Glacier variations and climate warming and drying in the central Himalayas

Repeat measurements of glacier terminus positions show that glaciers in the central Himalayas have been in a continuous retreat situation in the past decades. The average retreat rate is 5.5-8.7 m/a in Mt. Qomolangma(Everest) since the 1960s and 6.4 m/a in Mt. Xixiabangma since the 1980s. In recent years, the retreat rate is increasing.Ice core studies revealed that the accumulation rate of glaciers has a fluctuating decrease trend in the last century with a rapid decrease in the 1960s and a relatively steady low value afterwards. Meteorological station record indicates that the annual mean temperature has a slow increase trend but summer temperature had a larger increase in the past 30 a. All these suggest that the glacier retreat results from precipitation decrease in combination with temperature increase,and hence glacier shrinkage in this region will speed up if the climatic warming and drying continues.     

Westerly moisture transport to the middle of Himalayas revealed from the high deuterium excess

Previous studies found extremely high d-excess in both ice core and glacial melt water in Dasuopu glacier, Xixiabangma, middle of Himalayas. These values are much higher than the global average and those measured in southwest monsoon precipitation. The d-excess variation in over one year at Nyalam station will clarify this phenomenon. Studies show that the high d-excess is related to the seasonal variation of moisture transport to this region. The d-excess values are low during the southwest monsoon active periods, when moisture originated from the humid ocean surface. The d-excess values are higher in non-monsoon months, when moisture is derived from westerly transport. Winter and spring precipitation accounts for a substantial portion of the annual precipitation, resulting in higher d-excess in the yearly precipitation in the middle of Himalayas than other parts of the southern Tibetan Plateau. This finding reveals that the precipitation in the middle of Himalayas is not purely from southwest monsoon, but a large portion from the westerly transport, which is very important for ice core study in this area.     

Use of a multi-temporal grid method to analyze changes in glacier coverage in the Tibetan Plateau

This paper describes a multi-temporal grid method for quantifying changes in glacier coverage. A multi-temporal grid synthesizes spatial, attribute and process components of glacier information by sequentially combining spatial data from satellite images or maps. It enables us to identify glacier retreat and advance areas in individual grid cells for three or more periods of data sets. Discrepancies among the sequential data sets were detected graphically and numerically, including noise from geo-location error, misclassification, or different interpretation results in various pixel resolutions. Noise was detected and corrected to a large extent by visualization of the synthetic grid. The paper compares the results with that from a common method based on individual data sets, focusing on the Mt. Naimona'Nyi and Mt. Qomolangma regions at the northern slopes of the Himalayas. Results show that the identified noise (e.g. by 2.5 km2 in the Mt. Naimona'Nyi region) is much larger than measurement uncertainty calculated by sensor resolution and co-registration error (e.g. by 0.015 km2 in the Mt. Naimona'Nyi region). After noise removal, we notice that glacier recession clearly accelerates. The multi-temporal grid method results in a better quantification of glacier variation. It shows that glaciers in the Himalayas have both retreated and advanced during the last several decades, with retreat dominating and accelerating. Glaciers on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma in the middle Himalayas retreat more extensively and faster than those in the Mt. Naimona'Nyi region in the western Himalayas.     

Recent change of the ice core accumulation rates on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Three ice cores recovered from the Himalayas (i.e. the East Rongbuk Glacier and the Far East Rongbuk Glacier at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), and the Dasuopu Glacier at Xixiabangma) show a sharp decline in the accumulation rates since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipitation fluctuation over India and the low northern latitude zone (5°-35°N). Correspondingly, an increasing trend is observed for the ice core accumulations from the central and northern Qingh ai-Tibetan Plateau (i.e. the Xiao Dongkemadi Glacier in the central Tanggula Mountains, the Guliya Ice Cap in the western Kunlun Mountains, and the Dunde Ice Cap in the Qilian Mountains) since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipi tation fluctuation over the middle-high northern latitude zone (35°-70°N). However, the variation magnitude of the high-elevation ice core accumulations is more significant than that of precipitation at the low-eleva- tion places, suggesti ng its extra sensitivity of high-elevation areas to climatic change. The inter-d ecadal abrupt change of the African-Asian summer monsoon in the1960s may attribute to the recent ice core accumulation change during the recent decades.     

Seasonal transition characteristics of the westerly jet: Study based on field observations at an altitude of 6900 m on the Mt. Xixiabangma Dasuopu glacier

To better understand ultra-high-altitude climate characteristics and their changes, an automatic weather station was installed on August 4, 2005 on the Mt. Xixiabangma Dasuopu glacier (28°23.04′N, 85°43.72′E, 6900 m a.s.l.) in the middle of the Himalayas. Mountain weather conditions were observed continuously and automatically. This paper is the first to publish meteorological data for a whole year for a high-elevation region, and analyze wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure and humidity. Analysis of the observation data reveals that this region was strongly influenced by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and by the Indian monsoon from May to September. The seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements. In winter, influenced by the westerly jet, the wind speed in the study region was very high and fluctuated violently, gale days were frequent, temperature and air pressure fluctuated dramatically, the diurnal range of temperature decreased and the diurnal range of air pressure increased, relative humidity and specific humidity declined sharply, and air was dry. In summer, influenced by the Indian monsoon, the relative humidity and specific humidity were high. In addition, we analyzed reanalysis data for the location of the automatic weather station. The results confirmed that this region was strongly affected by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and the observations that the seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements.     

Mass change study on Arctic glacier Pedersenbreen, during 1936–1990–2009

Pedersenbreen is a small polythermal valley glacier, located in Svalbard, which has been one of the two glaciers monitored by Chinese Arctic expedition members since 2004. This study estimates its area and volume and analyzes its change during 1936-1990-2009, using field collected GPS/GPR data in 2009 and historical topographic maps published by the Norwegian Polar Institute. We have found that Pedersenbreen is just like many other valley glaciers in Svalbard, having experienced a significant recession since the end of Little Ice Age in the early 20th century. The glacier tongue has retreated more than 0.6 km, while ice volume has decreased by approximately 13%. The overall thinning rate of Pedersenbreen has shown acceleration during the recent decades. Further analysis shows that the ice tongue in the downstream area of Pedersenbreen is melting at the highest rate, while a simultaneous accumulation occurred in the upstream. However, as global temperatures increase, the accumulation area is reducing year by year.     

DINSAR measurement of glacier motion in Antarctic Grove Mountain

Grove Mountain is an important nunatak region on East Antarctic Glacier that blocks the ice flow to- ward Lambert Glacier. The existence of nunataks and subglacial mountains leads to complex ice flow patterns, which are difficult to be measured by conventional ground-based methods. In this study, several JERS-1 and ERS-1/2 SAR images covering this area are used for 3-pass and 4-pass differential interferometric processing. The ice flow field of Grove Mountain and the eastern zone are derived and validated with related knowledge. The research shows that DINSAR is an effective method for meas- uring complex ice flow in Antarctic inland glacier. L-band DINSAR is more suitable for mid or fast ice flow than C-band over this region.     

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.     

基于无人机技术的藏东南帕隆4号冰川表面高程和运动速度变化研究

应用无人机技术，采用后差分测量（post processed kinematic，PPK）方法替代传统控制点的方法，对藏东南帕隆4号冰川消融区进行了航测，获得了2017—2018年3期高精度正射影像（DOM）、数字表面模型（DSM）和三维点云数据；分析了该冰川航测区内表面高程变化、运动速度空间差异和冰川微地貌特征等. 结果表明:PPK测量技术应用效果良好，无人机产品水平和垂直精度分别约为0.11和0.17 m；帕隆4号冰川消融区表面高程变化量呈现随海拔升高而降低的空间分布规律，冰川冰体整体减薄4.06 m；冰川表面运动速度随海拔升高而增大，呈现冰川中流线区域略快于两侧的空间分布特征；冰川表面地貌特征随海拔由高到低呈现趋于“平滑”的变化规律. 此外，还探究了无人机技术在冰川变化研究中的潜力，为未来利用无人机开展更大范围冰川变化的研究提供了有益经验.      

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.     

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.     

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.     

Recent temperature increase recorded in an ice core in the source region of Yangtze River

Interests on climate change in the source region of Yangtze River have been raised since it is a region with the greatest warming over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). A 70-year history of precipitation δ~(18)O has been recovered using an ice core record retrieved in a plat portion of the firn area in the Guoqu Glacier (33°34′37.8″N, 91°10′35.3″E, 5720 m a.s.l.), Mt. Geladaindong (the source region of Yangtze River), in November, 2005. By using a significant positive relationship between ice core δ~(18)O record and summer air temperature (July to September) from the nearby meteorological stations, a history of summer air temperature has been reconstructed for the last 70 years. Summer temperature was relatively low in 1940s and high in 1950s to the middle of 1960s. The lowest temperature occurred in the middle of 1970s. Temperature was low in 1980s and dramatically increased since 1990s, keeping the trend to the begin-ning of the 21st century. The warming rate recorded in the ice core with 0.5℃/10 a since 1970s is much higher that that in the central TP and the Northern Hemisphere (NH), and it becomes 1.1℃/10 a since 1990s which is also higher than these from the central TP and the NH, reflecting an accelerated warm-ing and a more sensitive response to global warming in the high elevation region.     

高寒流域水文模拟与径流水源解析——以雅鲁藏布江帕隆藏布上游流域为例

为深入研究高寒流域河川径流的水源解析,选取雅鲁藏布江帕隆藏布上游流域为研究区,采用月流量、遥感积雪面积数据、实测冰川径流数据等多目标率定方法,改进单一依靠流量数据率定模型的方法,基于SPHY(Spatial Processes in Hydrology)水文模型开展水文模拟及径流组分研究,提高了总体建模质量.结果表明：在率定期和验证期Nash-Sutcliffe效率系数分别为0.95和0.94,模型具有较好的适用性.降雨径流、融雪径流、冰川径流和基流作为径流来源,占总径流的比例分别为10%、25%、45%和20%,冰川径流和融雪径流是最重要的补给来源.月尺度上,冰川径流在7-8月占比最大,融雪径流在4-6月占比最大,降雨径流在各月占比最小.冰川径流占比最高,短期内可提供更多水资源保障社会经济发展,长期而言冰川径流将逐渐减少,造成水资源短缺.因此,当地需提高应对径流变化潜在风险的策略.     

慕士塔格峰冰川变化遥感研究

以位于新疆维吾尔族自治区西南部的慕士塔格峰冰川为例,利用研究区1965年经航片校对的地形图和2001年5月的ASTER遥感影像为信息源,通过遥感图像处理技术和专家指导下的人工解译得到1965,2001年两期冰川边界图,用GIS统计该地区冰川面积,并分析冰川变化总趋势.结果表明,近36年来,慕士塔格峰冰川整体呈现退缩趋势,冰川面积减少了1.11%,而山峰西侧和南侧的部分冰川有前进的现象.     

帕隆藏布流域（波密-然乌段）冰川动态变化遥感分析

帕隆藏布流域位于中国海洋性冰川最为发育的藏东南地区,近年来随着全球温室效应加剧,帕隆藏布流域冰川变化极为显著。采用多期遥感影像,对1994～2015年间帕隆藏布流域波密至然乌段的冰川变化趋势、原因及其影响进行研究。结果表明:(1)20余年间冰川总面积减少了451. 72 km2,各冰川每年大约退缩2. 48%～2. 95%,气温升高以及降雨量减少是导致冰川面积持续退缩的主要原因。(2)由于帕隆藏布江南岸山坡所接收的太阳辐射热量更少,但降水却更加充沛,使得帕隆藏布江南岸冰川分布面积及覆盖率远大于北岸,而冰川退缩速率远小于北岸。(3)冰川的不断退缩使得沟道上游大量冻融松散物源在冰雪融水的外动力条件下,进入沟道形成松散堆积物源,导致流域内大规模发育冰川泥石流。由于帕隆藏布江南岸冰川规模更大,导致帕隆藏布江南岸冰川泥石流更为发育。(4)冰川变化动态监测对冰川泥石流机理分析以及预警研究工作有着重要的参考指导价值。     

冰碛湖库容数学模型的计算方法

全球气候的变暖致使冰湖溃决灾害频繁发生,严重威胁高原地区人民生命财产安全,随之对于冰湖溃决的研究也愈发深入,冰湖库容量作为冰湖研究基础参数,对冰湖危险性评价、冰湖溃决洪峰流量以及模拟洪水演进具有不可代替的作用。计算冰湖库容的方法主要有实地测量和冰碛湖库容计算公式,由于冰碛湖多位于高山极高山地区,对每个冰湖进行实地测量难以实现,传统冰湖库容的计算方法是基于大量冰湖参数与冰湖库容的统计关系,建立冰碛湖库容经验公式,虽然其拟合优度相对较高,但其相关性只能衡量冰碛湖面积和冰碛湖库容在统计规律上的一致性,对于精确计算冰碛湖库容仍有难以完成。本文通过文献资料整理、结合实地考察对湖盆形态模拟分析,将典型冰碛湖湖盆分为三段,通过模拟建立数学模型,以冰湖面积为约束条件,抽象成数学中的曲面立体模型,分别计算其形态体积,由此推算出计算冰湖体积的表达式V=0.0717w²l (w-冰碛湖湖宽;l-冰碛湖整体长度),并利用该模型验证了公式的有效精确性,为我国喜马拉雅山地区冰碛湖库容计算提供理论参考。     

Climatological significance of an ice core net-accumulation record at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest)

An ice core record at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) since 1954 reveals a sharp decline in net-accumulation in the 1960s, and the annual net-accumulation during the 1970s to the beginning of the 1990s is only half of that at the end of the 1950s. The decreased net-accumulation is coincident with glacier retreat, which is associated with recent temperature increase in the region that intensified the ablation. Under the background of global warming, such glacier variation trends will aggravate.     

Diversity of 16S rDNA and environmental factor influencing microorganisms in Malan ice core

The research on extrempholic microorganisms in glacial low-temperature environment receives more attention than ever before. Due to the successive chronological records in ice core, it is important to initiate microbiological studies on ice core samples. 23 samples from one ice core,drilled from central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, were analyzed.The number of total microorganisms and culturable microorganisms in different layers showed that it related with the content of dust in ice. It is suggested that the distribution of microorganisms in ice depends on the transportation of materials during glacier development. The bacteria diversity in Malan Glacier was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing methods, which showed that many sequences were similar to known psychrophilic bacteria.     

Diversity of 16S rDNA and environmental factor influncing microorganisms in Malan ice core

The research on extrempholic microorganisms in glacial low-temperature environment receives more attention than ever before. Due to the successive chronological records in ice core, it is important to initiate microbiological studies on ice core samples. 23 samples from one ice core, drilled from central Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, were analyzed. The number of total microorganisms and culturable microorganisms in different layers showed that it related with the content of dust in ice. It is suggested that the distribution of microorganisms in ice depends on the transportation of materials during glacier development. The bacteria diversity in Malan Glacier was analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing methods, which showed that many sequences were similar to known psychrophilic bacteria.