Fa Du, Zongxing Li, Juan Gui, Baijuan Zhang, Jian Xue, Huiling Zhou
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
This study investigates the temporal processes of suprapermafrost groundwater (SPG)-supplied streamflow in alpine permafrost regions, aiming to fill the gap in understanding this process from a water-age perspective. Precipitation, streamflow, and SPG samples were collected from the Three-Rivers Headwaters Region (TRHR). We defined the physical meaning of Fyw (the young water fraction) of the SPG and calculated it for the first time. The results showed that in the TRHR, the SPG mean travel time (MTT) was 159 days, and approximately 46.4% of SPG was younger than 77 days, whereas the streamflow MTT was 342 days, and approximately 12.2% of the streamflow was younger than 97 days. The correlation analysis revealed that various climatic factors played dominant roles in the recharge time variations of the SPG-supplied streamflow within the TRHR. The SPG recharge rate did not significantly affect the streamflow Fyw; however, the thickness of the active layer ultimately controlled the SPG transit time distribution. Regression analysis further demonstrated the nonlinear impact of precipitation, average temperature, and average freezing days on SPG Fyw, which is closely related to seasonal freeze–thaw heat conduction and groundwater heat advection in the active layer. During the initial ablation period, the streamflow was primarily recharged by young SPG, resulting in a short-tail travel time distribution. Our findings provide valuable insights into runoff generation and concentration processes in permafrost regions and have important implications for water resource management.
期刊介绍:
Water Resources Research (WRR) is an interdisciplinary journal that focuses on hydrology and water resources. It publishes original research in the natural and social sciences of water. It emphasizes the role of water in the Earth system, including physical, chemical, biological, and ecological processes in water resources research and management, including social, policy, and public health implications. It encompasses observational, experimental, theoretical, analytical, numerical, and data-driven approaches that advance the science of water and its management. Submissions are evaluated for their novelty, accuracy, significance, and broader implications of the findings.