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Omaha Steve

(99,055 posts)
Fri Oct 9, 2015, 09:58 PM Oct 2015

Study of China's Yellow River yields unexpected information about the Earth's climate history


http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/49056

From: Uppsala University via EurekAlert!
Published October 9, 2015 08:55 AM

By meticulously examining sediments in China's Yellow River, a Swedish-Chinese research group are showing that the history of tectonic and climate evolution on Earth may need to be rewritten. Their findings are published today in the highly reputed journal Nature Communications.

To reconstruct how the global climate and topography of the Earth's surface have developed over millions of years, deposits of eroded land sediment transported by rivers to ocean depths are often used. This process is assumed to have been rapid and, by the same token, not to have resulted in any major storages of this sediment as large deposits along the way.

However, knowledge gaps and contradictory data in research to date are impeding an understanding of climate and landscape history. In an attempt to fill the gaps and reconcile the contradictions, the researchers have been investigating present-day and ancient sediment deposits in the world's most sediment-rich river: the Yellow River in China.

The researchers, from Uppsala University (led by Dr. Thomas Stevens) and Lanzhou University (led by Dr. Junsheng Nie), China, analysed Yellow River sediment from source to sink and determined its mineral composition. They also determined the age of mineral grains of zircon, a very hard silicate mineral that is highly resistant to weathering.

FULL story at link.
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Study of China's Yellow River yields unexpected information about the Earth's climate history (Original Post) Omaha Steve Oct 2015 OP
I read 'The Yellow River'... El Supremo Oct 2015 #1
Volcanic eruptions shake up streamflow around the world. DhhD Oct 2015 #2

DhhD

(4,695 posts)
2. Volcanic eruptions shake up streamflow around the world.
Fri Oct 9, 2015, 11:02 PM
Oct 2015
http://www.natureasia.com/en/research/highlight/10244

Global patterns of river flow change significantly in the year or two following a volcanic eruption, shows a study published online in Nature Geoscience. The findings suggest that future eruptions could affect water availability in many regions throughout the world.

more at link

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