对水资源的影响在数量上可能有限,但会大大削弱冰川融水径流的调节功能。而气候变化对积雪水资源的影响和可能造成的后果应该予以特别关注。     

青藏高原纳木错流域扎当冰川度日因子特征及其应用

根据青藏高原念青唐古拉峰北坡纳木错流域扎当冰川2007和2008年消融期的物质平衡和气象观测资料,计算了冰川冰和雪的度日因子值,分析了冰川度日因子的时空变化及影响因素.结果表明:扎当冰川雪的度日因子值为5.3mm·d-1·℃-1;不同海拔冰的度日因子在4.0～14.0mm·d-1·℃-1之间,平均为9.2mm·d-1·℃-1.扎当冰川冰的度日因子值随着海拔的升高有所下降,但季节变化规律不明显.利用度日模型对扎当冰川物质平衡进行了模拟,得到2006/2007年度和2007/2008年度该冰川的物质平衡值分别为-534mmw.e.和247mmw.e.,其中2007/2008年度的模拟值接近观测值.     

北极新奥尔松Austre Lovénbreen冰川退缩迹地不同演替阶段的植物组成与植被群落特征分析

为开展新奥尔松地区苔原植物生长和植被演替对冰川退缩响应的研究,在Austre Lovénbreen冰川(简称A冰川)前沿不同年代冰缘线附近布设了植被样方,调查了样方内植物组成与群落结构。结果表明:(1)A冰川1990年冰缘线代表植被演替的初始阶段,样方内仅出现先锋植物挪威虎耳草(Saxifraga oppositifolia);(2)1936年冰缘线代表冰川退缩长达75年后植被发育的情况,样方内植物种类和个体数明显增多,植被群落以木本植物极柳(Salix polaris)和草本植物黄葶苈(Draba bellii)为主,地衣以寒生肉疣衣(Ochrolechia frigida)和鸡皮衣(Pertusaria sp.)等壳状地衣为主;(3)随着冰川迹地形成时间更长,植被趋向成熟阶段发展,样方内极柳占绝对优势,地衣的物种多样性和盖度显著增加,出现雪黄岛衣(Flavocetraria nivalis)和刺岛衣(Cetraria aculeata)等叶状地衣。初步结果表明冰川退缩迹地上的物种更替明显,群落结构发生着显著变化。     

New advances in the study of Alpine glaciations

The European Alps is the birthplace of glaciology and in particular Quaternary glaciology and for over one hundred years has been a model region for studying mountain glaciations. In this paper, we review the achievements from this region, which will benefit glaciological studies of the Tibetan Plateau, China. According to new evidences of glaciofluvial de- posits discovered in valleys and forelands of the Alps, researchers have progressed from an original four Pleistocene gla- ciations to seven glaciations： Biber, Donua, Gtinz, Haslach, Mindel, Riss and WOrm. The earliest one Biber possibly oc- curred between the Pliocene and Pleistocene, but the chronology before Riss is still in doubt. Recent years, Riss and Wtirm glaciations have been supported by a large numbers of cosmogenic exposure dating. In particular, cosmogenic nuclide exposure dating has been carried out for different moraine boulders in numerous valleys, which reveals a series of climatic change events, and they are comparable to post-glacial age records of northern Europe. The advancement of glaciological studies in the Alps is important in promoting glaciological research in the Tibetan Plateau.     

Preliminary spectral characterization of snow in a high altitude tropical glacier and potential effects of impurities in snow on albedo of tropical glaciers

This paper presents some preliminary measurements of snow spectral reflectance on the tropical Bolivian Zongo glacier. Measurements show a correct agreement with theoretical spectral albedo of pure snow in the near infrared region, but lower values in the visible region (by 10–20%) probably due to aerosols contained in snow. Impurity contents ranged from 10 to 100 ppmw in one‐week‐old snow collected from the Zongo glacier, but measurements are scarce. Large amounts of snowfall partly compensate the proximity of dust sources in mid‐latitude glaciers, whereas on outer‐tropical glaciers precipitations are not abundant and are very seasonal, and sources of aerosols are proximate. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Moraine development at a small High‐Arctic valley glacier: Rieperbreen,Svalbard

Ice‐cored lateral and frontal moraine complexes, formed at the margin of the small, land‐based Rieperbreen glacier, central Svalbard, have been investigated through field observations and interpretations of aerial photographs (1936, 1961 and 1990). The main focus has been on the stratigraphical and dynamic development of these moraines as well as the disintegration processes. The glacier has been wasting down since the ‘Little Ice Age’ (LIA) maximum, and between 1936 and 1990 the glacier surface was lowered by 50–60 m and the front retreated by approximately 900 m. As the glacier wasted, three moraine ridges developed at the front, mainly as melting out of sediments from debris‐rich foliation and debris‐bands formed when the glacier was polythermal, probably during the LIA maximum. The disintegration of the moraines is dominated by wastage of buried ice, sediment gravity‐flows, meltwater activity and some frost weathering. A transverse glacier profile with a northward sloping surface has developed owing to the higher insolation along the south‐facing ice margin. This asymmetric geometry also strongly affects the supraglacial drainage pattern. Lateral moraines have formed along both sides of the glacier, although the insolation aspect of the glacier has resulted in the development of a moraine 60 m high along its northern margin. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling the advance–retreat cycle of a tidewater glacier with simple sediment dynamics

We present a simple coupled glacier-sediment model to simulate the evolution of a tidewater glacier. The model is based on a consideration of the total mass budget of a glacier, whereas ice mechanics are fully parameterized. The calving rate at the glacier terminus is assumed to be proportional to the water depth. We show that the formation of a morainic shoal has a profound influence on the response of a tidewater glacier to climatic forcing. For a slow periodic forcing of the equilibrium-line altitude, the model glacier advances steadily into the estuary, builds up a submarine terminal moraine, and then retreats rapidly when a critical point is hit. For a slowly increasing equilibrium-line altitude, at a rate as low as 1 m per 5 years, we find terminus retreat rates of up to 10 km in 50 years. Our model suggests that, although the response of tidewater glaciers to external forcing is strongly nonlinear, the onset of retreat is controlled by climate change.