Thaw modification of frost-fissure wedges,Richards Island,Pleistocene Mackenzie Delta,Western Arctic Canada

Thaw modification is the general process whereby frost-fissure wedges are modified during thaw, and by which frost-fissure pseudomorphs may develop. Specific processes of thaw modification are inferred from ice-wedge pseudomorphs, composite-wedge pseudomorphs and deformed sand wedges in the Pleistocene Mackenzie Delta: i.e. thermal erosion, collapse, subsidence, refreezing, loading, buoyancy, spreading, folding and shearing. Thaw modification is believed to result in selective preservation of pseudomorphs and wedges. Sand wedges are more likely to be preserved than are ice-wedge pseudomorphs or compositewedge pseudomorphs, because only those sand wedges that penetrate massive ice or icy sediments are prone to thaw modification. Furthermore, whereas ice wedges preferentially develop in ice-rich, fine-grained sediments (thaw-sensitive), their pseudomorphs appear to be selectively preserved in ice-poor, coarse-grained sediments (thaw-stable).     

多年冻土区铁路路基病害整治

The paper analyses the treatment measurements of railway roadbed main diseases in permafrost regions. Taking lessons from the diseases finally the mature experiences of treatments are offered.     

Evidence for freeze–thaw events and their implications for rock weathering in northern Canada

Discussions regarding weathering in cold environments generally centre on mechanical processes and on the freeze–thaw mechanism in particular. Despite the almost ubiquitous assumption of freeze–thaw weathering, unequivocal proof of interstitial rock water actually freezing and thawing is singularly lacking. Equally, many studies have used the crossing of 0 °C, or values close to that, as the basis for determining the number of ‘freeze–thaw events’. In order to assess the weathering regime at a site in northern Canada, temperatures were collected at the surface, 1 cm and 3 cm depth for sets of paving bricks, with exposures both vertical and at 45°, orientated to the four cardinal directions. Temperature data were collected at 1 min intervals for 1 year. These data provide unequivocal proof for the occurrence of the freezing and thawing of water on and within the rock (freeze–thaw events). The freeze event is evidenced by the exotherm associated with the release of latent heat as the water actually freezes. This is thought to be the ?rst record of such events from a ?eld situation. More signi?cantly, it was found that the temperature at which freezing occurred varied signi?cantly through the year and that on occasion the 1 cm depth froze prior to the rock surface. The change in freeze temperature is thought to be due to the chemical weathering of the material (coupled with on‐going salt inputs via the melting of snowfall), which, it is shown, could occur throughout the winter despite air temperatures down to ?30 °C. This ?nding regarding chemical weathering is also considered to be highly signi?cant. A number of thermal stress events were also recorded, suggesting that rock weathering in cold regions is a synergistic combination of various chemical and mechanical weathering mechanisms. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mercury and methylmercury biogeochemistry in a thawing permafrost wetland complex,Northwest Territories,Canada

In arctic and sub‐arctic environments, mercury (Hg), more specifically toxic methylmercury (MeHg), is of growing concern to local communities because of its accumulation in fish. In these regions, there is particular interest in the potential mobilization of atmospherically deposited Hg sequestered in permafrost that is thawing at unprecedented rates. Permafrost thaw and the resulting ground surface subsidence transforms forested peat plateaus into treeless and permafrost‐free thermokarst wetlands where inorganic Hg released from the thawed permafrost and draining from the surrounding peat plateaus may be transformed to MeHg. This study begins to characterize the spatial distribution of MeHg in a peat plateau–thermokarst wetland complex, a feature that prevails throughout the wetland‐dominated southern margin of thawing discontinuous permafrost in Canada's Northwest Territories. We measured pore water total Hg, MeHg, dissolved organic matter characteristics and general water chemistry parameters to evaluate the role of permafrost thaw on the pattern of water chemistry. A gradient in vegetation composition, water chemistry and dissolved organic matter characteristics followed a toposequence from the ombrotrophic bogs near the crest of the complex to poor fens at its downslope margins. We found that pore waters in poor fens contained elevated levels of MeHg, and the water draining from these features had dissolved MeHg concentrations 4.5 to 14.5 times higher than the water draining from the bogs. It was determined through analysis of historical aerial images that the poor fens in the toposequence had formed relatively recently (early 1970s) as a result of permafrost thaw. Differences between the fens and bogs are likely to be a result of their differences in groundwater function, and this suggests that permafrost thaw in this landscape can result in hotspots for Hg methylation that are hydrologically connected to downstream ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Higher tritium concentrations measured in permafrost thaw lakes in northern Alberta

Tritium concentrations were measured in a survey of 24 lakes, 15 wetlands, and 133 groundwaters in the oil sands region of northeastern Alberta and compared with both recent precipitation and precipitation sampled during the 1960s tritium peak caused by atmospheric thermonuclear weapons testing. Water samples from lakes included a group of 14 thaw lakes that had higher runoff attributed to melting of permafrost in peat plateaus within their watersheds. While tritium in all lakes was found to be intermediate between recent and 1960s concentrations, the thaw lakes were found to be significantly enriched in tritium compared with other lakes, as were unfrozen wetlands characterized by a thick sequence of low‐hydraulic conductivity peat. The results provide further evidence of different water sources to the thaw lakes and may indicate that melting of modern permafrost in part formed since the 1950s is occurring in these systems. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

InSAR技术在多年冻土区形变监测的应用

作为大地测量的一种新兴空间技术,合成孔径雷达干涉（synthetic aperture radar interferometry, InSAR）具有全天时、高精度、大范围和速度快的优点,逐渐被应用于多年冻土区地表形变监测中。通过综述多年冻土形变原理及InSAR监测多年冻土形变的应用实例,研究表明：在气候变暖的背景下,多年冻土区地表年际形变以下沉为主,多年冻土上限附近地下冰含量的大小是影响年际形变量的主要因素;活动层内土壤含水量影响着地表季节形变量的大小,不同类型多年冻土区的地表年际形变量和季节形变量存在着较大的差异。研究还表明,不同波长的SAR产品在不同类型多年冻土区的适用性不同,下垫面特征对利用InSAR获取地表形变量有较大影响,L波段的SAR数据在植被覆盖度较好的区域有更好的效果。由于InSAR的失相干问题,加之目前还缺少长时间、多类型、高频率的实测形变结果作为验证和标校数据,获取准确且连续的大范围形变数据较为困难。针对目前寒区研究需求,布设野外长期观测站点,建立适用于不同多年冻土区的地表形变反演算法,构建具有较高精度和较高时空分辨率的地表形变数据集具有重要的实践和科学意义。     

Frost susceptibility of soils——A confusing concept that can misguide geotechnical design in cold regions

Frost susceptibility is a concept widely used in cold region geotechnical design, to quantify the capacity of a soil in generating frost heave and frost damage. The laboratory test used to verify frost susceptibility of a soil is based on the measurement of frost heave generated in the soil under specific conditions. In reality this concept is, however, more related to the soil's potential to thaw weakening than to frost heave. Recent experimental studies show that frost non-susceptible soils like clean sand and clean gavel can also generate much ice segregation and frost heave if the conditions are favourable, hence challenging the usefulness and suitability of soil classification based on frost susceptibility. It is further shown that the concept is not suitable for design scenarios where frost heave itself is a serious hazard, such as in high-speed rail embankments.     

GNSS-R/IR监测地表冻融状态对延迟多普勒波形和多路径数据影响分析

将GNSS-R/IR技术的应用领域拓展到地表冻融状态的监测中,本文利用冻融土混合介质介电常数模型计算土壤介电常数,采用双站全极化相干反射率模型和随机粗糙面散射模型,分别计算了经冻融土反射的GPS相干反射量的镜像反射率,以及GPS非相干反射分量的漫散射特性。模拟分析了冻融转换时,GPS多路径信息(GNSS-IR)以及包含漫散射信号的延迟多普勒图(GNSS-R)的变化特征。理论研究表明冻融转换过程中,地表介电常数的变化导致GPS多路径信息和延迟多普勒图的明显变化。本文从散射机理上揭示了利用GNSS-R和GNSS-IR遥感进行地表冻融特性监测的理论依据。     

南海东北部陆坡与恒春海脊天然气水合物分布的地震反射对比

经过对"探宝号"调查船在2001年8月在南海东北部陆坡及台湾南部恒春海脊海域采集的多道地震剖面资料进行的地震反射波数据分析、研究和解释,结果表明:(1)南海东北部陆坡段区域和台湾南部恒春海脊海域地震剖面上均显示有被作为天然气水合物存在标志的BSR,但两区域构造成因、形式和相关地质环境的不同造成了此两处的天然气水合物成因及过程的不同.(2)南海东北部陆坡区域的水合物形成与该区广泛发育的断裂带、滑塌构造体及其所形成的压力场屏蔽环境有关,而台湾南部恒春海脊海域的天然气水合物的形成则与马尼拉海沟俯冲带相关的逆冲推覆构造、增生楔等及其所对应的海底流体疏导体系有关.(3)南海陆缘区域广泛发育有各种断裂带、滑塌构造体、泥底辟、俯冲带、增生楔等,且温压环境合适,是天然气水合物矿藏极有可能广泛分布的区域.     

准噶尔盆地石南地区清水河组一段层序地层特征

清水河组一段是石南31井区岩性油藏、石南44井区微幅构造油藏及整个腹部地区的重要产层，探究其层序地层特征对于指导研究区及整个腹部地区清水河组一段的隐蔽油气藏勘探有重要意义。通过对岩心、测井、地震等资料综合分析，指出清水河组一段相当于下白垩统第一个三级层序的低位及湖侵体系域。其层序地层特征显著，表现为:低位体系域以沟谷残余可容纳空间充填沉积为特点，分布较为局限，沟谷主要沉积辫状河道砂砾岩；湖侵体系域以退积型三角洲和三角洲前缘滑塌浊积扇沉积为主。建立了石南31井区的成藏模式，并指出三南凹陷中西部是岩性—地层油气藏勘探的有利区带。沟谷砂砾岩及三角洲前缘滑塌浊积扇可形成岩性圈闭，退积型三角洲可形成地层超覆圈闭；湖侵体系域顶部的泥岩可做为区域盖层；斜坡古地貌、深大断裂—中浅层断裂系统与不整合匹配为有效的输导体系。