A Numerical Study of the Mechanism for the Effect of Northern Winter Arctic Ice Cover on the Global Short-Range Climate Evolution

By using a nine-layer global spectral model involving fuller parameterization of physical processes, with a rhomboidal truncation at wavenumber 15, experiments are performed in terms of two numerical schemes, one with long-term mean coverage of Arctic ice (Exp.1), the other without the ice (Exp.2). Results indicate that the Arctic region is a heat source in Exp.2 relative to the case in Exp.1. Under the influence of the polar heat source simulated, there still exist stationary wavetrains that produce WA-EUP and weak PNA patterns in Northern winter. That either the Arctic or the tropical heat source can cause identical climatic effects is due to the fact that the anomaly of the Arctic ice cover will directly induce a south-propagating wavetrain, and bring about the redistribution of the tropical heat source / sink. The redistribution is responsible for new wavetrains that will exert impact on the global climate. The simulation results bear out further that the polar region in Exp.2 as a heat source, can produce, by local forcing, a pair of positive and negative difference centers, which circle the Arctic moving eastwards. Observed in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics is a 40-50 day oscillation in relation to the moving pair, both having the same period.

Atacamite and Nantokite in Kaerqueka Copper Deposit of Qimantag Area:Evidence for Cenozoic Climate Evolution of the Qaidam Basin

Using a mineralogy method to reflect climate evolution is a new approach to research Cenozoic environmental progression of the Qaidam Basin. In this paper, we present the chemical composition and crystallographic parameter of atacamite, nantokite, and tenorite in cryptocrystalline aggregates from the Kaerqueka copper deposit of Qimantag metallogenic belt by means of electron microprobe and in-situ X-ray diffraction analyses. Atacamite and nantokite occur in an intimate intergrowth as the secondary precipitation of chalcopyrite and bornite filling in the interstitial space of andradite in the Kaerqueka copper deposit, with an average composition of Cl： 12.38 wt.%, Cu： 63.76 wt.%, O： 21.46 wt.%. X-ray microdiffraction shows that the intergrowth contains nantokite with a cubic unit cell a=5.403（2） ？ and atacamite with an orthorhombic unit cell a=6.030（3）, b=6.883（2）, c=9.114（1） ？. XRD quantitative calculation shows that the nanometric aggregate contains 36.07 wt.% tenorite, 18.41 wt.% atacamite, and 45.52 wt.% nantokite. The presence of nantokite and atacamite requires saline solutions for their formation and hyper-arid climate conditions for their preservation. Combined with the data of salt lakes and the pollen sequence of western China, we suggest that during the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the retreat of the Paratethys, saline water was forced to the surface through a basal fracture zone. In the hyper-arid climate of the Qaidam Basin, the recharge of groundwater by direct precipitation is negligible, and groundwater is derived from inflow from the salt lakes. Thus, atacamite is preserved. In addition, spertiniite in the edge and fractures of atacamite and nantokite may represent wetter climate after the formation of atacamite and nantokite.

Climate evolution of southwest Australia in the Miocene and its main controlling factors

At present, the seasonal melting and expansion of the Antarctic ice sheet affect the location and intensification of the westerlies, as well as the precipitation and continental weathering and erosion in southwest Australia. The Miocene was an important period when the Earth's climate state transitioned from a warmhouse to an icehouse and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet underwent large-scale melting and expansion. At that time, Australia was closer to the Antarctic region than it is now. This makes Australia an ideal target area for studying the coupling relationship among the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and cryosphere. Based on the comprehensive analysis of the siliciclastic mass accumulation rate, grain size, clay minerals, and elemental composition of the sediments at Site U1516 of the International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 369, we reconstructed the Miocene climate evolution and the continental weathering and erosion history of southwest Australia on a tectonic time scale. Our indicators show that the climate was dry and that continental weathering and erosion were weak, with a small amount of terrestrial material transported to the ocean during the Early to Middle Miocene(22–12.7 Ma). However, as mentioned in previous studies of nearby sites, precipitation and river runoff increased prominently with enhanced continental weathering at 12.7–8 Ma, which was related to the northward migration or intensification of the westerlies, possibly due to increased sea ice in the Southern Ocean. In addition, we found that the evolution of the South Asian monsoon and the westerly belt were synchronized in the Miocene, which indicates that the South Asian monsoon system at that time may also have been affected by the high-latitude signals of the Southern Hemisphere. We speculate that the significant decrease in deep-sea temperature and the expansion of the surface sea temperature gradient in latitude and longitude until the permanent East Antarctic Ice Sheet formed(~12.8 Ma) played an important role in the transmission of Antarctic signals to low latitudes.

Sedimentary Environments of the Cangfanggou Groupin Junggar Basin,Xinjiang,in Response to Climate and Tectonic Regime

Detailed studies of petrology, palaeocurrent direction, paiaeogeomorphology and palaeohydrody-namics have been conducted for the Permian-Triassic Cangfanggou Group in the foredeep of the Bogda Mountains in the southeastern Junggar Basin, Xinjiang. Sedimentary environments and fades of alluvial fans and pebbly braided rivers, sandy braided rivers, meandering rivers, low-sinuosity rivers, swamps and fresh-water lakes are recognized in the group. Climate and tectonics of source areas strongly controlled the evolution of the sedimentary environments and facies in the foredeep. The block faulting in the Bogda Mountains increased the ground slope, which led to a drastic increase in the grain size of the sediments. Humid climate, being beneficial to plant growth, would provide protection of channel banks and at the same time weaken chemical weathering in the source area, thus large amounts of clay materials are available for the formation of clay plugs. As a result, stable banks and meandering river belts are formed. Conversely, increasing aridity would strengthen mechanical weathering and reduce the number of clay plugs. Besides, plants would diminish gradually and channels would become more mobile. In this case the decrease of transported clay materials would reduce the stability of the bank and result in a wider and shallower channel. Therefore, humid climate is beneficial to the formation of meandering rivers even if there is strong block faulting in the source areas and the ground slope is very large. As aridity further increases, plants would diminish and vanish at last, the meandering rivers prevalent under humid climate conditions would be transformed to low-sinuosity rivers even if the ground is gentle and the land is tectonically stable. And as the climate became more arid and the source area uplifted intensively to provide more sedimentary materials, low-sinuosity rivers would be transformed to braided ones quickly, and wedge-like sedimentary bodies of the braided rivers would then advance towards the lower reaches. The increasingly arid climate led to prevailing mechanical and diminishing plant protection to the banks. Both active tectonic regime and humid climate resulted in very shallow and mobile channels, i.e. a braided river system.The climate plays an important role in the evolution of rivers and lakes. The sinuosity and braiding parameters of channels are a result of complex interaction between climate (clay material supply, plant protection of the banks, flood events and so on) and tectonic regime (lithology of the source area, slopes and so on). Both factors can be estimated by sedimentological studies in the foothill belt.

THE SEQUENCE OF PALEOENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES SINCE ABOUT 4KA B.P., RECORDED BY NIYA SECTION IN SOUTHERN MARGIN OF TARIM BASIN

Through synthetic researches of multi-index geological records of Niya section, which are of high resolution in southern margin of Tarim Basin, this paper has reconstructed the sequences of paleoclimate in this region during historical times (since about 4000a B.P.). During the last 4000 years, the area has experienced alternations of relative cold-moisture and relative warm-dry periods. Three evident cold-moisture periods and three warm-dry periods are identifing. The study shows that the human activities have an intimate relation with the evolution of paleoclimate in the southern Xinjiang. Paleoclimate has played very important role in influencing human being′s agricultural activities.

Downstream Channel Evolution and Its Causes in the Yuan River during the Qing Dynasty

The determination of channel evolutions and the causes is important for reconstructing the evolutionary history of river landforms.This study aimed to elucidate the downstream channel evolution of the Yuan River in Hunan Province,China,during the Qing Dynasty via Landsat 8 satellite image data and relevant literature.The objective was to establish the modes of channel evolution and discuss the significance of historical climate change.The downstream paleochannel of the Yuan River was identified in the Late Ming Dynasty and Early Qing Dynasty(1600–1644 AD),the Kangxi-Qianlong periods of the Qing Dynasty(1661–1796 AD),the Late Qing Dynasty(1840–1912 AD),and the World War II(1939–1945 AD),and three main modes of river evolution were determined.Using remote sensing data and the ancient literature,the evolution characteristics of the paleochannel in the Lower Yuan River were analyzed and its distribution across historical periods was comprehensively revealed.The findings reveal a strong correlation between channel evolution,flood events,and climate change.Numerous flood events that occurred from the Late Qing Dynasty to the World War II caused a high rate of channel evolution,demonstrating the combined effects of climate change and human activities.These findings will help adopt robust and resilient hydrological management methods in the future of a changing climate.

Correlation Analysis for the Attack of Respiratory Diseases and Meteorological Factors

Objective：To investigate the relationship between respiratory diseases onset and the meteorological factors in the same period and in a specific environment.Methods：By using the data of daily incidence of respiratory diseases obtained from Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine from January 1, 1998 to December 31,2007,and the data of 16 items of meteorological factors（such as the average,maximum, and minimum temperatures,etc.,including meteorological factors derived） obtained from the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Observatory,mathematical statistical methods were applied to achieve the non-linear correlation analysis,or the correlation test,between the incidence of respiratory diseases and the time-related meteorological factors.Results：The simple correlation coefficients of the relationship between the incidence of respiratory diseases and 9 meteorological elements,including the average values of temperature,maximum temperature,minimum temperature,degree of comfort,precipitation,vapor pressure,low cloud cover,change of vapor pressure,and change of wind speed,were all greater than 0.8286,in which one of the relationship between the incidence of respiratory diseases and the maximum temperature is as high as 0.9670.Statistical tests showed RRα=0.05 and FFα=0.05.Conclusions：The incidence of respiratory diseases was closely correlated to meteorological factors,such as air temperature,vapor pressure,precipitation,wind speed,etc.To a certain extent,this conclusion confirmed the scientificity and objectivity of the theory of five evolutive phases and six climatic factors（Wu Yun Liu Qi,五运六气） in Huang Di Nei Jing（黄帝内经,The Yellow Emperor＇s Canon of Internal Medicine）.