Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain

CHAI Peiran; ZHAO Xueqin; WANG Fudong; JIANG Yaoxi; ZHANG Qiang; ZHU Heyan

doi:10.11932/karst2024y027

Volume 43 Issue 3

Aug. 2024

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CHAI Peiran, ZHAO Xueqin, WANG Fudong, JIANG Yaoxi, ZHANG Qiang, ZHU Heyan. Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain[J]. CARSOLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 43(3): 552-562, 584. doi: 10.11932/karst2024y027

Citation:

CHAI Peiran, ZHAO Xueqin, WANG Fudong, JIANG Yaoxi, ZHANG Qiang, ZHU Heyan. Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain[J]. CARSOLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 43(3): 552-562, 584. doi: 10.11932/karst2024y027

Citation:

CHAI Peiran, ZHAO Xueqin, WANG Fudong, JIANG Yaoxi, ZHANG Qiang, ZHU Heyan. Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain[J]. CARSOLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 43(3): 552-562, 584. doi: 10.11932/karst2024y027

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Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain

doi: 10.11932/karst2024y027

1.
School of Environment and Resources, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang, Sichuan 621010, China
2.
Institute of Karst Geology, CAGS/Key Laboratory of Karst Dynamics, MNR & GZAR/International Research Center on Karst under the Auspices of UNESCO, Guilin, Guangxi 541004, China

Received Date: 2023-09-20
Available Online: 2024-08-15

Abstract

Abstract

As a carrier of geological historical records and climatic information, travertine has played a crucial role in the study of global climate change, and scholars have made significant progress in research on travertine over the past few decades. Travertine deposits are widely distributed on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, often referred to as the "Third Pole in the World". They are especially distributed in high mountains along the eastern edge of the plateau, forming a belt of travertine from northeast to southwest. These travertine formations in the high-altitude regions are predominantly found above the Quaternary ancient glaciers, closely associated with the development and distribution of these glaciers. Hence, the travertine geomorphology in these high-altitude areas may serve as evidence of the Quaternary glacial activities. Therefore, aiming to provide evidence for the Quaternary glacier activities, this study selects surface-exposed travertine in the Yulongxi area on the western side of Gongga mountain as the research subject to analyze records of glacial activities in high-altitude travertine.The specific research methods employed in this study are as follows: (1) conducting field geological work to survey glacial landforms surrounding travertine, such as glacial striations, sheep back stones, etc., and collecting samples of moraines on and near the old travertine bodies; (2) utilizing GF-05 satellite hyperspectral remote sensing data to interpret the lithology of travertine developed in the fault zone of the Yulongxi area, thereby obtaining the distribution characteristics of travertine in the study area; (3) employing drones to perform low-altitude photogrammetric surveys on several typical travertine bodies in the study area, constructing refined DEMs and 3D models to analyze the distribution patterns and geomorphological characteristics of travertine, and combining terrain features to analyze the formation of sheep back stones and whalebacks; (4) using XRD testing technology to analyze the compositions of moraines and comparing the similarities and differences between the compositions of moraines deposited at different locations on the old travertine bodies; (5) integrating previous chronological data on travertine belts developed in the north-south direction on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and comprehensively discussing the potential records of glacial activities in travertine in the study area during the last Glacial Maximum.The research findings are summarized as follows. (1) Travertine in the study area is mainly distributed on both sides of the fault zone within the altitude range of 4,000 m to 4,500 m. Large travertine formations are more concentrated within a 200-meter elevation difference. Some residual travertine bodies are characterized morphologically by elongated shapes, surface striations, etc., consistent with the appearance of whalebacks and sheep back stone. (2) Based on XRD test results and terrain features, it is inferred that the deposits covering the travertine bodies are likely the products from glacial activities. During glacial periods, material weathered and eroded from the upper part of the Zagunao Formation was transported onto the travertine bodies through glacial action. Simultaneously, with the Quaternary glacier activities, early travertine formations underwent intense glacial erosion, forming glacial erosional landforms.Combining previous research on travertine and moraines in the Gongga mountain area, this study draws the following conclusions regarding the potential records of glacial activities during the last Glacial Maximum in the study area. During interstadial periods of the last Glacial Maximum, warming climate led to glacier melting and retreat. The melting of ice and snow, coupled with rainfall, provided favorable material conditions for the formation of travertine deposits in the study area. Meltwater and rainfall infiltrated down to lower elevations along synclines of the Zagunao Formation, upwelled along the fault in the Yulongxi area, overflowed near the fault and downstream valleys, and finally formed extensive travertine deposits. During glacial periods, the entire region was covered by glaciers. Under the pressure of the upper glaciers, bedrock debris entrained at the glacier base eroded and abraded the bedrock (travertine). Early travertine formations were eroded, forming glacial erosional landforms, with travertine fragments and bedrock debris covering the travertine bodies in some areas. With global warming and rising temperature, travertine growth ceased in most areas, due to the rapid retreat of glaciers and the reduction of precipitation and meltwater. Early glacially eroded travertine landforms were subjected to erosion and weathering by water flow, and some moraines remained on the top of old travertine bodies.
- Gongga mountain,
- alpine travertine,
- hyperspectral remote sensing,
- topographic analysis,
- glacial activity

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Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain

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Records of glacier activities by the alpine travertine landform in the Yulongxi area along Gongga mountain

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