Geochemical Information Indicating the Water Recharge to Lakes and Immovable Megadunes in the Badain Jaran Desert

• Published in: 地质学报（英文版） Vol. 79; no. 4; pp. 540 - 546
• Main Authors: CHEN Jiansheng, ZHAO Xia, SHENG Xuefeng, WANG Jiyang, GU Weizu, CHEN Liang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Isotope Hydrology Research,Hohai University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210098%Institute of Isotope Hydrology Research,Hohai University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210098%State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering,Hohai University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210098 2005; Institute of Geology and Geophysics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing 100018; State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering,Hohai University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210098; E-mail:jschen @ hhu.edu.cn; Institute of Isotope Hydrology Research,Hohai University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210098
• Subjects: Badain Jaran Desert,isotopic compositions,calc-sinter,groundwater,Qilian Mountains and Tibetan PlateauManuscript received March 9,2004
• ISSN: 1000-9515; 1755-6724
• DOI: 10.3321/j.issn:1000-9515.2005.04.011

P5; Calc-sinters distributed in the middle of lakes and rhizoconcretions scattered at the slopes of sand dunes were observed during three explorations to the Badain Jaran Desert in the past two years.Wet sands were also found underneath the dry surface sand layers of about 20-50 cm in thickness.The geochemical parameters were measured on minerals and water samples collected from the Badain Jaran Desert and neighboring areas.The results show that the water system in the desert may be recharged from the groundwater originating from the precipitation of the Qilian Mountains and/or the Tibetan Plateau rather than the local rainfalls.