Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s
Despite their extreme elevation, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass in response to atmospheric warming, the pattern of which purportedly reflects regional contrasts in climate. Here we examine the evolution of glaciers along ~500 km of the Tanggula Shan, Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau....
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-10-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000059/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797652214858121216 |
|---|---|
| author | Owen King Sajid Ghuffar Atanu Bhattacharya Ruzhen Yao Tandong Yao Tobias Bolch |
| author_facet | Owen King Sajid Ghuffar Atanu Bhattacharya Ruzhen Yao Tandong Yao Tobias Bolch |
| author_sort | Owen King |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite their extreme elevation, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass in response to atmospheric warming, the pattern of which purportedly reflects regional contrasts in climate. Here we examine the evolution of glaciers along ~500 km of the Tanggula Shan, Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Using remotely sensed datasets, we quantified changes in glacier mass, area and surface velocity, and compared these results to time series of meteorological observations, in order to disentangle drivers of glacier mass loss since the 1960s. Glacier mass loss has increased (from −0.21 ± 0.12 m w.e. a−1 in 1960s–2000s, to −0.52 ± 0.18 m w.e. a−1 in 2000s–2015/18) in association with pervasive positive temperature anomalies (up to 1.85°C), which are pronounced at the end of the now lengthened ablation season. However, glacier mass budget perturbations do not mirror the magnitude of temperature anomalies in sub-regions, thus additional factors have heightened glacier recession. We show how proglacial lake expansion and glacier surging have compounded glacier recession over decadal/multi-decadal time periods, and exert similar influence on glacier mass budgets as temperature changes. Our results demonstrate the importance of ice loss mechanisms not often incorporated into broad-scale glacier projections, which need to be better considered to refine future glacier runoff estimates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:26:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-00c429642bb24e3db248bf7be2231231 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T16:26:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-10-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-00c429642bb24e3db248bf7be22312312023-10-24T09:48:09ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-10-01691149116610.1017/jog.2023.5Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960sOwen King0Sajid Ghuffar1Atanu Bhattacharya2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7449-3897Ruzhen Yao3Tandong Yao4Tobias Bolch5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8201-5059Department of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UKDepartment of Space Science, Institute of Space Technology, Islamabad, PakistanDepartment of Earth Sciences & Remote Sensing, JIS University, Kolkata, IndiaInstitute of Aerospace Information, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaInstitute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Scotland, UK Institute of Geodesy, Graz University of Technology, Graz, AustriaDespite their extreme elevation, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass in response to atmospheric warming, the pattern of which purportedly reflects regional contrasts in climate. Here we examine the evolution of glaciers along ~500 km of the Tanggula Shan, Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Using remotely sensed datasets, we quantified changes in glacier mass, area and surface velocity, and compared these results to time series of meteorological observations, in order to disentangle drivers of glacier mass loss since the 1960s. Glacier mass loss has increased (from −0.21 ± 0.12 m w.e. a−1 in 1960s–2000s, to −0.52 ± 0.18 m w.e. a−1 in 2000s–2015/18) in association with pervasive positive temperature anomalies (up to 1.85°C), which are pronounced at the end of the now lengthened ablation season. However, glacier mass budget perturbations do not mirror the magnitude of temperature anomalies in sub-regions, thus additional factors have heightened glacier recession. We show how proglacial lake expansion and glacier surging have compounded glacier recession over decadal/multi-decadal time periods, and exert similar influence on glacier mass budgets as temperature changes. Our results demonstrate the importance of ice loss mechanisms not often incorporated into broad-scale glacier projections, which need to be better considered to refine future glacier runoff estimates.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000059/type/journal_articleCorona KH-4glacial lakeglacier mass balancesurge-type glacierTibetan Plateau |
| spellingShingle | Owen King Sajid Ghuffar Atanu Bhattacharya Ruzhen Yao Tandong Yao Tobias Bolch Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s Journal of Glaciology Corona KH-4 glacial lake glacier mass balance surge-type glacier Tibetan Plateau |
| title | Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s |
| title_full | Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s |
| title_fullStr | Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s |
| title_short | Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s |
| title_sort | glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the tanggula shan central eastern tibetan plateau since the 1960s |
| topic | Corona KH-4 glacial lake glacier mass balance surge-type glacier Tibetan Plateau |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000059/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT owenking glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s AT sajidghuffar glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s AT atanubhattacharya glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s AT ruzhenyao glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s AT tandongyao glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s AT tobiasbolch glaciologicalandclimatologicaldriversofheterogeneousglaciermasslossinthetanggulashancentraleasterntibetanplateausincethe1960s |