关键词: 两极地区, 化学风化, 冰川作用, 风化机制

Abstract:        Continental chemical weathering has long served as a key negative feedback mechanism regulating climate, essential for maintaining Earth's habitability. However, during the Cenozoic cooling, chemical weathering paradoxically increased, challenging this understanding. Resolving the relationship between weathering and temperature is crucial for addressing this discrepancy, which is a key focus on Earth system science. Recent studies indicate that despite low temperatures, high-latitude Polar Regions exhibit moderate levels of weathering, as reflected in the chemical index of alteration (CIA) of river sediments. Thus, polar chemical weathering may offer insights into the complex relationship between weathering and temperature. This review summarizes the key findings on chemical weathering in the polar regions, highlighting differences between the Arctic and Antarctic due to their distinct geographical and geological settings. The Antarctic, dominated by ice cover and lacking major rivers, shows localized sediment transport and deposition, whereas the Arctic, with its extensive river systems, exhibits stronger weathering signals. Compared to tropical weathering zones, research on polar regions, particularly Antarctica, remains limited, and advanced geochemical analyses are scarce. Future studies should prioritize polar chemical weathering to enhance our understanding of low-temperature weathering processes. In the context of global warming and polar amplification, studying how polar weathering contributes to carbon sequestration can deepen our understanding of global climate dynamics.