Journal of Geographical Sciences ›› 2009, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (4): 416-426.

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The pH value and electrical conductivity of atmospheric environment from ice cores in the Tianshan Mountains

DONG Zhi-Wen, ZHANG Meng-Jun, LI Zhong-Qi, WANG Fei-Teng, WANG Wen-Bin   

  1. College of Geography and Environment Science|Northwest Normal University|State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences|Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute
  • Online:2009-09-20 Published:2009-09-20
  • Supported by:

    National Key Project for Basic Research of China,No.2007CB411501;; Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.KZCX2-YW-127;; National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.40631001; No.40571033; No.40701034; No.40701035; No.40371028; No.J0630966;; The Project for Outstanding Young Scientists of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.40121101;; The Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation,No.101019

Abstract:

Electrical Conductivity Measurement(ECM) from ice core is a representative index for atmospheric environmental change.The pH value and ECM from three shallow ice cores(each 3.85 m,231 ice samples total) on Glacier No.1 at the headwater of Urumqi River,Glacier No.48 in Kuitun area,and Miaoergou Glacier in Hami area in the eastern Tianshan Mountains,western China,were measured and analyzed for atmospheric environment records research.Ice core record shows that the changing trend of pH and ECM in three sites in recent years is different:ECM in Kuitun increases with the ice depth change,but ECM in Hami and Urumqi Glacier No.1 ice cores show a decreasing trend.Average ECM value in Hami is much larger than other two sites,just as the dust concentration and ions concentration are also very high in this site.ECM records in all three sites are mainly affected by aerosol mineral dust of Central Asia,and correlative coefficients of ECM and mineral ions such as Ca2+,Mg2+,Na+ are all significantly high.The pH value and ECM are also significantly high correlative coefficients in the eastern Tianshan Mountains.Comparison between the eastern Tianshan Mountains and other sites in western China,and Polar Regions,shows that the difference of ECM can very well reflect the spatial difference of worldwide atmospheric environment.

Key words: pH and electrical conductivity records, ice cores, atmospheric environment, the eastern Tianshan Mountains