Variations in equilibrium line altitude of the Qiyi Glacier,Qilian Mountains,over the past 50 years

Based on observations of the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of the Qiyi Glacier in the Qilian Mountain, we established a statistical model between ELA and its major influencing factors, warm season air temperature (air temperature averages for September, July and August) and cold season precipitation (total precipitation in the period January through March). Warm season air temperature was the leading climatic factor influencing ELA variations. The glacier ELA ascends (descends) 172 m when warm season air temperature increases (decreases) by 1°C, and ascends (descends) 62 m when cold season precipitation decreases (increases) by 10%. In the period 1958–2008, the glacier ELA showed a general increasing trend, ascending 230 m and reaching its highest altitude in 2006 at 5131 m a.s.l., close to the glacier summit. If future climate is similar to that in the period 2001–2008, the Qiyi Glacier will not stabilize until it retreats by 2.08 km.     

A distributed surface energy and mass balance model and its application to a mountain glacier in China

Based on the field observations on Qiyi Glacier during the warm season of 2007, using a digital elevation model (DEM, 15 m resolution), we developed a distributed surface energy- and mass-balance model with an hourly resolution. The model described the effect of topography on shortwave solar radiation, and used a new parameterization for glacier albedo. The model was applied to Qiyi Glacier in the Qilian Mountain, China, for the period 20 : 00 30 June to 12 : 00 10 October 2007, to simulate the firn-line changes, the temporal and spatial variations of mass balance, and the glacial meltwater runoff. The results indicated that the patterns of altitudinal profile of glacier mass-balance were affected mainly by the altitudinal profile of albedo, and the status of the glacier mass balance was influenced directly by the values of albedo. The parameter sensitivity test showed that the model was sensitive to the air temperature lapse rate and precipitation gradient, and also sensitive to the threshold temperature for solid/liquid precipitation. Furthermore, the climate sensitivity test showed that the mass balance was more sensitive to air temperature than precipitation, and the response of mass balance to air temperature change was nonlinear while the response to precipitation change linearly. The negative mass balance trend of the glacier can not be reversed when precipitation increases by 20% and meanwhile air temperature rises by 1°C.     

Numerical simulation of Urumqi Glacier No. 1 in the eastern Tianshan, central Asia from 2005 to 2070

Due to climate changes, most of the alpine glaciers have retreated dramatically during the past decades. Thus it is significant to predict the alpine glacier variability in the future for a better understanding of the impact of climate changes on water resource. In this paper, we perform the numerical simulation on Urumqi Glacier No.1 in the eastern Tianshan, central Asia (hereafter Glacier No.1 for short) by considering both the mass balance and ice flow. Given the shape of the Glacier No.1, the velocity of the glacier is obtained by solving a two-dimensional nonlinear Stokes equation and simulated result is in agreement with the observation. In order to predict the variability of Glacier No.1 in the next decades, a climatic scenario is constructed with a temperature rise rate as 0.17°C/10 a and precipitation as constant during the period of 2005-2070. The simulation shows that, the glacier terminus will retreat slowly and the glacier will thin dramatically before 2040, while after year 2040, the glacier terminus retreat will accelerate. This study confirms the increasing retreat rate of alpine glaciers under global warming.     

喜马拉雅山亚东?康马段现代冰川平衡线高度、分布特征及影响因素

利用《中国第二次冰川编目》的数据和卫星图, 结合野外地貌观测, 探讨喜马拉雅山亚东?康马段的冰川平衡线高度(ELA)、分布特征及影响因素。结果表明, 研究区现代冰川平均ELA 为5717 m, 库拉岗日地区稍高, 为5840~5957 m, 白马林岗日地区较低, 为5333~5373 m, 反映气候与地形大势对冰川ELA的控制。此外, 山脉的走向、坡向、冰川地形坡度以及冰川表面冰碛覆盖、雪崩等对冰川ELA有不同程度的影响。     

Glacier changes during the last forty years in the Tarim Interior River basin, northwest China

By comparing digitized glacier outlines from the Chinese Glacier Inventory (CGI) during the 1960s–1970s and Landsat Enhance Thematic Mapper (ETM+) images from 1999 to 2001, we investigated changes for about 7665 alpine glaciers among 11665 glaciers in seven sub-basins of the Tarim Interior River basin (TIRB). The results showed that the total glacier area was reduced by 3.3% from the 1960s/ 1970s to 1999/2001 and area losses for 1–5 km2 glaciers accounted for 48.3% of the total glacier area loss in the TIRB. However, the glacier area reductions varied from 0.7% to 7.9% among the seven sub-basins of the TIRB during the study period. The glacier area changing with altitude showed that the maximum contribution of area shrinkage occurred at 4900–5400 m. Data from 25 meteorological stations in the TIRB showed increases in both the annual mean air temperature and annual precipitation during 1960–2000. This indicates that the glacier shrinkage in the TIRB over the last 40 years was largely due to regional climate warming that enhanced glacier ablation and overcame the effects of increased precipitation on the glacier mass balance.     

Response of Zhadang Glacier runoff in Nam Co Basin,Tibet, to changes in air temperature and precipitation form

This paper describes 2007/2008 inter-annual changes in runoff from the Zhadang Glacier located on the northern slope of Nyainqêntanglha Range, Tibet, and analyzes their causes. Precipitation increased by 17.9% in summer months of 2008 compared with the same period in 2007, drainage basin runoff decreased by 33.3%, and glacial meltwater decreased by 53.8%. Change in positive accumulated air temperature explained approximately half of the inter-annual difference in glacial meltwater using a de-gree-day model. This suggests that the glacier is extremely sensitive to changes in air temperature. Energy balance analysis showed that change in glacier surface albedo, considered to be caused by difference in precipitation form, resulted in the large inter-annual difference in glacial meltwater. It was shown statistically that precipitation form in the summer months of 2007 was mainly rainfall which comprised 71.5% of total precipitation, while during the same period in 2008 rainfall accounted for 30.7%, with the majority of precipitation falling as snow. Precipitation form should be considered an independent factor when analyzing glacier sensitivity to climate change or forecasting the runoff from certain glaciers.     

天山一号冰川地区气候要素的变化及其对冰川物质平衡的影响

通过对逐日气温、降水、流量和相对湿度等实测数据进行小波分析,提取了天山乌鲁木齐河源一号冰川地区近10年来的气候变化特征.在此基础上,运用灰熵关联分析方法进一步研究了冰川物质平衡量与不同气候要素的关联关系.结果显示:研究区气候要素在4d,16d,32d和64d尺度上的变化存在阶段性、周期性和弱趋势性三大特征;在较宽的时间尺度上,气温要素的极大值与极小值呈非对称性变化;1996-2004年期间,冰川物质平衡主要受气温类要素的影响;9-5月(物质平衡年)的降水量是冰川物质积累的重要来源.     

Changes in physical features of Glacier No. 1 of the Tianshan Mountains in response to climate change

This study analyzes the changes in glacier zones and snow composition of Glacier No.1 in the Tianshan Mountains of China since 1961,and their possible relations with climate.It is found that precipitation dominated the snow composition and that air temperature and precipitation controlled the distribution of glacier zones,but interannual change in precipitation had a relatively large effect on glacier zones and snow composition during 1963–1981 (P10) and 1963–1989 (P11).However,during 1982–2007 (P20) and 19...     

乌鲁木齐河流域气温特征分析

本文根据乌鲁木齐河流域气温观测资料,分析了气温的日、月、年变化的特点。并分析了气温随高程的变化,表明在不同季节和不同高度范围内气温递减率是不同的,提出了计算气温递减率的公式,为冰雪融水和蒸发计算提供了分析依据。     

贵阳市近40年气候变化趋势分析

利用贵阳市1961～2000年的气温，降水资料，应用统计方法分析了贵阳近40年的气候变化趋势。研究结果发现，贵阳气温有上升趋势，但是上升幅度较小。四季气温变化幅度不大，其中春季气温下降趋势在四季变化中最明显，冬季气温上升幅度最大。降水则呈微弱下降趋势，夏季降水上升，春季降水下降。在此基础上，进一步分析了贵阳从1961年以来的严重冷暖冬时间与多雨少雨年的出现规律．     

Quick ice mass loss and abrupt retreat of the maritime glaciers in the Kangri Karpo Mountains,southeast Tibetan Plateau

The maritime glaciers are sensitive to climate change because of high annual precipitation and high air temperature in the region. A combined comprehensive study was carried out based on glacier mass balance observation, GPS-based glacier terminus position survey, glacier Ground Penetrating Radar, topography maps and RS satellite images in the Kangri Karpo Mountains, Southeast Tibet. The study revealed a strong ice mass loss and quick glacier retreat since the 1970s. Ata Glacier, one glacier from the south slope of the Kangri Karpo Mountains, has formed a 6-km-long terminal moraine zone at the end of the glacier since the 1970s, and the accelerating retreat is largely due to the strong glacier surface melting. Mass balance study on the other four glaciers on the northern side of the Kangri Karpo Mountains shows that they are in large negative mass balance and the glaciers had retreated 15--19 m from May 2006 to May 2007. The in-situ glacier observation also shows that the glacier retreat is more obvious in small glaciers. The enhanced ice mass deficit caused by climate warming and the ongoing extinction of many small glaciers in this region could seriously affect the water resources, environ- ments, local climate and regional sustainable development in the near future.     

西藏普兰地区第四纪以来冰锯作用研究

为了验证西藏普兰地区冰川作用对地形演化的影响, 选取纳木那尼峰、喜马拉雅山和冈底斯山3个区域, 利用数字高程模型(DEM)数据和遥感影像, 对现代冰川与末次冰盛期(LGM)古冰川平衡线高度(ELA)、冰川作用区坡度与高程的关系以及冰川分布的高程频谱进行计算和分析。结果显示, 研究区内冰川剥蚀作用显著、坡度降低最明显的地带位于LGM古冰川平衡线附近, 并在一定程度上限制山脉的高度。根据冰川地貌特征参数和前人研究结果, 认为气候是影响冰锯作用的主要因素。冰期时, 研究区内西风急流南移, 风速增强, 降水量增多, 为冰川发育创造良好条件, 冰锯作用也增强。对于构造抬升强烈的山脉(如纳木那尼峰), 虽然冰锯作用得到加强, 但是构造抬升增加的山脉高度不会完全被冰锯作用抵消。     

A new type of ice formation zone found in the Himalayas

Ice formation was studied on the Dasuopu Glacier located in the Mount Xixabangma (28°23′ N, 85°43'E) in the Himalayas. Snow pits and shallow ice cores are analyzed to reveal ice formation process. The results show that the ice formation process, or in other words, the process of densitifica-tion, on the col (7 000 m a.s. I.) of the Dasuopu Glacier is a stable, slow and gradual process. The snow-ice transformation on the glacier is estimated to be 30-40 m below the surface. The temperature on the Dasuopu Glacier is very low (～ - 14℃ at 10 m) and similar to that in polar type ice cap. We, therefore, speculate that the process of snow-ice transformation is undertaken under snow pressure, and that there is a percolation zone on the Dasuopu Glacier. The high altitude of the col and monsoon snow fall accompnied by heavy cloud and high albedo favorite the percolation zone formation.     

一次低空急流影响下滇西地区冬季强降水天气分析

利用常规观测资料和大理边界层风廓线资料,对2008年1月26～27日低空急流影响下滇西地区冬季强降水天气进行分析.结果表明:南支槽是主要影响系统,槽前的西南低空急流一方面为强降水区输送源源不断的暖湿空气,另一方面在暴雨区产生强辐合,强降水发生在水汽通量散度小于-20×10-8 g.hPa-1.cm-2.s-1的区域,水汽辐合与辐散相伴出现,强降水落区与水汽通量大值区及全风速大值区有很好的对应关系.低空急流出现最强时低层辐合、高层辐散及垂直速度也达到最强;高低空急流的脉动对强降水有一定的指示意义,低空急流的脉动与强降水之间存在密切关系,高空急流较低空急流的下传明显提前2～3 h,低空西南急流向下扩展的同时,可能存在动量下传,引起低空扰动加强.     

滇西北哈巴雪山不同海拔长苞冷杉径向生长对气候变化的响应

全球气候变化背景下森林生态系统对气候的响应是被广泛关注的科学问题。以滇西北哈巴雪山为研究区,利用不同海拔长苞冷杉树轮宽度资料建立树轮宽度差值年表,并与气候因子进行分析,以揭示影响哈巴雪山不同海拔长苞冷杉径向生长的关键气候因子。结果表明:高海拔长苞冷杉主要受上年11月最高温和当年2月降水影响,低海拔树木主要受当年5月干旱限制,当年10月温度升高促进树木生长;低海拔树木径向生长与气候因子关系相对高海拔更加稳定,气候重建潜力更高。未来气候变化将有利于高海拔树木生长,低海拔树木可能会受到暖干气候的限制出现生长下降。     

Recent area and ice volume change of Kangwure Glacier in the middle of Himalayas

This paper calculated and evaluated the area and ice volume changes of Kangwure Glacier in Mt. Xixiabangma, middle of Himalayas in the past 3 decades, based on the field survey of glacier boundary position by differential GPS and glacier depth by Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR), together with the topographic map and remote sense data. The studied data showed that the Kangwure Glacier has experienced significant mass deficit since the 1970s, with 34.2% of area loss, 48.2% of ice volume loss and 7.5 m of average thickness decrease. This result revealed that the ice volume loss of Himalayan glaciers was more serious than expected. Analysis of meteorological data from two weather stations in the region of Mt. Xixiabangma, shows that the air temperature of this region has risen from the middle of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Significant retreat of Himalayas glacier driven by climatic warming will have a remarkable impact on hydrology and ecosystem.     

Quaternary glacier development and the relationship between the climate change and tectonic uplift in the Helan Mountain

Isolated NE-SW stretching the Helan Mountain massif, separating the temperate grassland of the Ordos plateau from the Tenggeli Desert, is a key position of studying the glacier development in west China as well as the coupling conditions of climate change with tectonic uplift. The glacial landforms and deposits including cirques, peaks, knife-edge ridges, lateral moraines, and terminal moraines distribute above 2800 m a.s.l. in the middle part of the Helan Mountain. This distribution indicates that here was once glaciated during the late Quaternary. Morphology features show a clear sequence of landscape forming events took place throughout the Helan Mountain. Laboratory optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and accelerator mass spectrometry radio-carbon dating (AMS 14 C) results indicate a late history of glacial advance. Late Pleistocene glaciers in the middle part of the Helan Mountain advanced to near their positions at least four times, and the glacial sequences can be assigned as the middle stage of last glacial cycle (MIS3b, 43.2±4.0 ka), last glacial maximum (LGM, ~18 ka), late glacial (12.0±1.1 ka) and neo-glacial (3.4± 0.3 ka) respectively. Adopting equilibrium line altitude ~2980 m of last glacial maximum and the modern theoretical snowline altitude ~4724 m as the maximum amplitudes, and the standard marine isotope curve (MIS) as the glacial equilibrium line change since the Gonghe Movement (150 ka), the relationship between the mountain altitude and glacier development is discussed herein. Compared with other environmental indexes such as the loesspaleosol and ice core, conclusions are made that glacier advances in the Helan Mountain during the late Quaternary obviously depended on the coupled control of tectonic uplift of mountain with the climate condition. It is at last glaciation that the mountain reached the altitude above snowline and coupled with the glacial climate. The glacial advances occurred in the early and middle stages of last glacial cycle after the Gonghe Movement.     

CMIP6多模式在青藏高原的适应性评估及未来气候变化预估

随着CMIP6（coupled model intercomparison project phase 6）计划进行,新一代大气环流模式（general circulation model, GCM）输出结果陆续发布,及时探究在新模式新情景下青藏高原未来降水及气温的变化规律至关重要．在对CMIP6多模式进行适应性评估的基础上,运用DM（direct method）统计降尺度方法,以1979—2014年为基准期,预估青藏高原未来近期（2031—2050年）、远期（2061—2080年）在共享社会经济路径与典型浓度路径组合情景（shared socioeconomic pathways and the representative concentration pathways, SSP)包括低强迫情景(SSP126)、中等强迫情景（SSP245）、中等至高强迫情景（SSP370）、高强迫情景（SSP585）下的降水、平均气温、最低气温、最高气温的时空演变规律．结果表明:相较于基准期,不同GCM对青藏高原未来降水的预估总体呈现增加趋势,近期降水较基准期变幅为?3%~16%,远期变幅为?1%~21%．未来平均气温、最低气温和最高气温均呈现一致的增温趋势,且增幅较为一致．相较于基准期,近期气温变化范围为0.9~2.3 ℃,远期气温变化范围为1.01~4.6 ℃．随着排放强度的增加,三者升温趋势愈加显著,即升温趋势由强至弱排序为SSP585、SSP370、SSP245、SSP126．此外,青藏高原气温变化在海拔高度上具有显著的依赖性,整体表现为青藏高原北部高海拔地区增温高于青藏高原东南部低海拔地区．研究结果可为揭示气候变化对高寒区水循环的影响机制提供科学依据．      

东南极洲Lambert冰川流域半个多世纪以来气候变化特征

通过对1996／1997年中国首次南极内陆冰盖考察获得的东南极洲Lambert冰川流域东侧50m雪芯，顶部13m的δ^18O资料的分析和积累率的恢复，首次揭示了Lambert冰川流域东侧半个多世纪以来的气候变化特征，即半个多世纪以来气候变化的总趋势为气温升高、降水增加。而Lambert冰川流域西侧雪芯资料表明，本地区半个多世纪以来气温变化趋势不明显，降水明显减少，说明整个Lambert冰川流域20世纪40年代以来气候变化有明显的区域差异性。同时研究了Lambert冰川流域东西两侧稳定同位素比率和温度的关系。     

Spatiotemporal variability of vegetation phenology with reference to altitude and climate in the subtropical mountain and hill region, China

Understanding the seasonal behaviour of a subtropical forest and its inter-annual variation is crucial to understanding and monitoring its ecosystem function in the context of global warming. Based on the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Enhanced Vegetation Index dataset, a wavelet transform method was used to investigate the inter-annual variations of vegetation phenology in a subtropical mountain and hill region in Fujian, China, during 2001-2010. The results show a distinct inter-annual variation of vegetation phenology related to climate variability even if most areas presented non-significant trends. The start dates significantly advanced and end dates delayed in 2003 and 2008, due to anomalously warm conditions. There was generally a gradient of increasing start dates, and earlier end dates of vegetation growing season, due to colder temperatures at higher altitudes. However, the altitudinal phenology relationship also depends on its corresponding rainfall conditions. Earlier start dates were observed at higher altitudes during rainfall deficit years such as 2008, which coincides with relatively abundant rainfall at higher altitudes. This paper reveals that vegetation phenology was coupled with altitudinal gradient, with distinct responses at different combinations of alternate temperature and precipitation conditions variability.