Ice-wedge Pseudomorphs Showing Climatic Change Since the Late Pleistocene in the Source Area of the Yellow River, Northeast Tibet

The source area of the Yellow River is located in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, and is a high-elevation region with the annual mean temperature of -3.9℃. The ice-wedge pseudomorphs discovered in this region are recognized as two types. One was found in sandy gravel beds of the second terrace of the Yellow River. This ice-wedge pseudomorph is characterized by higher ratio of breadth/depth, and are 1-1.4 m wide and about 1 m deep. The bottom border of the ice-wedge pseudomorph is round arc in section. Another discovered in the pedestal of the second terrace has lower ratio of width/depth, and is o.3-1.0 m wide and 1-2 m deep. Its bottom border is sharp. Based on the TL dating, the former was formed at the middleHolocene （5.69±0.43 ka BP and 5.43±0.41 ka BP）, that is, the Megathermal, and the latter was formed at the late Last Glacial Maximum （13.49±1.43 ka BP）. Additionally, the thawing-freezing folders discovered in the late Late Pleistocene proluvium are 39.83±3.84 ka BP in age. The study on the ice-wedge pseudomorphs showed that the air temperature was lowered by up to 6-7℃ in the source area of the Yellow River when the ice-wedge pseudomorphs and thawing-freezing folds developed.

末次冰期以来黄河变迁

本文认为黄河在末次冰期时代解体消亡,在晚更新世末期贯通,贯通后下游经历了漫流、填淤泻湖、堤坝束河决口等演化阶段。

若尔盖盆地黄河第一湾河岸沉积地层序列及其成因研究

经过在若尔盖盆地进行全面野外考察,在黄河第一弯岸边发现了沉积序列清晰的、具有代表性的完整沉积地层剖面。通过沉积学和地层学特征和沉积相的观测分析,结合实验室粒度分析、数据处理和测年断代,其结果表明:该剖面底部蓝灰色古湖相沉积层反映出盆地内部在OSL年龄35 ka之前为较深的湖泊。其上覆盖的风沙与泥炭互层,反映出在该区域湖水消失之后,在30 ka之前古湖底出现泥炭沼泽,同时风沙作用盛行。而浊黄橙色古洪水沉积层(OFD1)则反映出在30~27 ka之间,曾经有来自于黄河源区流域的规模巨大的洪水进入若尔盖盆地,在古湖底泛滥并且将其携带的分选良好的细沙与粉沙质泥沙堆积下来。该剖面中部厚度达5~7 m的河漫滩-风沙层,沿着河岸追索,则可见其表现为高低起伏的古沙丘。这表明在末次冰期盛期和冰消期,气候干旱寒冷,黄河已经下切形成其河槽,其河漫滩沉积物被强劲的风力吹扬,形成连绵起伏的沙丘。该层之上所覆盖的浊黄橙色古洪水沉积层(OFD2),则反映出在全新世初期9.86~8.28 ka之间,来自于黄河源区流域的大洪水再次进入盆地,在黄河第一湾两岸的古湖底沉积了分选良好的细沙质与粉沙质的泥沙。到了全新世中期后,若尔盖盆地风沙作用依然盛行,黄河河槽深切,第一湾两岸接受沙尘暴沉积。在全新世中期的相对温暖湿润气候条件之下,沙尘暴沉积物被改造为亚高山草甸黑土类土壤,成熟度极高。到了全新世晚期以来,风沙作用与沙尘暴沉积过程持续,沙尘暴沉积物也被改造为亚高山草甸黑土层。本文研究对于深入理解黄河源区末次冰期以来环境变化与地表过程演变,以及晚更新世以来的气候水文变化规律具有重要的科学意义。