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Patterned Ground on the Northern Side of the West Kunlun Mountains

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Patterned Ground on the Northern Side of the West Kunlun Mountains Bu王1etinofGlacier Research7（1989）j45－j52 ム措 ⑥DataCenterforGlacierRcsearch，JapaneseSocietyofSnowandIce Patterned groundon the northern side ofthe West Kunlun Mountains，WeStern China ShujilWATAlandZHENGBenxing2 1DepartmentofGeography，FacultyofHumanitiesandSocialSciences，MieUniversity，Kamihama，Tsu，514Japan 2LarlZhouIn或ittlteOfGiacまologyandGeocryology，AcademiaSinica，Lanzbou，Ch重na （ReceivedI）ecember5，1988；RevisedmanuscriptreceivedJanuary23，1989） Abstract Mapping of earth hummocks，SOrted nets，SOrted stripes andlobes，Smallandlarge fissure mpolygons，andsomeotherperiglacialphenomenasuchasrockglacicrs，debris－mantledslopes，and involutions were condtlCted on the northern slopes of the West Kunlun Mountains，nOrthwestern margir10ftheTibctanPlateau，basedonfieldresearchin1987．Manydifferentkindsofpatterned groundoccurintbezoneabove5200minaititude，Whiiein汰ezonel）elow5280m，patternedgrotlnd occursonlyinlimitedがaces．Thisintensivedistributioninthehigherzonemaybeduetotheexistence ofcontinuouspermafrost，Whileinthelowerzonethepatternedgrounddevelopsinplaceswherethe soilmoistureconditionisfavorablc． l．lntroduction 1984；Cui，1985；Kuhle，1985；1987；Koizl】mi，1986； Wang，1987；Koazeetal．，1988），andthenorthernside Snowq andice十free areas of highmountain re－ OftheHimalayas（軋爵Zhengetalリ1982）．Incontrast， glOnSareSituatedinperiglacialenvirorlmentS，Where inthenorthwesternpart oftheTibetanPlateauin－ 許Otlndたostdevelopsvar；ousperiglaciaipbeれOme11a CludingthelⅣestKunltlnMountains，inwhicbareathe Or主arld berleath the ground surねcet To assess払e periglacialdomain prestlmably extends very much periglacialenvironmentsisoneofthemostimportant because ofits high snow】ine and relatively gentle Cluestounderstandclimatological，geOmOrPhological， topography，Only few studies have been carried out andecologlCalsituationsinthehighmountainregion． （GeomorphologyGroupintheComprehensiveExpedi－ Afterthefirstassessment oftheperiglacialvertical tionTeamtoXinjiang，1978；Li，1987；LiandHe，1989）． －ZOnationonaglobal∝aiebyTro王1（1944），theverti－ InJuly，1987，We Carried out fieid research on Caldisとributionofpatternedgroundbasbeenstudied periglacial phenomena on the northern side of the invarious mountain chains of the earth（e．glGraf， West Kunlun Mountains as members of the”Sino 1971；H捌1ermann，1972；Ellenberg，1974；Iwata et al．， －JapaneseJoint GlaciologicalExpeditionin Wcst 1976；Iwata，1986）．Eachofthesezonationsrepresents KunlunMountains1987”（Zhengetalリ1988）．Basedon a differentfeature：Thefeaturesvarywiththeloca－ thisfieldwork，Weillustratethedistributionofpat－ ti川1． terned grotlnd and discuss the characteristics ofthe OnandaroundtbeQinghaトⅩizang（Tibet）Plat・ periglacialenvironmentofthearea． eaumanyperiglaciaiphenomenahavebeenobserved and mapped（e．g．Cui，1981；1982）．Detailed studies were concentratedinthe northeastern corner of the 2，Thestudyarea Plateau，i・e・，QuilinShanandtheEastKunlunMourl－ とains（g．g，LanzhouInst主tuteofG王aciologya！ldCryo－ Theう好est Kunluれ MoⅥntains，locatedi‡lthe pedology，Academia Sin主ca，1983；Liang and Cheng， northwestern margin of the Tまbetan Plateau，are ブイ（i Fig，1．‡ndexmapoぎthepatternedgroundontbenorther王ュSide intervalsare200乱1：R6earCbroutesぎ2：VoIcaniccone，3： oftbeWestKunll】nMolユntairlS∴N甘汀心ersindicaもetheloca－ Invoiution，4：Rockglacier． tionsofthepat仁ernedgrotlnds王10WnilュTablel．TbeconとOur Iwata and Zhens j47 COmpOSedofthehighandrelativelygentlemainrange andthe relativelylowbut steep northrange（Kara－ tas壬1i－Liusbtag Sbarl）．BetⅥ7eerltbese紬O rangeS 抽ereexistsabigbplateau－1ikebasin，CalledAsbikule Basin，withyoungvoIcaniccones（Fig．1）， Althoughclimaticconditionsoftheareaarerath・ erdryasshowni11LiandHe（ユ989）andt‡1epreSent firnliileSOntheglaciers主sabout5800ma．s．l．intbe area（Scientific Expedition to the Qinghai¶Ⅹizang Plateau，1986），thehigher part ofthemain rangeis COVeredwithexteTISiveglacierst Themountainsbor－ dertbeTaklimakanDesertonthenorthⅥritboutany densevegetationzone：neitherdenseherbaceousvege－ tation nor forest exists on the north slopcs of the KunlunMountai壬1S．Gras澄S，CuS圭IionpiarltS，anddvarf Fig．2．ThegrourldsurfaceofÅsbikuieBasiniscoveredwi琉 ShrubsparseiyocctlrOnaVaStdrylandarea． Iavaandtephra．Nodistinctpatternedgroundisdistributed Ageologicalmapoftheareawhichisassumedto onthesurface．AyoungvoIcaniccone，CalledtheAshikule havebeenrevisedusingI．andsatimagesexists（Chen， VoIcano，eruptedin1951． 1984）．Tbe main parts of the molユntain ranges are COmpOSedofcrystailinerockssuchasgranite，gneiss， t‡leÅshikuleBasincoveredbyvoicanicまava，tephra， andsyenite，butalargepartofthesttldyareaconsists andalluvialfansediments（Fig．2）， Ofphyliiticsandstoneandsiltstone，Theeasternhalf TypesofpatternedgroundaridtheirlocaとioilSare OftheAshikuieBasinwasocctipiedbybasalticlava， Sbo耶IillTablel．Noping（）OrOtherlargefrosとmoりnd and the otherareas of tbe basin by Pleistocerle and basbeenfound，butmanyoneswerereportedon軌e HoIocenefangravels． SOuthside ofWest Kunlun（Li，1987）as wellasEast OlirreSearChrot鹿Sareirid重catedi‡1ぎ；g．1：Ol汀 Kuniun（g．＆Kubie，19拓；Koizumi，198軋Somer】Otice－ ObservationsofperigiacialphenomenaⅥrerei言mitedto ablefeattireSaregivenbeiow： rclativelysmallareasalongourroutes． ．■？．J．J〃（V〃小／‘イーーl…ルんノ川川柚木（川（／∫りノブ＝／仙ゾ Theywere found ona dryriverbed at Subashi 3．Distribution ofpatternedground （4130milュaitiもude），locatedin a smalまbasinin払e upperreachesoftheKulapuDaiyaRiver，Whichisa Patter‡ied ground basbeenregarded as a good tribtltaryOftbeKeriyaRiver（Locs．14，17〉．Theyare indicator of perig王acialenvironmentsy butit occurs theiowestpatterlledgroundinthearea，because払ere Onlyin placesマFbich exist suitabまe conditio11S．The isllOrOOmforpatternedgroundintbelowersectionof frost action occurintensivelyby bothlow tempera－ the Kulapu Daiya where steep rocky valley slopes turesandfrequentfreeze－－thawcycleswithabundant formgorges．Nosoli幻uctionfeaturesuchasindistinct moisture co‡ltentin soii，While restra孟ned by rougb lobescouldbeobservedevenontbefeⅥFgentleslopes materialsand dense vegetation cover．Debris move－ Ofmoraineswhichhadbeenbuiltinthema摘vaileyby mentintheearthbyfrost actionisfreqtlently oblit・ pastglaciersfromtributaryglaciers． eratedbyothergeomorphicprocessessuchasfltlVial arldrapidmasslⅥ0VementprOCeSSeS．TbliS，CO一重Sider・ ユご．占～ケル／〃／〃川≠眉h 1ng the distribt裏on ofpatterned ground，We Should DespiねOftbemostcommoTlpattelⅥedgro11‡1d抽 payattentiontoal1surroundingenvironments．Figure thelower altitudes oflmmid mountains，earth hum・ lsbowsahorizontaldistr主butionofpatternedground mocksarerareiyobservedont‡1enOrthsideofⅥ毎朝 Which、We Observedin tbe study area．Patter‡led Kunllユn，0Vingtothelackofdensevegetationcover， groundexistsinrelativelyinlimitedareas：itparticu－ AfelVpatChesofear血hummockswerefoundinturf 1arlyoccursinareasadjacenttoglacierterminionthe alongthesma11streamfromtheglacieraboveYakeN northern siope of tbe Kunlun mairlrange，Wbile‡10 baketakeataltittldesof5230－5300nl（Locs．15，16）． Patternedgroundbasbeen毎undintbemainpartof ／・ノバ Bu11etinofGlacier Research Tablel．Types andlocations of patterned ground． Loc． Patterne（ヨgrolmd Location Åititude Additionaic（〉mment lTl－l LargeSCa王efissure Confluence of 4920 0n old moraine，nearly polygons Alakesayiand square plans with Kezileshayi Rivers a5－10m side Sma】トscalefisst汀e Southeast of 5040 0rlねn stldace，a2－3m polygons Li血uang Pass Side，par仁1yユnaCtive？ Smalトscale fissure Fr8nモalflat 4960 0Ilfan suげace polygons piace of Bulakem bashi Glacier Large－SCale sorted Shtlangyang Pass 5000 Near dried poo1 patterned ground brge－SCaie sorヒed Near termint王S Of 5400 Fはt p】ace orlthe moraine net Å1akesayiGl． Large一蹴aie sorted Near termiiluS Of 5亜O Debrismant王ed slopes Stripes AlakesayiGl， Large－SCale sorted Near Yakebaketake 5350 Debris mantled slopes StrlpeS 2mintervals 0 0 Near Yakebaketake 5400 0n ridge Large－SCale sorted StrlpeS 9 ハ Near Yakebaketake U So珪ed】obes 5400 0n ddge 1 Debris isiands Near Yakebaketake 5360 Inside of recent moraine 2 Sorted net Near Yakebaketake 5310 0n ridge Sma11sorted net Ridge between 5400 Flat surface on pass， and strlpe＄ riversfrom fine material＄ Å主akesayiGl． 31 Sorted net Terminus of In tbe boliow on a 1 4 Bulakebas壬IiGl－ rocent mora童ne 1 5 6 Sorted net Subashi 4160 Incomplete，Dry river 7 1 1 bed Earth hummocks Near Yakebaketake 5260 Along stream from glacier 1 Earth hunlmOCks Near Yakebaketake 5300 Inside of moraine 1 Eartb blmmOCks Slぬashi 4160 Dryriver bed 1 ・ T‡leiocat拍nS－ are Shownin Fig．1 1 3．3．50γお♂クαfお用e♂g和〟乃d Mostsortedpatternedgroundexistsathighalti－ tude above5200m a．s．1．Sorted polygons，debrisis－ 1ands，SOrtedlobes，and sorted nets occupy flat and gerltly sloping surfaces of both morailleS and bed－ rocks．In particular，1arge－SCale sorted stripes and sorted lobes are extensively distributed on debris mantledslopescomposedofphylliticrocks（e，g，Fig・ 3）．NeartheterminusoftheAlakesayiGlacier（Locs． 5，6），itwasobservedthatmeltwaterflowingoutfrom permafrost drained tbrougblines oflarge stones of stripesandfurrowssurroundingcellsofsortedpoly－ gons，and fine materials hlthe centralparts ofthe patterned ground were saturatedwith mclt water・ Smalトscale sorted net and stripes also occur atthe FigY3，Largescalesortedstripesandlobesonadebris－mantled higheraltitudeof5400m：thesesmallfeaturesaredue siope．Loc．No．7atnearYakebaketake（5350ma・S・り・ tothemudstonewbicheasilybreakintoslⅥailpieces （g．爵Loc．12）． IwataandZbe喝 J・JJノ Sorted patterned ground was observed at two SurepOlygo‡1StOthesoutbeastofIィitぬuangPass，nO iocaまitiesaround5000minaltitude：Omeislargescale distinct patterned ground主s distributed on flat sl汀・ SOrted，netSi‡1theviciri主tyofadriedpoolonShuang－ facesintheAshiklユIe Basin．Smallinvoiution ofvoト yangPass（5000m）（Loc．4）arまd払eotberissorもednets Canicgiasswasfoundsol血ofAぬikuleI．ake（ぎig．5）． atthebottomofthehoilowintherecentmoraineof
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