黄土与地球系统——李希霍芬对黄土研究的贡献及对地球系统科学研究的现实意义

LOESS AND EARTH SYSTEM

李希霍芬是19世纪德国著名的地质学家,对欧洲和中国黄土的研究工作,以及后来的黄土研究有着深刻影响,其学术思想在地球系统科学研究的时代依然有重要的现实意义。文章简要回顾了李希霍芬对黄土研究的贡献,并探讨这些贡献与黄土研究在地球系统科学研究中的现实意义。从李希霍芬时代到今天,黄土作为全球宝贵的地球系统演化的历史记录,在揭示地球岩石圈、水圈、大气圈、冰冻圈、生物圈及宇宙事件对地球系统的影响发挥了重要作用,并在未来地球系统科学研究时代有旺盛的生命力。

F.von Richthofen was a famous geologist from Germany, having numerously contributed to the studies of loess in Europe and in China. His scientific knowledge have had significant impacts on the loess researches since then, and are still of values in the Earth System Science. From his epoch to date, loess has been considered a valuable record of the evolving Earth, and has provided numerous information about the changes of Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmospere, cryosphere, biosphere and their interactions. It also documented the impact of astronomical and cosmic events on the Earth System. In the upcoming epoch of Earth System Science, loess is expected to significantly contributed to addressing the Earth System history.