『Abstract
Three large rivers - the Chang Jiang (Yangtze), Mekong (Lancang
Jiang) and Salween (Nu Jiang) - originate in eastern Tibet and
run in close parallel over 300 km near the eastern Himalayan syntaxis.
Seventy-four river water samples were collected mostly during
the summer season from 1999 to 2004. Their major element compositions
vary widely, with total dissolved solids (TDS) ranging from 31
to 3037 mg/l, reflecting the complex geologic makeup of the vast
drainage basins. The major ion distribution of the main channel
samples primarily reflects the weathering of carbonates. Evaporite
dissolution prevails in the headwater samples of the Chang Jiang
in the Tibetan Plateau interior, as evidenced by the high TDS
(928 and 3037 mg/l) and the Na-Cl dominant major element composition.
Local tributary samples of the Mekong and Salween, draining the
Lincang Batholith and the Tengchong Volcano, show distinctive
silicate weathering signatures. We used five reservoirs - rain,
halite, sulfate, carbonate, and silicate - in a forward model
to calculate the contribution from silicate weathering to the
total dissolved load and to estimate the consumption rate of atmospheric
CO2 by silicate weathering. Carbonate weathering
accounts for about 50% of the total cationic charge (TZ+)
in the samples of the Mekong and the Salween exiting the Tibetan
Plateau. In the “exit” sample of the Chang Jiang, 45% of TZ+
is from halite dissolution inherited from the extreme headwater
tributaries in the interior of the plateau, and carbonates contribute
only 26% to the TZ+. The net rate of CO2
consumption by silicate weathering is (103-121)×103
mol km-2 year-1, lower than the rivers draining
the Himalayan front. GIS-based analyses indicate that runoff and
relief can explain 52% of the spread in the rate of atmospheric
CO2 drawdown by silicate weathering, but
other climatic (temperature, precipitation, potential evapotranspiration)
and geomorphic (elevation, slope) factors also show collinearity.
Only qualitative conclusions can be drawn for the significance
of lithology due to lack of digitized lithologic information.
The effect of the peculiar drainage pattern due to tectonic forcing
is not readily apparent in the major element composition or in
increased chemical weathering rates. The 87Sr/86Sr
ratios and the silicate weathering rates are in general lower
in the Three Rivers than in the rivers draining the Himalayan
front.』
1. Introduction
2. Study area
2.1. Geological setting
2.2. Climate, vegetation, and population
3. Sampling and analytical methods
4. Results and discussion
4.1. Major ion distribution
4.2. Strontium and its isotopic composition in the TRR
4.3. Sources and dissolved load
4.3.1. Atmospheric input
4.3.2. Evaporite contribution
4.3.3. Silicate contribution
4.3.4. Carbonate contribution
4.4. Rates of CO2 consumption by silicate
weathering
4.5. What controls chemical weathering in the TRR?
4.5.1. Physical erosion
4.5.2. Climatic and geomorphic factors
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
References