Large subglacial lakes in East Antarctica at the onset of fast-flowing ice streams

Water plays a crucial role in ice-sheet stability and the onset of ice streams. Subglacial lake water moves between lakes and rapidly drains, causing catastrophic floods. The exact mechanisms by which subglacial lakes influence ice-sheet dynamics are unknown, however, and large subglacial lakes have not been closely associated with rapidly flowing ice streams. Here we use satellite imagery and ice-surface elevations to identify a region of subglacial lakes, similar in total area to Lake Vostok, at the onset region of the Recovery Glacier ice stream in East Antarctica and predicted by ice-sheet models. We define four lakes through extensive, flat, featureless regions of ice surface bounded by upstream troughs and downstream ridges. Using ice velocities determined using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), we find the onset of rapid flow (moving at 20 to 30 m yr(-1)) of the tributaries to the Recovery Glacier ice stream in a 280-km-wide segment at the downslope margins of these four subglacial lakes. We conclude that the subglacial lakes initiate and maintain rapid ice flow through either active modification of the basal thermal regime of the ice sheet by lake accretion or through scouring bedrock channels in periodic drainage events. We suggest that the role of subglacial lakes needs to be considered in ice-sheet mass balance assessments.     

Physical, chemical and biological processes in Lake Vostok and other Antarctic subglacial lakes.

Over 70 lakes have now been identified beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. Although water from none of the lakes has been sampled directly, analysis of lake ice frozen (accreted) to the underside of the ice sheet above Lake Vostok, the largest of these lakes, has allowed inferences to be made on lake water chemistry and has revealed small quantities of microbes. These findings suggest that Lake Vostok is an extreme, yet viable, environment for life. All subglacial lakes are subject to high pressure (approximately 350 atmospheres), low temperatures (about -3 degrees C) and permanent darkness. Any microbes present must therefore use chemical sources to power biological processes. Importantly, dissolved oxygen is available at least at the lake surface, from equilibration with air hydrates released from melting basal glacier ice. Microbes found in Lake Vostok's accreted ice are relatively modern, but the probability of ancient lake-floor sediments leads to a possibility of a very old biota at the base of subglacial lakes.     

Water exchange between the subglacial Lake Vostok and the overlying ice sheet

It has now been known for several years that a 200-km-long lake, called Lake Vostok, lies beneath the ice sheet on which sits Vostok Station in Antarctica. The conditions at the base of the ice sheet above this subglacial lake can provide information about the environment within the lake, including the likelihood that it supports life. Here we present an analysis of the ice-sheet structure from airborne 60-MHz radar studies, which indicates that distinct zones of basal ice loss and accretion occur at the ice-water interface. Subglacial melting and net ice loss occur in the north of the lake and across its 200-km-long western margin, whereas about 150 m of ice is gained by subglacial freezing in the south. This indicates that significant quantities of water are exchanged between the base of the ice sheet and the lake waters, which will enrich the lake with gas hydrates, cause sediment deposition and encourage circulation of the lake water.     

Stimulated influences of Lake Agassiz on the climate of central North America 11,000 years ago

Eleven thousand years ago, large lakes existed in central and eastern North America along the margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The large-scale North American climate at this time has been simulated with atmospheric general circulation models, but these relatively coarse global models do not resolve potentially important features of the mesoscale circulation that arise from interactions among the atmosphere, ice sheet, and proglacial lakes. Here we present simulations of the climate of central and eastern North America 11,000 years ago with a high-resolution, regional climate model nested within a general circulation model. The simulated climate is in general agreement with that inferred from palaeoecological evidence. Our experiments indicate that through mesoscale atmospheric feedbacks, the annual delivery of moisture to the Laurentide Ice Sheet was diminished at times of a large, cold Lake Agassiz relative to periods of lower lake stands. The resulting changes in the mass balance of the ice sheet may have contributed to fluctuations of the ice margin, thus affecting the routing of fresh water to the North Atlantic Ocean. A retreating ice margin during periods of high lake level may have opened an outlet for discharge of Lake Agassiz into the North Atlantic. A subsequent advance of the ice margin due to greater moisture delivery associated with a low lake level could have dammed the outlet, thereby reducing discharge to the North Atlantic. These variations may have been decisive in causing the Younger Dryas cold event.     

Constraints on hydrothermal processes and water exchange in Lake Vostok from helium isotopes

Lake Vostok, the largest subglacial lake in Antarctica, is covered by the East Antarctic ice sheet, which varies in thickness between 3,750 and 4,100 m (ref. 1). At a depth of 3,539 m in the drill hole at Vostok station, sharp changes in stable isotopes and the gas content of the ice delineate the boundary between glacier ice and ice accreted through re-freezing of lake water. Unlike most gases, helium can be incorporated into the crystal structure of ice during freezing, making helium isotopes in the accreted ice a valuable source of information on lake environment. Here we present helium isotope measurements from the deep section of the Vostok ice core that encompasses the boundary between the glacier ice and accreted ice, showing that the accreted ice is enriched by a helium source with a radiogenic isotope signature typical of an old continental province. This result rules out any significant hydrothermal energy input into the lake from high-enthalpy mantle processes, which would be expected to produce a much higher 3He/4He ratio. Based on the average helium flux for continental areas, the helium budget of the lake leads to a renewal time of the lake of the order of 5,000 years.     

Preliminary results of ice radar investigation along the traverse between Zhongshan and Dome A in East Antarctic ice sheet: Ice thickness and subglacial topography

During the 24th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 24, 2007/08), a ground-based ice radar was used to survey ice thickness and subglacial topography along the 1170 km traverse between Zhongshan and Dome A in East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS). Ice-bedrock interface was detected along 82% of the traverse and data was collected at a horizontal resolution of <5.6 m. The data was processed to produce curves of ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography along the traverse. The results indicate that, along the traverse, the average ice thickness is 2037 m, smaller than the average ice thickness in EAIS; the thickest ice is at 730 km, and the thinnest ice (891 m) is at the edge of the ice sheet, but the slightly larger ice thickness (1078 m) in inland appears at 1020 km; the average subglacial topography elevation is 728 m, greatly larger than the average value in EAIS, and the largest elevation reaches up to 2650 m at 1034 km. The lowest terrain is located at 765 km. In further inland of 900–1170 km, the subglacial topography is relatively high due to the existence of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in the region. Generally, the influence of subglacial topography on ice surface is not significant, except at 900 km where great rise of subglacial topography causes evident uplift of ice surface. Where ice-bedrock interface was detected, the frequent and strong change of ice thickness and subglacial topography in small-scale means large bedrock roughness along the traverse, and is considered as the result of the integrated influence of ice flow, basal environments and geology. The segment where bedrock was not detected has very large ice thickness. The strong ice flow there also makes internal structure more complicated and induces serious attenuation of radar signals.     

Origin and fate of Lake Vostok water frozen to the base of the East Antarctic ice sheet

The subglacial Lake Vostok may be a unique reservoir of genetic material and it may contain organisms with distinct adaptations, but it has yet to be explored directly. The lake and the overlying ice sheet are closely linked, as the ice-sheet thickness drives the lake circulation, while melting and freezing at the ice-sheet base will control the flux of water, biota and sediment through the lake. Here we present a reconstruction of the ice flow trajectories for the Vostok core site, using ice-penetrating radar data and Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements of surface ice velocity. We find that the ice sheet has a significant along-lake flow component, persistent since the Last Glacial Maximum. The rates at which ice is frozen (accreted) to the base of the ice sheet are greatest at the shorelines, and the accreted ice layer is subsequently transported out of the lake. Using these new flow field and velocity measurements, we estimate the time for ice to traverse Lake Vostok to be 16,000-20,000 years. We infer that most Vostok ice analysed to date was accreted to the ice sheet close to the western shoreline, and is therefore not representative of open lake conditions. From the amount of accreted lake water we estimate to be exported along the southern shoreline, the lake water residence time is about 13,300 years.     

Ice radar investigation at Dome A, East Antarctica: Ice thickness and subglacial topography

Dome A, located in the central East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS), is the highest summit of the Antarctic ice sheet. From ice-sheet evolution modeling results, Dome A is likely to preserve over one million years of the Earth’s paleo-climatic and -environmental records, and considered an ideal deep ice core drilling site. Ice thickness and subglacial topography are critical factors for ice-sheet models to determine the timescale and location of a deep ice core. During the 21st and 24th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 21, 2004/05; CHINARE 24, 2007/08), ground-based ice radar systems were used to a three-dimensional investigation in the central 30 km×30 km region at Dome A. The successfully obtained high resolution and accuracy data of ice thickness and subglacial topography were then interpolated into the ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography digital elevation model (DEM) with a regular grid resolution of 140.5 m×140.5 m. The results of the ice radar investigation indicate that the average ice thickness in the Dome A central 30 km×30 km region is 2233 m, with a minimal ice thickness of 1618 m and a maximal ice thickness of 3139 m at Kunlun Station. The subglacial topography is relatively sharp, with an elevation range of 949–2445 m. The typical, clear mountain glaciation morphology is likely to reflect the early evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. Based on the ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography characteristics, the location of Kunlun Station was suggested to carry out the first high-resolution, long time-scale deep ice core drilling. However, the internal structure and basal environments at Kunlun Station still need further research to determine.     

Vertical extension of the subglacial drainage system into basal crevasses

Water plays a first-order role in basal sliding of glaciers and ice sheets and is often a key constituent of accelerated glacier motion. Subglacial water is known to occupy systems of cavities and conduits at the interface between ice and the underlying bed surface, depending upon the history of water input and the characteristics of the substrate. Full understanding of the extent and configuration of basal water is lacking, however, because direct observation is difficult. This limits our ability to simulate ice dynamics and the subsequent impacts on sea-level rise realistically. Here we show that the subglacial hydrological system can have a large volume of water occupying basal crevasses that extend upward from the bed into the overlying ice. Radar and seismic imaging combined with in situ borehole measurements collected on Bench Glacier, Alaska, reveal numerous water-filled basal crevasses with highly transmissive connections to the bed. Some crevasses extend many tens of metres above the bed and together they hold a volume of water equivalent to at least a decimetre layer covering the bed. Our results demonstrate that the basal hydrologic system can extend high into the overlying ice mass, where basal crevasses increase water-storage capacity and could potentially modulate basal water pressure. Because basal crevasses can form under commonly observed glaciological conditions, our findings have implications for interpreting and modelling subglacial hydrologic processes and related sliding accelerations of glaciers and ice sheets.     

对瑞典乌布撒拉蛇形丘的初步研究

乌布撒拉蛇形丘是指穿过瑞典乌布撒拉市的一条蛇形丘,根据对乌布撒拉蛇形丘的形态、结构和沉积物粒度分析,本文认为,该蛇形丘主要形成于冰川下河道中,在冰退后曾没于水下,随后渐渐出露水面;在 Malaren湖北岸的蛇形丘的增生（Esker enlargement）可能受入湖河口环境的影响;蛇形丘和基岩面最低部位的平面分布基本一致,反映冰川中的河流也可能受原始基岩地形的控制。     

Melt-induced speed-up of Greenland ice sheet offset by efficient subglacial drainage

Fluctuations in surface melting are known to affect the speed of glaciers and ice sheets, but their impact on the Greenland ice sheet in a warming climate remains uncertain. Although some studies suggest that greater melting produces greater ice-sheet acceleration, others have identified a long-term decrease in Greenland's flow despite increased melting. Here we use satellite observations of ice motion recorded in a land-terminating sector of southwest Greenland to investigate the manner in which ice flow develops during years of markedly different melting. Although peak rates of ice speed-up are positively correlated with the degree of melting, mean summer flow rates are not, because glacier slowdown occurs, on average, when a critical run-off threshold of about 1.4?centimetres a day is exceeded. In contrast to the first half of summer, when flow is similar in all years, speed-up during the latter half is 62?±?16 per cent less in warmer years. Consequently, in warmer years, the period of fast ice flow is three times shorter and, overall, summer ice flow is slower. This behaviour is at odds with that expected from basal lubrication alone. Instead, it mirrors that of mountain glaciers, where melt-induced acceleration of flow ceases during years of high melting once subglacial drainage becomes efficient. A model of ice-sheet flow that captures switching between cavity and channel drainage modes is consistent with the run-off threshold, fast-flow periods, and later-summer speeds we have observed. Simulations of the Greenland ice-sheet flow under climate warming scenarios should account for the dynamic evolution of subglacial drainage; a simple model of basal lubrication alone misses key aspects of the ice sheet's response to climate warming.     

Perennial N2 supersaturation in an Antarctic lake

The dry valleys of southern Victoria Land in Antarctica contain several closed basins in which perennially ice-covered lakes are found. One of the most unusual features of these lakes is the occurrence of high O2 concentrations in the water column; values ranging from slightly more than saturation to more than four times saturation have been reported. Recently, we considered a bulk O2 budget for Lake Hoare, Antarctica, which led us to suggest that biological processes alone were not sufficient to explain the observed elevated oxygen levels. Consequently, there must be a non-biological source of O2. We suggested that this source results from the exclusion of O2 during the freezing of aerated meltstream water at the bottom of the ice cover, and predicted that this physical mechanism should also enhance the other atmospheric gases. Here we report the results of a study which, for the first time, documents the supersaturation of N2 in a lake. Dissolved N2 levels of 145% and 163% were determined from samples taken just below the ice cover and at a depth of 12 m, respectively. The relatively importance of biological and abiological sources is reflected in the ratio of N2 concentration to O2 concentration. In Lake Hoare this ratio was 1.20 at ice/water interface and 1.05 at 12 m; considerably different from the ratio in equilibrium with air (approximately 1.8). Based on these results, we have determined that about half of the net O2 production in the lake is the result of biological processes.     

Water balance estimates of ten greatest lakes in China using ICESat and Landsat data

Lake level and area variations are sensitive to regional climate changes and can be used to indirectly estimate water balances of lakes. In this study, 10 of the largest lakes in China, ～1000 km² or larger, are examined to determine changes in lake level and area derived respectively from ICESat and Landsat data recorded between 2003 and 2009. The time series of lake level and area of Selin Co, Nam Co, and Qinghai Lake in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and Xingkai Lake in northeastern China exhibit an increasing trend, with Selin Co showing the fastest rise in lake level (0.69 m/a), area (32.59 km²/a), and volume (1.25 km³/a) among the 10 examined lakes. Bosten and Hulun lakes in the arid and semiarid region of northern China show a decline in both lake level and area, with Bosten Lake showing the largest decrease in lake level (?0.43 m/a) and Hulun Lake showing the largest area shrinkage (?35.56 km²/a). However, Dongting, Poyang, Taihu, and Hongze lakes in the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin present seasonal variability without any apparent tendencies. The lake level and area show strong correlations for Selin Co, Nam Co, Qinghai, Poyang, Hulun, and Bosten lakes (R ² >0.80) and for Taihu, Hongze, and Xingkai lakes (～0.70) and weak correlation for East Dongting Lake (0.37). The lake level changes and water volume changes are in very good agreement for all lakes (R ² > 0.98). Water balances of the 10 lakes are derived on the basis of both lake level and area changes, with Selin Co, Nam Co, Qinghai, and Xingkai lakes showing positive water budgets of 9.08, 4.07, 2.88, and 1.09 km³, respectively. Bosten and Hulun lakes show negative budgets of ?3.01 and ?4.73 km³, respectively, and the four lakes along the Yangtze River show no obvious variations. Possible explanations for the lake level and area changes in these four lakes are also discussed. This study suggests that satellite remote sensing could serve as a fast and effective tool for estimating lake water balance.     

新疆冰湖溃决灾害风险评价与预警研究

受全球气候变暖及人类活动的影响,冰湖溃决灾害已成为当前新疆地区经济可持续发展中的突出问题之一。利用1977(MSS)～2015年Landsat影像、2015年的Google Earth高精度影像和DEM等数据解译获取新疆冰湖的时空分布信息,并选取导致冰湖溃决的主要影响因子,运用MATLAB和SPSS等软件,利用西北地区已有冰湖数据作为训练样本拟合评价方程,建立了新疆冰湖溃决风险评价模型和基于BP神经网络算法的预警模型。结果表明:(1)1977年以来新疆三大山系中冰湖的数量和面积不断增加,冰湖数量上增加了62.0%,冰湖面积增长率为0.98 km~2·a~(-1),但增长率呈现逐年减小的趋势;(2)对分布在新疆范围内的17个典型冰湖溃决风险评价的结果显示:有5个冰湖为高危风险、5个冰湖为中等风险、7个冰湖为低等风险,新疆大约29%的冰湖需要进行实时监测。     

湖北省湖泊水资源生态经济学评价

湖北省湖泊水资源具有以下特点：水质呈弱碱性,具有较大的缓冲能力。１５％的湖泊属于贫营养型,５４％的湖泊属于中营养型,３０％的湖泊属于富营养型。湖泊水源较充足,水位变幅小,湖流不明显,风浪小,适用鱼类生长的水温期长。但目前利用水平较低,作者在分析和评价湖水质量和水情后,提出了利用对策。     

佛山科学技术学院校园湖水COD的监测与评价

通过两年来采用重铬酸钾法测定佛山科学技术学院校园三个湖的湖水COD值．收集所有监测数据,并对三个湖的水质进行评价,结果表明：映日湖水质最好．其次是映红湖．最差是柳明湖。虽然三个湖都基本达到一般景观水域要求,但都有污染加重的趋势,据此,提出了保护湖水的对策和建议。     

武汉市城市湖泊演化及开发利用初探

城市湖泊主要指位于建成区及其邻近正在非农化地区中的湖泊,也包括位于中心城市周围点状展布的卫星城镇区域范围内的湖泊．在分析武汉市湖泊现状特征的基础上,探讨了三国时期以来武汉市城市湖泊演化的过程与规律,提出了武汉市湖泊开发利用的基本思路．指出武汉市城市湖泊众多,可分为东沙湖水系、汤逊湖水系、北湖水系、墨水湖-龙阳湖-南太子湖（北太子湖）水系、东西湖水系等湖泊群．认为它们的形成演化、开发利用和保护同城市化过程关系极为密切,明代以来武汉市湖泊变化最为显著．提出了合理永续利用湖泊资源、发展湖泊经济、建设“湖城武汉”、加大湖泊保护力度等建议和对策．     

南水北调东线工程调水期洪泽湖水质变化规律分析

为了解南水北调东线工程调水期间洪泽湖水质变化,基于2013—2020年洪泽湖调水期水质监测数据,采用Daniel趋势检验分析水质年变化趋势,通过空间插值得出各湖区水质分布规律,并进一步用主成分分析法分析水质主要污染类型。结果表明：2013—2020年洪泽湖调水期水质在合格至轻度污染之间,TP和TN为主要超标因子;时间上水质有变好趋势,空间上过水区水质最差,但有转好趋势,而成子湖区和溧河洼区有所恶化;污染类型以富营养化污染为主,氮磷营养盐影响较大;水质污染以入湖河流输入和建设用地增加人类活动的污染为主要来源,还伴有偶发污染事故;时间上洪泽湖对东线输水的综合水质有改善趋势,建议进一步加强相关污染防治工作,保护洪泽湖水环境,保障南水北调东线工程输水水质安全。     

基于综合效益发挥的南方平原区城市湖泊景观水位

在总结景观水位与景观环境需水量研究现状的基础上,探讨了湖泊景观水位的概念、特征,认为湖泊景观水位受防洪排涝、市政排水、灌溉、河湖水资源量、航运、生态需水量及调水量等多方面因素的影响。针对景观湖泊的特征,在分析汛期、枯水期城市湖泊景观水位主要影响因素的基础上,采用综合协调景观湖泊各种功能的方法,分别建立汛期、枯水期城市湖泊景观水位的定量计算模式。以王母湖为例,采用该模式计算湖泊景观水位。结果表明:汛期将王母湖景观水位维持在22.5 m,高于水资源综合利用要求水位21.2 m,既有利于防洪排涝安全,又可发挥湖泊灌溉、航运效益,保证鱼类生存;将枯水期景观水位维持在21.9 m,休闲活动平台距水面的距离小于0.5 m,需补水936.2万m3,这时水景观效果与外流域引调水量及投资最优,可以满足游船航行、最低生态需水的要求。     

A dynamic early East Antarctic Ice Sheet suggested by ice-covered fjord landscapes

The first Cenozoic ice sheets initiated in Antarctica from the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains and other highlands as a result of rapid global cooling ～34 million years ago. In the subsequent 20 million years, at a time of declining atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and an evolving Antarctic circumpolar current, sedimentary sequence interpretation and numerical modelling suggest that cyclical periods of ice-sheet expansion to the continental margin, followed by retreat to the subglacial highlands, occurred up to thirty times. These fluctuations were paced by orbital changes and were a major influence on global sea levels. Ice-sheet models show that the nature of such oscillations is critically dependent on the pattern and extent of Antarctic topographic lowlands. Here we show that the basal topography of the Aurora Subglacial Basin of East Antarctica, at present overlain by 2-4.5?km of ice, is characterized by a series of well-defined topographic channels within a mountain block landscape. The identification of this fjord landscape, based on new data from ice-penetrating radar, provides an improved understanding of the topography of the Aurora Subglacial Basin and its surroundings, and reveals a complex surface sculpted by a succession of ice-sheet configurations substantially different from today's. At different stages during its fluctuations, the edge of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet lay pinned along the margins of the Aurora Subglacial Basin, the upland boundaries of which are currently above sea level and the deepest parts of which are more than 1?km below sea level. Although the timing of the channel incision remains uncertain, our results suggest that the fjord landscape was carved by at least two iceflow regimes of different scales and directions, each of which would have over-deepened existing topographic depressions, reversing valley floor slopes.