如何建立高分辨率的沙漠环境演变时空序列是我国沙漠第四纪研究中亟待解决的关键问题。库姆塔格沙漠位于青藏高原北缘、塔克拉玛干沙漠东部，是目前我国研究最晚、认识最少的一个沙漠，其形成演化方面的研究尤其少。该沙漠广布第四纪天然露头地层，是研究干旱区气候环境演变和沙漠形成演化的理想场地。本项目拟对含古风成砂的第四纪典型地层剖面进行野外观测描述和系统采样，经年代学（古地磁、14C、ESR、OSL）和常规古环境代用指标分析（粒度、磁化率、特征化学元素、石英砂表面微形态），高分辨率提取地层沉积环境信息记录，研究建立沙漠第四纪地层沉积时间序列，重建古地理环境；并依据古风成砂在地层中的时空分布及沉积结构构造特征，探讨沙漠的演化过程，并为我国西北干旱区环境形成演变及青藏高原隆升过程提供证据。本研究是对我国沙漠第四纪研究的进一步补充和完善，同时为风沙地貌发育研究与沙漠化防治提供地质历史参考。

How to set up the high-resolution spatiotemporal sequence of desert evolution is an imperative issue in Quaternary researches in China. Kumtagh Desert is located at the fringe of northern Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, and in the east of Taklamakan Desert. It is the only one desert of China that is unknown for us today, and few studies about it, especially about its evolutionary study, have been carried out until today. The desert provide an ideal place for studying the dry environment changes and desert evolution of norhwestern China due to lots of Quaternary natural stratum within it. In this study we will make a field observation and characterization on the typical Quaternary stratum sections with palaeo-aeolian sand, and also sample these sections systematically. The high-resolution information concerning the stratum depositional environment will be extracted through the chronological analysis such as 14C, ESR, OSL and paleomagnetic dating, and the analysis of conventional paleoenvironment substitutive indexes such as particle size, magnetic susceptibility, indicator chemical elements and micro-morphology of quartz sand. We attempts to set up the depostional timing sequence of Quaternary stratum and to re-construct the ancient geological environment of this region. The evolutionary histroy of the desert will be disscussed based on the characteristics of spatiotemporal distribution and deposition of palaeo-aeolian sand in the stratum, subsequently, providing some valuable information for studying the formation and changes of the arid environent in northwestern China as well as lifting process of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. The results of this study will provide some more geologically historical references for investigating aeolian sand landform development and combating desertificaiton, and also enrich the Quaternary desert researches of China.