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Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2022, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (2): 91-99.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2022.2020-210077.

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Influence of meteorological elements on chemical evolution of snow and ice of Urumqi Glacier No. 1, eastern Tianshan Mountains

XiaoNi You1(),ZhongQin Li2,LiXia Wang1   

  1. 1.Tianshui Normal University, Tianshui, Gansu 741001, China
    2.State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Science, Lanzhou, Gansu 730000, China
  • Received:2020-08-06 Accepted:2021-02-08 Online:2022-04-30 Published:2022-04-25
  • Contact: XiaoNi You E-mail:yxiaoni@tsnu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761017);the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province(18JR3RE247)

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Abstract:

For most mountain glaciers, chemical components in snowfall are subject to the elution process under the influences of meltwater before they are preserved in ice, creating difficulties for interpreting ice core records. To understand the formation process of ice core records and analyze the influences of meteorological factors on the ice core resolution, we measured ion concentrations of snowpacks from 2003 to 2006 in the PGPI (Program for Glacier Processes Investigation) site of Urumqi Glacier No. 1. The ion concentration variation in snowpack exhibits apparent seasonality. In summer, the higher snowmelt rates due to air temperature rise intensify dilution and lead to an exponential decrease in ion concentrations as the accumulated positive temperature increases. In winter, the snow ion concentrations are stable and low as a result of reduced temperature and rare precipitation. Many ions from summer precipitation are leached out by meltwater, and only the precipitation that occurs at the end of the wet season can be preserved. Through tracking the evolution of magnesium ion peaks in the snowpack, it is concluded that the ice core resolution is one year on Urumqi Glacier No. 1, albeit 70% of the concentration information is lost.

Key words: elution process, Urumqi Glacier No. 1, temperature, precipitation, ice core resolution

Figure 1

Variations in the monthly mean concentrations of all and each chemical species in the snowpack and monthly mean air temperature from February 2003 to August 2006"

Figure 2

Comparison of the total ion concentration in the snowpack, accumulative temperature, positive accumulative temperature, and snow depth. The shaded zones indicate the intense elution period that ion concentrations decrease from the maxima to the minima"

Figure 3

The ratio of ion concentrations in the surface snow to that in the snowpack with corresponding precipitation. Ion concentrations in the wet season (from April to September) are shown in the box, with the orange triangles and the fitting curve indicating the total ion concentrations in the snowpack"

Table 1

Variation in average total ion concentration and precipitation in different periods"

StageAverage total ion concentration in snowpack (μg/L)Start dateEnd datePrecipitation (mm)
T12,759.1beginning of Marchmiddle of June108.7
T21,305.5middle of Junebeginning of Sepetember520.5
T31,990.6beginning of Septemberbeginning of December99.1
T41,768.1beginning of Decemberbeginning of March15.7

Figure 4

The evolutional process of Mg2+ ion peaks (P1 and P3), along with air temperature and precipitation. The blue circles and red circles stand for P1 and P3, respectively. Their diameter is proportional to the concentration. The three concentration profiles indicate the locations of Mg2+ concentration peaks in the snowpack on December 12, 2003, April 3, 2004 and August 10, 2006"

Figure 5

Variations in the snow-ice ratio of ion concentration at the snow-ice interface with time. The shaded and unshaded parts indicate the wet and dry seasons, respectively"

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