By CHEN HEYING
AS one of major challenges confronting the world, climate change was a selected topic discussed at the 72nd UN General Assembly held from September 19 to 25, 2017. Lately, the globe has been frequently rocked by natural disasters such as typhoons and hurricanes. In the context of global warming, how should we respond to natural disasters and extreme weather?
Examining
Scientists have long been trying to trace climate change through geological records of deep-sea sediments, polar and alpine ice cores, loess, lakes, stalagmites, corals, etc.
Li Minghui is an associate research fellow at the
Li Minghui, associate research fellow at the
According to Li, the research on global climate change is vibrant and at the forefront of natural scientific research. It is also the core topic of global change research.
With the lake sediment acting as a kind of climate proxy, scientists are able to reconstruct the sequence of environmental changes by measuring the available sediments and extracting climate and environmental information. The research will help us to understand climate change throughout history, and moreover, better predict the changes in the future.
Exploring the Plateau
The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is home to a large quantity of lakes, whose area accounts for more than 45 percent of
Thanks to its unique geographical location, the Tibetan Plateau is sensitive to climate change and thus serves as a good place in this regard. The minerals in plateau lake sediments are extremely useful in research on environment evolution.
Li Minghui and Albert Galy, her project partner at Cambridge University, a professor at Université de Lorraine and a director of Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques.
Since Li joined the Tibetan Plateau Institute in 2005, her research findings have filled a gap in this field. For instance, she discovered monohydrocalcite (CaCO3·H2O), a mineral, in high-altitude areas, and a sulfate mineral Na4Ca (So4)3·2H2O in
How did her research reveal climate change in the plateau? Li’s studies focus on salt and clay minerals, especially salt minerals. Salt minerals are usually found in sea facies, limnetic deposits, and salty soil in arid climate zones. With increasing evaporation, for example, calcium carbonate minerals such as calcite and aragonite will be precipitated from the water first, followed by calcium sulfate mineral gypsum and then halite, sodium sulfate, and potassium magnesium salt. “The precipitated minerals indicate the concentration degrees of ancient lakes and drought condition of the environment,” Li said, using
Devoted Geological Scientist
Geology is a special science that requires arduous mental and manual labor. Geologists are regarded as people who carry field rations when climbing mountains and heavy stones upon their return. Due to the extensive physical effort that geology requires the field used to be dominated by men. However, in today’s changing world, researchers like Li are making clear that geology is a field for women as well as men.
Minerals in plateau lake sediments are extremely useful in research on environment evolution.
Li Minghui studied at
Scientists are also taking actions. The
Li has great expectations for the Second Tibetan Plateau Comprehensive Science Research. She said, “The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, last pure land of the world, is full of ecological mysteries just waiting to be explored.”
CHEN HEYING is a media contributor.