Morphodynamics in the Jieze Caka Basin, western Tibet, China

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Research on lake basins in China is of increasing importance, since it is well-known that morphodynamics, lake sediments and sediment transport around lakes and their catchments can monitor Late Quaternary hydrological cycles and climate variability reliably well. The closed Jieze Caka Basin in western Tibet is an excellent site to study the interrelationship between geomorphic processes (glacier dynamics, terrace formation, sediment transport) and lake formation throughout the last glacial cycle. The basin provides important information about the regional climate and environmental history apart from modern summer monsoon influence. Within the framework of a pilot study we aim at exploring i) the interrelationship between terrace formation and past lake level fluctuations and ii) the correlation between lake basin morphology, sedimentary patterns and lake ecology as a function of climatic and/or non-climatic impact on the environment. Following investigations are planned for a one-year project phase:1) Identifying, characterizing and localizing lake terraces and paleo-shorelines around the lake by field surveys, DGPS measuremnts and selected sampling2) Establishing a bathymetry map of Jieze Caka lake based on echo sounding; developing morphological basin profiles3) Measurments of limnological parameters and4) Characterizing lake sediments by short coring.The results of the pilot study shall be used as a fundamental base for future hydrological modeling and detailed studies on morpho and sediment dynamics to enable advanced knowledge on climate and environmental reconstructions of that region in western Tibet. Field research and data analysis will be jointly conducted with colleagues from Tibet University, Lhasa and RWTH Aachen University.