The Components of the Glacial Runoff of the Tsambagarav Massif from Stable Water Isotope Data

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of snow and glacial ice to the river fluxes, and to identify the type of ice formation in the Tsambagarav massif (the northwestern part of Mongolia). The main method for this study was isotopic analysis of water samples. The isotopic separation showed that the shares of the main components in the total runoff differed for different rivers of the massif. Alongside with that, glacial meltwater prevailed in all the investigated fluxes. The share of snow and firn in the meltwater coming from the surface of the large valley glaciers in the middle of the ablation season in 2017 changed by only 10%—from 20% to 30%. Thus, further reduction of glaciation caused by global climate change could significantly affect the water balance of the study area. The isotopic composition of glacial ice proves that its alimentation primarily comes from precipitation during the transitional seasons. Superimposed ice is not the basis for nourishment of the glaciers of the Tsambagarav massif.

Isotopic Composition of Glacier Ice and Meltwater in the Arid Parts of the Altai Mountains (Central Asia)

“…The relationship between the relative content of 18 O and D in precipitation was determined by the fractionation coefficients of these isotopes. The formula of linear relationship between 18 O and D was obtained by H. Craig, and it has the following form:…”

“…Isotopic methods allow to carry out only two-component separation, i.e., to calculate the shares of the two most significant components in the total runoff can be calculated. This separation is carried out using the isotope balance formula, which generally has the form: R 18…”

“…with R 18 O 1 -isotopic content of the first component, f 1 -share of the first component, R 18 O 2 -isotopic content of the second component, f 2 -share of the second component, R 18 O-resulting isotopic composition [1].…”

Specific Effects of the 1988 Earthquake on Topography and Glaciation of the Tsambagarav Ridge (Mongolian Altai) Based on Remote Sensing and Field Data

“…Average annual air temperature is −5.6 • C, average winter −22.3 • C, average summer 16.5 and 16.6 • C; the average annual precipitation is 87 and 78 mm, respectively, with a predominance of the northwestern direction of moisture transfer [8]. The precipitation at the altitude of the firn boundary is estimated at about 270 mm [26]. Increase in precipitation with altitude, the position of the main watershed above the snow line, the predominance of flattened peaks as well as slope exposition and snowdrift transport are the main factors that determine the glaciation of the Tsambagarav ridge in such arid conditions.…”

Fracturing and Near-Surface Diagenesis of a Silicified Miocene Deltaic Sequence: The Montjuïc Hill (Barcelona)

“…However, this origin is difficult to reconcile with geotropic indications of a vadose environment. A third option is that the more depleted δ 18 O values were linked to the depletion of meteoric waters during glacial periods [93] with the concomitant increase of the relative elevation and distance of the Montjuïc Hill to the coast.…”