CRYOGENIC PROCESSES IN LOESS
https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2017-10-2-4-14
Abstract
This paper presents a new approach to the analysis of the genetic nature of the mineral substance of loessial rocks. At the present time, the prevailing view on this issue is the eolian accumulation of loess, while the influence of other factors of formation has not been practically taken into account. However, loess accumulation can be explained by other mechanisms, e.g., active processes of cryogenic weathering under a very harsh climate. The latter concept is based on the results of analysis of wedge-shaped structures in loess thickness, as well as numerous data of spore-pollen, microfaunistic, and other types of analysis. Further developing concepts of loess formation, the authors made an attempt to assess the degree of influence of cryogenic processes on the composition and structure of loess. The proposed method is based on a differentiated analysis of the distribution of the main rock-forming minerals (quartz and feldspars) along the granulometric spectrum. Two criteria are proposed − the coefficient of cryogenic contrast and the heavy fraction coefficient (i.e., the coefficient of distribution of heavy minerals) − which allow determining the degree of participation of cryogenic processes, as well as aeolian and aqueous sedimentation, in the formation of loessial rocks. This method was used to study two sections of loessial thickness − in the south of the Russian Plain and within the Loess Plateau of China. The results of the study revealed the role of cryogenic factors in the formation of the composition of the loess horizons of soil-loess sequences of different territories. Particularly clearly the effect of cryogenesis was manifested in the loess section in the south of the Russian Plain. In the section of the Loess Plateau, only the youngest deposits of the last formation stage are affected by cryogenesis. It follows that not only within the long-term periglacial permafrost zone, but also under the conditions of seasonal freezing in the Pleistocene, the processes of cryogenic transformation of deposits could have developed, which contributed to the formation of the composition and properties of loess of sufficiently high thickness.
About the Authors
V. N. Konishchev
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Professor, D.Sc. in Geography is the Head of the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology of the MSU Faculty of Geography. His scientific interests are the Earth’s cryology, geographical and historic permafrost studies, cryolithology, paleogeography and geoecology of the cryosphere.
Russian Federation
Professor, D.Sc. in Geography is the Head of the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology of the MSU Faculty of Geography. His scientific interests are the Earth’s cryology, geographical and historic permafrost studies, cryolithology, paleogeography and geoecology of the cryosphere.
V. V. Rogov
Lomonosov Moscow State University; Earth Cryosphere Institute, SB RAS; Tyumen State University
Russian Federation
D.Sc. in Geography, is Professor of the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology of the MSU Faculty of Geography. His research deals with the Earth’s cryology, paleogeography of the cryosphere, permafrost formation, cryogenic processes, physics of frozen grounds, authigenic mineral formation in frozen grounds, microbiology of permafrost
Russian Federation
D.Sc. in Geography, is Professor of the Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology of the MSU Faculty of Geography. His research deals with the Earth’s cryology, paleogeography of the cryosphere, permafrost formation, cryogenic processes, physics of frozen grounds, authigenic mineral formation in frozen grounds, microbiology of permafrost
References
1. Konishchev V.N. (2013) Priroda ciklicheskogo stroenia ledovogo kompleksa Vostochnoi Sibiri [The nature of the cyclic structure of the ice complex of Eastern Siberia] KriosferaZemli, v. XVII, №1, pp. 3-16. (in Russian)
2. Konishchev V.N. (1999) Evolutcia temperatury porod arkticheskoi zony Rossii v verhnem kainozoe [Evolution of rock temperature in the Arctic zone of Russia in the Upper Cenozoic] Kriosfera Zemli, v. III, №4, pp. 39-47. (in Russian)
3. Konishchev V.N. (1981) Formirovanie sostava dispersnih porod v kriolitosfere [Formation of the composition of dispersed rocks in the cryolithosphere] Novosibirsk. Nauka, 197 p. (in Russian)
4. Konishchev V.N. (1977) Nekotorye obshchie zakonomernosti preobrazovania sostava dispersnih porod kriogennymi prosessami [Some general laws governing the transformation of the composition of dispersed rocks by cryogenic processes] Problemy kriolitology. Vypusk VI. M. Izd-vo MGU, 1977.pp 17-26. (in Russian)
5. Konishchev V.N., Lebedeva-Verba M.P., Rogov V.V., Stalina E.E. (2005) Kriogenez sovremennih i pozdnepleistocenovyh otlogenij Altaya i periglyacialnih oblastej Evropy [Cryogenesis of the modern and Late Pleistocene deposits of the Altai and periglacial regions of Europe]. М. Izd-vo GEOS, 132 p. (in Russian)
6. Konishchev V.N., Rogov V.V. (1994) Metody kriolitologicheskih issledovanij [Methods of cryolithological studies]. М.: Izd-vo MGU, 135 p. (in Russian)
7. Konishchev V.N., Rogov V.V., Shchurina N. N. (1976) Vliyanie kriogennyh faktorov na pervichnye mineraly (rezultaty eksperimentalnyh issledovanij) [Influence of cryogenic factors on primary minerals (results of experimental studies)] Problemy kryolitologii. Vypusk 5. М. Izd-vo MGU, pp. 50-60. (in Russian)
8. Krieger N.I. (1965) Less, ego svoistva i svyaz s geograficheskoi sredoi [Loess, its properties, and relation to the geographical environment]. М., Nauka, 254 p. (in Russian)
9. Lessovye porody SSSR [Loess deposits of the USSR] (1986). Pod red. Е.М. Sergeeva, А.К.Larionova, N.N.Komissarovoi. v. I. М., Nedra, 232 p. (in Russian)
10. Lofverstrom M., Caballero R., Nilsson J., Kleman J. (2014) Evolution of the large- scale atmospheric circulation in response to changing ice sheets over last glacial cycle//Climate of the Past, 10, Issue 4, p. 1453-1471.
11. Minervin A.V. (1982) Rol kryogennih faktorov v formirovanii lessovih porod [The role of cryogenic factors in the formation of loess ] Problemy kriolitologii, vypusk X, pp. 41–60. (in Russian)
12. Popov A.I. (1967) Lessovye i lessovidnye porody kak product kriolitogeneza [Loess and loess-like deposits as a product of cryolithogenesis ] Vestnik MGU. Seria geographicheskaya, № 6, pp. 43-48 (in Russian)
13. Putevoditel polevyh ekskursij VIII Vserossijskogo sovechania po izucheniyu chetvertichnogo perioda [Guide to field excursions of the VIII All-Russian Meeting on the Study of the Quaternary Period] (2013). Izdatelstvo UNC RAN, Rostov-na -Donu. 48 p. (in Russian)
14. Sergeev E.M., Minervin A.V. (1960) Sushchnost processa oblessovania v podzolistoj zone [Essence of the loess forming process in the podzolic zone] Vestnik MGU. Seria geologichesraya, № 3, pp.3-14. (in Russian)
15. Strakhov N.M. (1962) Osnovy teorii litogeneza [Fundamentals of the lithogenesis theory]. v.1, 2. М., Izd-vo АN SSSR; v. 1, 203 p. v. 2, 549 p. (in Russian)
16. Timireva S.N.,Velichko A.A. (2006) Depositional environments of the Pleistocene loess-soil series inferred from sand grain morphoscopy – a case study of the East European Plain. Quaternary International, vol. 152-153. рp. 136-145.
17. Velichko A.A., Catto N.R., Kononov Yu.M., Morozova T.D., Novenko E.Yu., Panin P.G., Ryskov G.Ya., Semenov V.V., Timireva S.N., Titov V.V., Tesakov A.S. (2009) Progressively cooler and drier interglacials in southern Russia through the Quaternary: Evidence from the Sea of Azov region // Quaternary International. Vol. 198 (1-2). P. 204–219.
18. Woronko B., Pisarska-Jamrozy M. (2015) Micro-scale Frost Weathering of Sand-Sized Quartz Grains. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes. 09, рр. 1855.
19. Zeiner F. (1963) Plejstocen [Pleistocene]. Translated from the English. Moscow. Foreign Literature Press, 502 p. (In Russian)
20. Zykina V.S., Zykin I.S. (2012) Lessovo-pochvennaya posledovatelnost i evolutciya prirodnoj sredy i klimata Zapadnoi Sibiri v pleistocene [Loess-soil sequence and evolution of the natural environment and climate of Western Siberia in the Pleistocene ] Nauchn. red. M.I. Kuzmin; Ross. Akad. Nauk, Sib.otdelenie, Institut geologi I mineralogii im. V.S. Soboleva. – Novosibirsk , Akademicheskoe izdatelstvo «Geo», 477 p. (in Russian)
Review
For citations:
Konishchev V.N., Rogov V.V. CRYOGENIC PROCESSES IN LOESS. GEOGRAPHY, ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINABILITY. 2017;10(2):4-14. https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2017-10-2-4-14
Views:
1362
Email this article 