Isotopic and chemical analyses of a temperate firn core from a Chinese alpine glacier and its regional climatic significance

Mt. Yulong is the southernmost currently glacier covered area in Eurasia, including China. There are 19 sub tropical temperate glaciers on the mountain, controlled by the south western monsoon climate. In the summer of 1999, a firn core, 10.10 m long, extending down to glacier ice, was recovered in the accumulation area of the largest glacier, Baishui No.1. Periodic variations of climatic signals above 7.8 m depth were apparent, and net accumulation of four years was identified by the annual oscillations of isotopic and ionic composition. The boundaries of annual accumulation were confirmed by higher values of electrical conductivity and pH, and by dirty refreezing ice layers at the levels of summer surfaces. Calculated mean annual net accumulation from 1994/1995 to 1997/1998 was about 900 mm water equivalent. The amplitude of isotopic variations in the profile decreased with increasing depth, and isotopic homogenization occurred below 7.8 m as a result of meltwater percolation. Variations of δ 18 O above 7.8 m showed an approximate correlation with the winter climatic trend at Li Jiang Station, 25 km away. Concentrations of Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ were much higher than those of Na + and K +, indicating that the air masses for precipitation were mainly from a continental source, and that the core material accumulated during the winter period. The close correspondence of Cl - and Na + indicated their common origin. Very low concentrations of SO 2- 4 and NO - 3 suggest that pollution caused by human activities is quite low in the area. The mean annual net accumulation in the core and the estimated ablation indicate that the average annual precipitation above the glacier's equilibrium line is 2400 3150 mm, but this needs to be confirmed by long term observation of mass balance.

Temperature variations evidenced by records on the latest spring snowing dates in Hangzhou of eastern China during 1131–1270AD

We collected and verified documentary records of the latest spring snowing dates(LSSD)in Hangzhou during Southern Song Dynasty.Furtherly,the statistical correlation between this proxy and February–April mean temperature in Hangzhou was examined,and samples later than the perennial mean of the LSSD during Southern Song Dynasty were transformed into the decadal mean of LSSD by means of Boltzmann function.General characteristics of this reconstructed LSSD series with a 10-year temporal resolution was analyzed,and it was also compared with other documentary evidences and reconstructed climate series in China for the period 1131–1270.The results and discussion suggested that:(1)Records of the LSSD in Hangzhou during Southern Song Dynasty did not refer to ice pellets and graupels,which had an explicit climate significance(–0.34℃/10 d,R2=0.37,p<0.001).However,when this proxy is used to reconstruct temperature changes,all dates should be converted into proleptic Gregorian style and meet the same criterion of"true Qi"as the Chinese traditional calendar after 1929.(2)The decadal mean of LSSD can be effectively estimated by using the forefront of LSSD in the decade on the basis of Boltzmann function,whose extrapolation has a lesser uncertainty than those on the basis of linear models or polynomial models.(3)The spring climate in Hangzhou during 1131–1270 was almost as warm as the period 1951–1980.At the centennial scale,this period can be divided into two phases:the cold 1131–1170 and the warm 1171–1270.In the latter,1181–1200 and 1221–1240 were two cold intervals at the multi-decadal scale.(4)The reconstructed LSSD series was consistent well with other documentary evidences and reconstructed climate series in China for 1131–1270,which may reflect the influence on the climate over most regions of China imposed by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO).