Accumulation and geochemical evidence for the Little Ice Age episode in eastern Antarctica

Data on accumulation and concentration of chemical compounds recorded in an essentially unexplored area(Dome Argus)of the Indian Ocean sector of eastern Antarctica during the past 2,680 years(680 B.C. to 1999 A.D.) are presented. During the first 1, 700 years(680 B. C. to 1000 A. D.), the accumulation data shows a slightly decreasing trend, while chemical ions appear to be stable, representing a stable climatic condition. An intensive increasing trend of the accumulation occurred during the 12^(th) to 14^(th) century. The period from 15^(th) to 19^(th) century was characterized by a rapid reducing accumulation and concentrations of volatile compounds suffering post-depositional loss linked to sparse precipitation amount,which was temporally consistent with the Little Ice Age(LIA) episode. Comparison between observed accumulation rates with other eastern Antarctic ice cores show a consistent decreasing trend during LIA, while sea salt and dust-originated ions increased due to sea ice extent and intensified atmospheric transportation. Distribution of volcanic originated sulfate over the Antarctic continent show a significant change during the 15^(th) century, coincident with the onset of the LIA. These results are important for the assessment of Antarctic continent mass balance and associated interpretation of the Dome A deep ice core records.

Characterization of contemporary aeolian dust deposition on mountain glaciers of western China

From 2008 to 2010, a total of 15 snow pit samples were collected from 13 mountain glaciers in western China. In this study these samples are used to determine the spatial distribution of insoluble particle concentrations and dust deposition fluxes in western China. The results show that the mass concentrations of insoluble particles exhibit high spatial variation and strongly decrease （by a factor of approximately 50） from the north （Tienshan Mountains） to the south （Himalayas）. However, the insoluble particles concentrations at the southeastern Tibetan Plateau （TP） sites are also high and ap- proximately 30 times greater than those in the Himalayas. The spatial distribution of the dust flux is similar to that of the mass concentrations; however, the high dust deposition rate in the southeastern TP is very significant as a result of the extensive snow accumulation （precipitation） in this region. The average sizes of the insoluble particles at each site generally exhibit bimodal distributions with peaks at approximately 5 μm and 10 μm, which can be explained as re- sulting from dust emissions from regional and local sources, respectively. The enrichment factors for most of the elements measured in insoluble particles are less than 10 at all of the study sites, indicating primarily crustal sources. However, the sites located in the peripheral mountains of western China, such as the Tienshan Mountains and the Himalayas, are characterized by high levels of certain enrichment elements （e.g., Cu, Zn, Cr, and V） indicative of sources related to the long-range transport of pollutants.

Source of major ions from an ice core of the No.12 Glacier in Laohugou Valley,Qilian Mountain

In June 2006,a 20.12 m shallow ice core was recovered from an elevation of 5,040 m in the northern branch firn basin of No.12 Glacier,Great Snow Mountain,in the western part of Qilian Mountain,China.Isotopes(δ 18 O),major soluble ions,and radionuclide(β-activity) measurements from the ice core revealed a 46-year record(1960-2006).In this paper,the method of sea-salt ion tracer,correlation analysis and trend analysis were used in this research to confirm the source of the chemical composition.The correlation analysis and HYSPLIT backward trajectory analysis suggests that atmospheric soluble dust species dominate the chemical signature.

Comparative analysis of window operating behavior in three different open-plan offices in Nanjing

Research on the window operating behavior of offices is of great significance for reducing building energy con-sumption and improving indoor comfort.The open-plan office is a common office form that involves a large number of people and a complex staffcomposition.The window operating behaviors in open-plan offices are also random and various.This study took three open-plan offices with different situations(area,office type,staffcomposition,etc.)as an example,which provides a new perspective on how people behave differently when opening or closing windows.The window operating behaviors in two typical seasons(summer and transition seasons)were recorded and analyzed.The occupants’schedules and influencing factors of window operating behavior were investigated by questionnaire surveys.In addition,the indoor environmental parameters,occu-pancy situation,and on-offstatuses of windows and air conditioning were acquired through field measurements.Furthermore,the differences in window operating behaviors in the three open-plan offices were compared from the perspectives of influencing factors,duration of the window on-offstatuses,and cause of window control ac-tions,among others.In addition,Spearman Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the ranks of the candidate motivations for window operating behaviors.The preliminary results show that influenced by the personnel com-position,type of air conditioner and adjustable degree of windows,the window operating behaviors of different office buildings have larger discrepancies than that in the same building.However,there were some common characteristics in the window regulation behaviors of the three open-plan offices:they were generally influenced by the coupling of environmental factors,schedule factors,and equipment factors.This study reveals that when expand the research object from a single building to multiple buildings,more difficulties and challenges would be involved into behavior research.

The summer monsoon evolution recorded by carbon isotope of organic matter from the Yuanbao loess section during the Last Interglaciation

Based on the carbon isotope record of organic matter from the Yuanbao loess section, northwestern China, five enhanced summer monsoon events were observed at this area during the Last Interglaciation. Such events were also recorded by the paleosol layers, pollen assemblage and magnetic susceptibility. It is suggested that the enhanced summer monsoon leads to the shift of vegetation type, which results in the change of δ13C value of organic matter in the paleosol layer. It appears that the δ13C of organic matter is a good indicator for the summer monsoon variation. Among these five events, the first, second and the fifth reached their maximum smoothly, but the other two had experienced a less cold stage before reaching their peaks, which suggests that the mechanisms of such events may be different.

Chemical Characteristics and Environmental Records of a Snow-Pit at the Glacier No.12 in the Laohugou Valley, Qilian Mountains

In June 2006, samples were collected from a 90 cm snow-pit at an elevation of 5 040 m a.s.l, in the northern branch firn basin of the Glacier No. 12, Laohugou Valley, in the western part of Qilian Mountain, China. Oxygen isotopes （6180） and major soluble ions were measured. Results showed that Ca2＋ is the dominant cation, and SO42 is the dominant anion. All major ions have close positive correlations with eachother except NO3 and NH4＋. 6180 show positive correlation with air temperature. The method of correlation analysis, sea-salt ion tracer and trend analysis were used to determine the source of the chemical components. The correlation analysis and HYSPLIT backward trajectory analysis suggest that atmospheric soluble dust species dominate the chemical signature.

Global pollution shown by lead and cadmium contents in precipitation of polar regions and Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

The analysis of the major ions, lead and cadmium has been performed for snow-pit samples collected from the Arctic, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the Antarctic Ice Sheet. These snow pits were excavated respectively from the snowpack in Canadian Northwest Territory (NWT) and the central Arctic, three glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surface snow along the route of the International Trans-Antarctic Expedition (ITAE). The source regions for the lead pollution of central Arctic have been identified by analyzing of stable lead isotopic ratios, meteorological and atmospheric chemistry studies. It shows that the central Arctic is still under intensive lead input, despite the fact that lead content in Greenland Ice Sheet displays a rapid decreasing since the 1970s due to US and some European countries’ campaigns to reduce lead-containing gasoline-additives. This is because there are multiple lead sources for the central Arctic, including the countries that have not performed gasoline-additives

Spatial and temporal variability of marine-origin matter along a transect from Zhongshan Station to Dome A,Eastern Antarctica

The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of marine-origin matter on the Antarctica ice sheet was used to study variations in the source regions, transport mechanisms and postdepositional influences. We present data on sea salt ions, sulfur components and stable isotopes from surface and snow pit samples collected along the transect route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A during the austral summer in 2012–2013. A general decreasing trend in the accumulation, sea salt ions and sulfur components occurred with increasing distance from the coast and increasing elevation. However, different sources of the marine components, transport pathways and post-depositional influences were responsible for their different spatial distribution patterns. The marine ions in the coastal snow pit varied seasonally, with higher sea salt ion concentrations in the winter and lower concentrations in the summer; the opposite pattern was found for the sulfur compounds. The sea ice area surrounding Antarctica was the main source region for the deposited sea salt and the open sea water for the sulfur compounds. No significant trends in the marine-origin components were detected during the past 3 decades. Several periods of elevated deposition of sea salt ions were associated with lower temperatures（based on δD and δ18O） or intensified wind fields. In comparison to the sea salt ions, the sulfur concentrations exhibited the opposite distribution patterns and were associated with changes in the surrounding sea ice extent.

Variations in stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in atmospheric water vapor in the marine boundary layer across a wide latitude range

The newly-developed cavity ring-down laser absorption spectroscopy analyzer with special calibration protocols has enabled the direct measurement of atmospheric vapor isotopes at high spatial and temporal resolution. This paper presents real-time hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope data for atmospheric water vapor above the sea surface, over a wide range of latitudes spanning from 38°N to 69°S. Our results showed relatively higher values of 8180 and 82H in the subtropical regions than those in the tropical and high latitude regions, and also a notable decreasing trend in the Antarctic coastal region. By combining the hydrogen and oxygen isotope data with meteoric water line and backward trajectory model analysis, we explored the kinetic fractionation caused by subsiding air masses and related saturated vapor pressure in the subtropics, and the evaporation-driven kinetic fractionation in the Antarctic region. Simultaneous observations of meteorological and marine variables were used to interpret the isotopic composition characteristics and influential factors, indicating that d-excess is negatively correlated with humidity across a wide range of latitudes and weather conditions worldwide. Coincident with previous studies, d-excess is also positively correlated with sea surface temperature and air temperature （Tair）, with greater sensitivity to Tair. Thus, atmospheric vapor isotopes measured with high accuracy and good spatial- temporal resolution could act as informative tracers for exploring the water cycle at different regional scales. Such monitoring efforts should be undertaken over a longer time period and in different regions of the world.

Main pollution sources of central Arctic revealed by lead and its isotopic ratios recorded in snow

The spatial distribution and environmental significance of Pb and its stable isotope ratios in central Arctic snow are discussed. The shear zone is a dividing line. The concentration of Pb in the south section is higher than that of the north section, and in the shear zone it is close to that of sea salt. Anthropogenic Pb by calculation is larger than 99%. Its main sources are polluted air masses origi nation from Europe and the midpart of Russia, as well as the western North America and far east Russia. This is also conformed by 206Pb/ 207Pb.

Collateral Monetary Policy,Regional Financial Development,and Nonfinancial Firms'Shadow Banking Activities

The disparity in credit access between large firms and small and medium-sized enterprises contributes to the prevalence of shadow banking activities,where large,nonfinancial firms with high credit ratings have become new financial intermediaries.These activities vary geographically and are afected significantly by collateral monetary policy.This paper examines the effect of collateral monetary policy,its reform,and regional financial development characteristics on large firms'shadow banking activities,with a focus on the medium-term lending facility(MLF),the primary collateral monetary policy instrument in China.The results indicate that the MLF encouraged large firms'shadow banking activity.However,the MLF reform in 2018 mitigated this effect by broadening the range of acceptable collateral.Regional financial development,such as a higher number of bank branches around firms,facilitated large firms'shadow banking activities and amplified the MLF's stimulating effect.In contrast,regional advancements in digital finance and market development limited both shadow banking activities and MLF's impact.