雪冰中的黑碳记录研究的历史回顾

黑碳(Black carbon)是一类大气气溶胶, 也是重要的气候驱动因子之一, 它与人类活动密切相关.迄今发现, 雪冰是保存和记录历史时期黑碳变化的最好介质.根据前人对南极冰芯、格陵兰冰芯、中低纬度山地冰川冰芯以及雪坑样品中的黑碳记录的研究成果, 讨论了不同研究地区雪冰中黑碳含量的变化, 黑碳对气候环境突变、大气环流变化的响应, 总结了人类活动与雪冰黑碳记录之间的关系.雪冰黑碳记录还可以获得如森林大火这样的特殊事件的信息.

Black Carbon in Snow and Ice: A Review

Nowadays, the topic of the climatic effect of the atmospheric aerosols has been a highlight that human-being pays attention to. Black carbon (BC) is a kind of aerosol, which results from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels (for example, coal and petroleum) and biomass (for example, vegetation burnt in forest fires and slash-and-burn agriculture). Recent researches have found that black carbon is one of the most significant climate forcing factors among atmospheric aerosols, which is relative to anthropogenic activities. New research from NASA scientists suggests emissions of black carbon alter the way sunlight reflects off snow. According to a computer simulation, black carbon may be responsible for 25 percent of observed global warming over the past century. Furthermore, besides the necessity to know its climatic effect, black carbon is also a good medium for understanding the change of climate and environment. Up to now, snow and ice is the best archive that preserves and records the historical variation of BC. In this article, variations are discussed of BC concentration in snow and ice at different places on the earth, and its response to the change of atmospheric circulation, climate and environment, according to the available research results from ice cores and snow samples collected from Antarctica, Greenland and mountain glaciers in mid-low latitude regions. The relationships between anthropogenic activities and the BC variations in snow and ice are summarized. Furthermore, natural events like biomass burning were also reflected by high BC concentration in snow and ice.