Atmospheric Pb variations in Central Asia since 1955 from Muztagata ice core record, eastern Pamirs

Measurements of Pb in the well-preserved and dated snow and ice layers in glaciers can be used to recon- struct the past changes of atmospheric lead concentra- tions and to determine the trends of atmospheric pollu- tion. The lead data obtained from Greenland ice cap revealed severe air pollution in the Northern Hemi- sphere over the past three millennia. This lead pollution started from as early as Rome times[1], and increased remarkably from the Industrial Revolution to the end of the 1960…     

Chernobyl nuclear accident revealed from the 7010 m Muztagata ice core record

The total activity variation with depth from a 41.6 m Muztagata ice core drilled at 7010 m, recorded not only the 1963 radioactive layer due to the thermonuclear test, but also clearly the radioactive peak released by the Chernobyl accident in 1986. This finding indicates that the Chernobyl nuclear accident was clearly recorded in alpine glaciers in the Pamirs of west China, and the layer can be potentially used for ice core dating in other high alpine glaciers in the surrounding regions.     

Seasonal variations of dust record in the Muztagata ice cores

Based on the oxygen isotope ratio and microparticle record in ice cores recovered at Mt. Muztagata, Eastern Pamirs, the seasonal variations of atmospheric dust have been reconstructed for the past four decades. High dust concentrations and coarser particle grains have the similar trend with oxygen isotope value. Our statistical results indicate that 50%--60% high dust concentration samples occur during the season with high oxygen isotope values （summer）, while low dust storm frequency during spring and winter. Back-trajectory analysis shows that the air mass hitting Muztagata predominately came from West Asia （such as Iran-Afghanistan Plateau） and Central Asia, which are the main dust source area for Muztagata. Dust storms in those source areas most frequently occur during summer （from May to August）, while frequent dust storm events in northern China mainly occur during spring （March to May）. Regions in the path of Asian dust transport, such as in Japan, the North Pacific, and Greenland, also show high dust concentrations during spring （from March to May）. Our results indicate that dust storms have different seasonality in different regions within Asia.     

Decrease trend of dust event frequency over the past 200 years recorded in the Malan ice core from the northern Tibetan Plateau

By analyses of the dust layers in the Malan ice core from the northern Tibetan Plateau, it was found that dirty ratio in this core might be a good proxy for dust event frequency. The variations in the dirty ratio displayed a decrease trend over the past 200 years, which implies that dust events became less frequent during the study period. The decrease trend in the variations in dust event frequency might be caused mostly by the natural processes, including increasing precipitation and weakening westerly which might be related with global warming. Furthermore, significant negative correlation was found between the dirty ratio and δ^18O in the Malan ice core. This is highly important for studying the effect of atmospheric dust on climate change.     

Microparticle record in the Guliya ice core and its comparison with polar records since the last interglacial

Based on the study of oxygen isotope and microparticle in the Guliya ice core,atmospheric dust and environmental changes in the northwest Tibetan Plateau since the last interglacial were revealed.The microparticle record indicates that low dust load on the Plateau in the interglacial.Particle concentration increased rapidly when the climate turned into the last glacial and reached the maximum during the MIS 4.In the Last Glacial Maximum, however,the enhancement of microparticle concentration was slight,differing to those in the Antarctic and Greenland.On the orbital timescale,both the temperature on the Tibetan Plateau and summer solar insolation in the Northern Hemisphere had their impact on the microparticle record,but the difference in phase and amplitude also existed. Though having the same dust source, microparticle records in the ice cores on the Tibetan Plateau and the Greenland seem to have different significance.     

Recent change of the ice core accumulation rates on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Three ice cores recovered from the Himalayas (i.e. the East Rongbuk Glacier and the Far East Rongbuk Glacier at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), and the Dasuopu Glacier at Xixiabangma) show a sharp decline in the accumulation rates since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipitation fluctuation over India and the low northern latitude zone (5°-35°N). Correspondingly, an increasing trend is observed for the ice core accumulations from the central and northern Qingh ai-Tibetan Plateau (i.e. the Xiao Dongkemadi Glacier in the central Tanggula Mountains, the Guliya Ice Cap in the western Kunlun Mountains, and the Dunde Ice Cap in the Qilian Mountains) since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipi tation fluctuation over the middle-high northern latitude zone (35°-70°N). However, the variation magnitude of the high-elevation ice core accumulations is more significant than that of precipitation at the low-eleva- tion places, suggesti ng its extra sensitivity of high-elevation areas to climatic change. The inter-d ecadal abrupt change of the African-Asian summer monsoon in the1960s may attribute to the recent ice core accumulation change during the recent decades.     

Change of bacterial community in the Malan Ice Core and its relation to climate and environment

In order to understand the relationship between the community structure of bacteria in ice core and the past climate and environment, we initiated the study on the microorganisms in the three selected ice samples from the Malan ice core drilled from the Tibetan Plateau. The 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) molecules were directly amplified from the melt water samples, and three 16S rDNA clone libraries were established. Among 94 positive clones, eleven clones with unique restriction pattern were used for partial sequence and compared with eight reported sequences from the same ice core. The phylotypes were divided into 5 groups: alpha, beta, gamma proteobacteria; CFB, and other eubacteria group. Among them, there were many “typical Malan glacial bacteria“ pertaining to psychrophilies and new bacteria found in the ice core. At a longer time scale, the concentration distribution of “typical Malan glacial bacteria“ with depth showed negative correlation with temperature variations and was coincident with dirty layer. It implied the influence of temperature on the microbial record through impact on the concentrations of the “typical Malan glacial bacteria“. In addition, the nutrition contained in ice was another important factor controlling the distribution of microbial population in ice core section. Moreover, the result displayed an apparent layer distribution of bacterial community in the ice core section, which reflected the microbial response to the past climatic and environmental conditions at the time of deposition.     

Evidence for cold events in the early Holocene from the Guliya ice core, Tibetan Plateau, China

Evidence for the “8.2 ka cold event” has been provided mostly from the circum-North Atlantic area. However, whether this cold event occurred in other places is a key to understanding its cause. Here, we provide the evidence for the “8.2 ka cold event” from the Guliya ice core in the northwest Tibetan Plateau, and it was found that the peak cooling (~8.3—8.2 ka) in this ice core was about 7.8—10℃, which was larger than the cooling in the North Atlantic region. The primary causes for this episode were diminished solar activity and weakened thermohaline circulation. Moreover, another weak cold event, centered about 9.4 ka, was also recorded in the Guliya ice core record. These two cold events were concurrent with the ice-rafting episodes in the North Atlantic during the early Holocene, which implies that the millennial-scale climatic cyclicity might exist in the Tibetan Plateau as well as in the North Atlantic.     

Accumulation in Dasuopu ice core in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and solar activity

The time series of accumulation in recent 300 years correlated well with solar activity in Dasuopu ice core. Results of spectrum analysis on the accumulation time series of the Dasuopu ice core shows that there are some periods that coincide with the periods of solar activity. By comparing the long-time change trend of the accumulation in the Dasuopu ice core with various kinds of indexes of solar activity intensity, a negative correlation is found between the trend and solar activity.     

An ice-core record of vegetation and climate changes in the central Tibetan Plateau during the last 550 years

We present a 550-year ice-core pollen record with a 5-year resolution from the Puruogangri ice field in the central Tibetan Plateau.Analysis of the relationship between pollen record and instrumental observations suggests that the sum of the steppe and meadow pollen taxa is a good indicator of summer (June-August) temperature,whereas the ratios of Cyperaceae/(Gramineae+Artemisia) [Cy/(G+A)] as well as M/S (meadow to steppe percentages) are indicative of humidity changes in this region.Together with δ18O and...     

Changes in annual accumulation retrieved from Geladaindong ice core and its relationship to atmospheric circulation over the Tibetan Plateau

Annual accumulation records covering 1935 to 2004 were reconstructed using Geladaindong ice core in the source of Yangtze River. A significant positive correlation between annual accumulation and precipitation from nearby meteorological stations was found, suggesting ice core accumulation could be taken as a precipitation proxy in the region. In the past 70 years, precipitation in the Geladaindong region was low from 1930s to early 1960s, and the lowest value occurred in the later 1950s. Since 1960s, precipitation increased dramatically and reached the maximum around 1980s, then decreased slightly in 1990s. By using Mann-Kendall rank statistical test method, a change point for precipitation was determined in 1967. Analysis of the atmospheric circulation over the Tibetan Plateau suggested that, compared with the southwest wind during the low precipitation period （before 1967）, it extended about 2 latitudes northward during high precipitation period （after 1967）. Moreover, during the high precipitation, the trough over the Bal Karshi Lake was also enhanced, and both the meridional wind and vapor transporting displayed a remarkable aggrandizement.     

Concentration of nitrate in the Guliya ice core from the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the solar activity

The variations of NO\+-\-3 concentration in the Guliya ice core are reconstructed for recent about 1 000 a. Spectrum analysis of NO\+-\-3 indicates significant periodicities in the variations of NO\+-\-3 concentration, which coincide with the periodicities of the solar activity. Therefore, a positive correlation between the variations of NO\+-\-3 concentration and the solar activity is found.     

Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and environmental changes

Major progress, problems, and challenges of recent investigation of the Tibetan Plateau uplift processes and resulting environmental changes are reviewed and summarized briefly, which especially covers the National Tibetan Research Projects of the Chinese Eighth (1992-1996) and Ninth (1997-2001) "Five-Year Projects". The Tibetan Plateau uplift is a complicated multiple cyclic process. The Gangdise and Himalayas began to uplift in the Middle Eocene and Early Miocene respectively, while the main part of the Plateau merely underwent corresponding passive deformation and secular denudation, resulting in two planation surfaces. The third and also the strongest uplift involved the whole Plateau and its marginal mountains commenced at 3.6 Ma. Successive Kunlun-Huanghe movement at 1.1-0.6 Ma and Gonghe movement at 0.15 Ma raised the Plateau to its present height. The Asian monsoonal system and Asian natural environment formed in response to these tectonic uplifts.     

青藏高原隆升阶段性

 青藏高原的隆升不仅是印度板块与亚洲板块碰撞导致的地球内部岩石圈地球动力学作用过程的结果,并且对全球和亚洲气候变化、亚洲地貌和地表环境过程及大量地内和地表矿产资源的形成分布产生了深刻影响。因而研究高原隆升的历史不仅对解决上述重大科学问题提供重要途径,而且可为高原区域资源环境的开发和可持续发展提供理论依据。简要回顾和梳理了国内外近年来,围绕青藏高原隆升所取得的主要进展。研究表明新生代青藏高原经历了多阶段、多幕次、准同步异幅且高原南北后期加速隆升的演化过程。具体可划分为55~30、25~10及8~0 Ma 3个主要生长隆升期次。其中55~30 Ma的高原早期隆升,主要集中在高原中南部的拉萨地块和羌塘地块,并且可能隆升到接近3 km高度,或甚至更高,有人称之为“原西藏高原”,但其周缘存在准同步异幅的变形隆升响应;25~10 Ma的中期隆升,“原西藏高原”南北缘的喜马拉雅山和可可西里-昆仑山开始强烈隆升,“原西藏高原”率先隆升到目前高度并开始向东西两侧挤出物质、拉张形成南北向裂谷,高原北缘普遍产生广泛变形隆升但幅度有限;从约8 Ma开始的晚期隆升,高原南、北部边缘的喜马拉雅山和昆仑山-西秦岭以北的高原东北部隆升显著加速,经历一系列短暂快速的多幕次构造变形和生长隆升,最终形成现今高原面貌。     

Relationship between calcium and atmospheric dust recorded in Guliya ice core

By the analyses of Guliya ice core on the Tibetan Plateau, it was found that the calcium (Ca^2 ) originated from the terrestrial source is the main cation of soluble aerosol and a good proxy of the atmospheric component and environment in the mountain ice core located in the mid-low latitude arid regions. Evident variation of Ca^2 concentration has been found in the Guliya ice core since the Last lnterglaciation with two relatively strong increase periods and two weak increase periods. These variations are generally related to climatic changes: high Ca^2 concentration periods coincide with cold periods and low Ca^2 concentration periods coincide with warm periods. However, Ca^2 concentration does not always decrease (increase) with climate warming (cooling). The magnitude and phase of Ca^2 concentration does not always match temperature either. The changes of atmospheric circulation, land surface condition and atmospheric humidity might be important factors which influence Ca^2 concentration besides temperature.     

青藏高原内部地震活动研究

文章对国际地震中心陨杂悦（International Seismological Centre）和美国地质调查所震中初定报告孕阅耘（The Preliminary Determination of Epicentres Bulletin）提供的地震数据资料,以及西藏大学地震台网收集的地震数据资料进行分析研究。结果显示,青藏高原属于地质构造与地震活动极为活跃的区域,自1900年以来曾发生过3780次以上地震;青藏高原内部的地震绝大部分都属于浅源地震（源深度小于50km）,以拉萨为中心的周边地区属浅源地震的高频率发震区。     

Organic acids: Differences in ice core records between Glacier 1, Tianshan, China and the polar areas

Formate (HCOO-), acetate (CH₃COO-), oxalate (C₂O₄^2-) and pyruvate ((CO)C₂O₄^2-) are detected in a 14.08-m-long ice core recovered in Glacier 1 at the Urumqi riverhead, Tianshan, China, which is a mid-latitude alpine glacier (43°06′N, 86°49′E). the mean concentrations for the four organic acids in recent four decades are (102.8±147.3), (392.3±390.8), (6.9±14.8) and (4.2±8.3) ng/g, respectively, with the ratio for HCOO^-/CH₃COO^- of 0.34 ± 0.43. They represent the major acid components, and originate mainly from anthropogenic emission in the nearby industrial cities. Compared with Greenland and Antarctica, Glacier 1 is much higher in carboxylic acids, which were not subjected to long distance transportation as well as complicated atmospheric reactions. The alpine glacier can be, therefore, useful to reconstructing human pollution scenario to the regional atmosphere.     

Ozone mini-hole occurring over the Tibetan Plateau in December 2003

Since the Antarctic ozone-hole was discovered[1], the ozone depletion in stratosphere and its effect on climate and environment have become the global focus[2-6]. In China, since Zhou et al.[7] in 1994 and later Zou[8] dis- covered the total ozone valley …     

Thermal Stratification in Lake Zige Tangco, Central Tibetan Plateau

Lake Zige Tangco is an endorheic saline lake in central Tibetan Plateau. Investigations of 1998 and 1999 revealed that is was a typical stratified lake. The characteristics of thermal stratification of the lake have been extensively discussed from 4 aspects, i.e. thermocline, hydrochemistry and dissolved oxygen, stable isotope oxygen, and stability. The thermocline coupled with chemocline was further analyzed.