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Advances in Hydrological Processes; Glacier Hydrology and Hydrochemistry; M. Sharp, K.S. Richards, M. Tranter (Eds.). John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK, 1998. Paperback, vi and 342 pp. £40.00 (ISBN 0-471-98168-0)
96
Book reviews
applications to groundwater remediation and the design of facilities to prevent or minimize groundwater pollution. Each chapter has a list of what the authors see as key references; this is helpful and also suggests the key competitors for this handbook. Overall, practitioners dealing with the design of waste management sites and remediation of groundwater contamination will find this a useful book to have in their library. W.E. Kelly Catholic University of America, School of Engineering, 102 Pangborn Hall, Washington DC 20064, USA
Advances in Hydrological Processes; Glacier Hydrology and Hydrochemistry; M. Sharp, K.S. Richards, M. Tranter (Eds.) John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK, 1998. Paperback, vi and 342 pp. £40 (ISBN 0-471-98168-0) This book, the sixth in the series ‘‘Advances in Hydrological Processes’’, focuses on the properties of glacier drainage systems and the changes in research approaches to glacier hydrology during the last decade or two. The volume consists of papers previously published in Hydrological Processes, and together are intended to summarize the present state of research on glacier hydrology. Most of the research is from European studies of mountain glaciers. Historically, glacier hydrology has been more closely linked to glaciology than watershed hydrology. However, understanding how runoff is generated from glaciers is an important question in assessing potential effects from global change on many freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. This book updates research on the processes converting glacier ice to water, processes routing the water from where it is produced, the structure of the drainage system in ice masses, and newer methods to model functions. The book emphasizes the changing nature of research on glacier hydrology, and attempts to organize this research into major themes. Changes in research focus on recent field research such as borehole studies of glacial drainage systems (Chapters 11, 12, 14 and 15), and the current state of modeling
approaches to glacier hydrology (Chapters 15, 16 and 18). The research themes include consideration of the major problems and questions raised from recent field studies and modeling efforts. A major research theme in the book is the interpretation of glacial meltwater chemistry and hydrology. Glacier meltwater chemistry can provide an indicator of the subglacial drainage, but to adequately interpret such data there must be good understanding of the processes by which meltwaters obtain solutes. The book summarizes some of the conceptual models used to link hydrologic processes, chemical weathering, and sediment entrainment (Chapters 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10). When glacial meltwater is used to understand subglacial weathering processes, it is essential to separate atmospheric and crustal contributions to meltwater solutes and the factors responsible for their relative contributions (Chapter 3). It is likely that snowmelt and ice melt follow different flow pathways in glaciers, and solutes derived from the atmosphere can provide tracers for snowmelt (Chapters 4 and 14). The stable isotope composition of runoff can serve to separate sources as rainfall, ice melt, and snowmelt (Chapter 3). In-channel chemical weathering of suspended sediments may also be important in altering meltwater chemical composition (Chapter 10), and glacial sediment flushing may be linked to rapid changes in the glacial motion (Chapter 8). To better interpret the information derived from meltwater chemistry it requires linking of hydrologic models which predict meltwater sediment entrainment with models of solute acquisition. Meltwater quality can be further altered by the glacial thermal regime (Chapters 4 and 14). Recently more study is being conducted on polar glacier ice. Subglacial drainage is generally absent from these cold-based glaciers, but hydrochemical evidence indicates it can occur from larger, polythermal glaciers with basal ice at the melting point. While it is not understood how surface meltwater enters cold-ice glaciers, it does so on a seasonal basis and this further alters the chemical composition of subglacial runoff. Meltwater chemistry is generally fully integrated (mixed) at the point of sampling. Glacier drainage systems consist of a mix of supraglacial, englacial, and subglacial components, and chemical weathering
Book reviews
rates can vary among these components. There is no easy way to determine the chemistry of waters from these individual components from bulk runoff analyses (Chapters 9 and 10). More recent research is attempting to measure in situ the subglacial environment with networks of boreholes (Chapters 13 and 14), but major difficulties arise in developing a sampling design for the drainage systems. The book also addresses research themes as surface and subsurface glacial linkages, the interaction of components in subglacial drainage systems, and hydrologic models for large ice sheets. Traditionally, glacial hydrologists have devoted more energy to the subglacial components. However, recent research gives more attention to the seasonal affect of the pattern and rate of meltwater delivery to the subglacial environment (Chapters 2, 16 and 17). Change in seasonal and diurnal hydrographs show the importance of this process on the timing of meltwater transmission through the subglacial drainage. However, understanding linkages between englacial and subglacial drainage systems remains a technologically difficult task. The geometry and function of the subglacial drainage system components must be understood before interaction between the components can be defined. This will require defining the routing of water to the glacier bed and ultimately the glacier terminus (Chapters 7, 15 and 17). Such routing is not likely unidirectional, and can result in hydrologic damming, changes in the distribution of support for glacial overburden, separation between glacier and its bed, and ultimately glacier motion. The book is well written. The chapters could have been in better order to reflect the major research themes. This is a common problem when attempting to fit previously published papers to selected research themes. The chapters have abstracts and conclusions which makes subject examination straight-forward, and there is a short subject index. The reproduction of graphs and tables is good. In summary, this book covers a diverse but linked list of research themes which reflects changes in glacier research approach and findings during the last one or two decades. It is primarily of value to researchers in the field, but its inclusion of meltwater chemistry makes it also of value to watershed hydrologists and ecologists interested in problems associated
97
with better interpreting chemical signatures in soil water and stream water. Rapid changes in technology are making it possible to undertake direct observations of glacier hydrology in ways not possible a few years ago, and this is reflected in the book. This is a timely volume in view of present research linking rapid glacial melt with global change especially climate and atmospheric inputs. R. Stottlemyer USDA, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 240 W. Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S00 22-1694(99)000 48-7
General Geocryology, by E.D. Yershov; P.J. Williams (Ed.). Cambridge University Press, 1998. xxiii and 580 pp. US$120 (ISBN 0-52147334-9) This book is published as part of the well-known ‘‘Studies in Polar Research’’ interdisciplinary series by the Cambridge University Press and was originally published in Russian as one of a few classic Russian books on geocryology or permafrost studies. Russian scientists and engineers working on the scientific issues related to frozen ground and on the problems of foundation construction in areas prone to permafrost have far outnumbered those elsewhere. Unfortunately, due to the lack of personnel and international contacts, their excellent scientific and technological work has not been fully recognized outside of Russia. It is the first time such a classic Russian work on geocryology has been published in English. This book is ‘‘based on the latest advances in science and practice, expounds in condensed form the fundamentals of dynamic, lithogenic, regional, historical and engineering geocryology’’ (p. xxii). Overall, this goal is well achieved. It is timely that such a book is made available in English because of the extent of interest and activity in the Russian permafrost regions on the part of companies and institutions internationally and because of the study on the potential hydrological, ecological, and economic consequences of permafrost development in cold regions under the
Book reviews
applications to groundwater remediation and the design of facilities to prevent or minimize groundwater pollution. Each chapter has a list of what the authors see as key references; this is helpful and also suggests the key competitors for this handbook. Overall, practitioners dealing with the design of waste management sites and remediation of groundwater contamination will find this a useful book to have in their library. W.E. Kelly Catholic University of America, School of Engineering, 102 Pangborn Hall, Washington DC 20064, USA
Advances in Hydrological Processes; Glacier Hydrology and Hydrochemistry; M. Sharp, K.S. Richards, M. Tranter (Eds.) John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK, 1998. Paperback, vi and 342 pp. £40 (ISBN 0-471-98168-0) This book, the sixth in the series ‘‘Advances in Hydrological Processes’’, focuses on the properties of glacier drainage systems and the changes in research approaches to glacier hydrology during the last decade or two. The volume consists of papers previously published in Hydrological Processes, and together are intended to summarize the present state of research on glacier hydrology. Most of the research is from European studies of mountain glaciers. Historically, glacier hydrology has been more closely linked to glaciology than watershed hydrology. However, understanding how runoff is generated from glaciers is an important question in assessing potential effects from global change on many freshwater, estuarine, and marine ecosystems. This book updates research on the processes converting glacier ice to water, processes routing the water from where it is produced, the structure of the drainage system in ice masses, and newer methods to model functions. The book emphasizes the changing nature of research on glacier hydrology, and attempts to organize this research into major themes. Changes in research focus on recent field research such as borehole studies of glacial drainage systems (Chapters 11, 12, 14 and 15), and the current state of modeling
approaches to glacier hydrology (Chapters 15, 16 and 18). The research themes include consideration of the major problems and questions raised from recent field studies and modeling efforts. A major research theme in the book is the interpretation of glacial meltwater chemistry and hydrology. Glacier meltwater chemistry can provide an indicator of the subglacial drainage, but to adequately interpret such data there must be good understanding of the processes by which meltwaters obtain solutes. The book summarizes some of the conceptual models used to link hydrologic processes, chemical weathering, and sediment entrainment (Chapters 3, 4, 6, 9 and 10). When glacial meltwater is used to understand subglacial weathering processes, it is essential to separate atmospheric and crustal contributions to meltwater solutes and the factors responsible for their relative contributions (Chapter 3). It is likely that snowmelt and ice melt follow different flow pathways in glaciers, and solutes derived from the atmosphere can provide tracers for snowmelt (Chapters 4 and 14). The stable isotope composition of runoff can serve to separate sources as rainfall, ice melt, and snowmelt (Chapter 3). In-channel chemical weathering of suspended sediments may also be important in altering meltwater chemical composition (Chapter 10), and glacial sediment flushing may be linked to rapid changes in the glacial motion (Chapter 8). To better interpret the information derived from meltwater chemistry it requires linking of hydrologic models which predict meltwater sediment entrainment with models of solute acquisition. Meltwater quality can be further altered by the glacial thermal regime (Chapters 4 and 14). Recently more study is being conducted on polar glacier ice. Subglacial drainage is generally absent from these cold-based glaciers, but hydrochemical evidence indicates it can occur from larger, polythermal glaciers with basal ice at the melting point. While it is not understood how surface meltwater enters cold-ice glaciers, it does so on a seasonal basis and this further alters the chemical composition of subglacial runoff. Meltwater chemistry is generally fully integrated (mixed) at the point of sampling. Glacier drainage systems consist of a mix of supraglacial, englacial, and subglacial components, and chemical weathering
Book reviews
rates can vary among these components. There is no easy way to determine the chemistry of waters from these individual components from bulk runoff analyses (Chapters 9 and 10). More recent research is attempting to measure in situ the subglacial environment with networks of boreholes (Chapters 13 and 14), but major difficulties arise in developing a sampling design for the drainage systems. The book also addresses research themes as surface and subsurface glacial linkages, the interaction of components in subglacial drainage systems, and hydrologic models for large ice sheets. Traditionally, glacial hydrologists have devoted more energy to the subglacial components. However, recent research gives more attention to the seasonal affect of the pattern and rate of meltwater delivery to the subglacial environment (Chapters 2, 16 and 17). Change in seasonal and diurnal hydrographs show the importance of this process on the timing of meltwater transmission through the subglacial drainage. However, understanding linkages between englacial and subglacial drainage systems remains a technologically difficult task. The geometry and function of the subglacial drainage system components must be understood before interaction between the components can be defined. This will require defining the routing of water to the glacier bed and ultimately the glacier terminus (Chapters 7, 15 and 17). Such routing is not likely unidirectional, and can result in hydrologic damming, changes in the distribution of support for glacial overburden, separation between glacier and its bed, and ultimately glacier motion. The book is well written. The chapters could have been in better order to reflect the major research themes. This is a common problem when attempting to fit previously published papers to selected research themes. The chapters have abstracts and conclusions which makes subject examination straight-forward, and there is a short subject index. The reproduction of graphs and tables is good. In summary, this book covers a diverse but linked list of research themes which reflects changes in glacier research approach and findings during the last one or two decades. It is primarily of value to researchers in the field, but its inclusion of meltwater chemistry makes it also of value to watershed hydrologists and ecologists interested in problems associated
97
with better interpreting chemical signatures in soil water and stream water. Rapid changes in technology are making it possible to undertake direct observations of glacier hydrology in ways not possible a few years ago, and this is reflected in the book. This is a timely volume in view of present research linking rapid glacial melt with global change especially climate and atmospheric inputs. R. Stottlemyer USDA, Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, 240 W. Prospect Road, Fort Collins, CO 80526, USA q 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. PII: S00 22-1694(99)000 48-7
General Geocryology, by E.D. Yershov; P.J. Williams (Ed.). Cambridge University Press, 1998. xxiii and 580 pp. US$120 (ISBN 0-52147334-9) This book is published as part of the well-known ‘‘Studies in Polar Research’’ interdisciplinary series by the Cambridge University Press and was originally published in Russian as one of a few classic Russian books on geocryology or permafrost studies. Russian scientists and engineers working on the scientific issues related to frozen ground and on the problems of foundation construction in areas prone to permafrost have far outnumbered those elsewhere. Unfortunately, due to the lack of personnel and international contacts, their excellent scientific and technological work has not been fully recognized outside of Russia. It is the first time such a classic Russian work on geocryology has been published in English. This book is ‘‘based on the latest advances in science and practice, expounds in condensed form the fundamentals of dynamic, lithogenic, regional, historical and engineering geocryology’’ (p. xxii). Overall, this goal is well achieved. It is timely that such a book is made available in English because of the extent of interest and activity in the Russian permafrost regions on the part of companies and institutions internationally and because of the study on the potential hydrological, ecological, and economic consequences of permafrost development in cold regions under the