Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau
<p>Selin Co, located within permafrost regions surrounded by glaciers, has exhibited the greatest increase in water storage among all the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau over the last 50 years. Most of the increased lake water volume has been attributed to increased precipitation and the accelera...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2022-07-01
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| Series: | The Cryosphere |
| Online Access: | https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/2745/2022/tc-16-2745-2022.pdf |
| _version_ | 1811292351280185344 |
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| author | L. Wang L. Zhao L. Zhao H. Zhou H. Zhou S. Liu S. Liu E. Du D. Zou G. Liu Y. Xiao G. Hu C. Wang Z. Sun Z. Li Y. Qiao T. Wu C. Li X. Li |
| author_facet | L. Wang L. Zhao L. Zhao H. Zhou H. Zhou S. Liu S. Liu E. Du D. Zou G. Liu Y. Xiao G. Hu C. Wang Z. Sun Z. Li Y. Qiao T. Wu C. Li X. Li |
| author_sort | L. Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Selin Co, located within permafrost regions surrounded by
glaciers, has exhibited the greatest increase in water storage among all the
lakes on the Tibetan Plateau over the last 50 years. Most of the increased
lake water volume has been attributed to increased precipitation and the
accelerated melting of glacier ice, but these processes are still not
sufficient to close the water budget with the expansion of Selin Co. Ground
ice meltwater released by thawing permafrost due to continuous climate
warming over the past several decades is regarded as another source of lake
expansion. This study presents the first attempt to quantify the water
contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co by
evaluating the ground surface deformation. We monitored the spatial
distribution of surface deformation in the Selin Co basin using the
small baseline subset (SBAS) interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique and compared the results with the findings of field
surveys. Then, the ground ice meltwater volume in the watershed was
calculated based on the cumulated settlement. Finally, this volume was
compared with the lake volume change during the same period, and the
contribution ratio was derived. SBAS-InSAR monitoring during 2017–2020
illustrated widespread and large subsidence in the upstream section of the
Zhajiazangbu subbasin, where widespread continuous permafrost is present.
The terrain subsidence rate was normally between 5 and 20 mm a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, indicating
rapid ground ice loss in the region. The ground ice meltwater was
released at a rate of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">57</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f4495d15852af9e38c9b30bf3c739d5f"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00001.svg" width="52pt" height="14pt" src="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, and
the rate of increase in lake water storage was <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">485</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="58pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f6ca451e6690ddc039993c7cba084d74"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00002.svg" width="58pt" height="14pt" src="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> during the same period, with ground ice meltwater
contributing <span class="inline-formula">∼12</span> % of the lake volume increase. This study
contributes to explaining the rapid expansion of Selin Co and equilibrating
the water balance at the watershed scale. More importantly, the proposed
method can be extended to other watersheds underlain by permafrost and
help in understanding the hydrological changes in these watersheds.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:44:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-40733eba0a4a4c019bd357ae0f802fec |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1994-0416 1994-0424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T04:44:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Cryosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-40733eba0a4a4c019bd357ae0f802fec2022-12-22T03:01:53ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242022-07-01162745276710.5194/tc-16-2745-2022Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan PlateauL. Wang0L. Zhao1L. Zhao2H. Zhou3H. Zhou4S. Liu5S. Liu6E. Du7D. Zou8G. Liu9Y. Xiao10G. Hu11C. Wang12Z. Sun13Z. Li14Y. Qiao15T. Wu16C. Li17X. Li18School of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaUniversity of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaUniversity of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaCryosphere Research Station on the Qinghai–Xizang Plateau, State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou 730000, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, ChinaSchool of Geographical Sciences, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), Nanjing 210044, China<p>Selin Co, located within permafrost regions surrounded by glaciers, has exhibited the greatest increase in water storage among all the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau over the last 50 years. Most of the increased lake water volume has been attributed to increased precipitation and the accelerated melting of glacier ice, but these processes are still not sufficient to close the water budget with the expansion of Selin Co. Ground ice meltwater released by thawing permafrost due to continuous climate warming over the past several decades is regarded as another source of lake expansion. This study presents the first attempt to quantify the water contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co by evaluating the ground surface deformation. We monitored the spatial distribution of surface deformation in the Selin Co basin using the small baseline subset (SBAS) interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technique and compared the results with the findings of field surveys. Then, the ground ice meltwater volume in the watershed was calculated based on the cumulated settlement. Finally, this volume was compared with the lake volume change during the same period, and the contribution ratio was derived. SBAS-InSAR monitoring during 2017–2020 illustrated widespread and large subsidence in the upstream section of the Zhajiazangbu subbasin, where widespread continuous permafrost is present. The terrain subsidence rate was normally between 5 and 20 mm a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, indicating rapid ground ice loss in the region. The ground ice meltwater was released at a rate of <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M2" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">57</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="52pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f4495d15852af9e38c9b30bf3c739d5f"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00001.svg" width="52pt" height="14pt" src="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, and the rate of increase in lake water storage was <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M5" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mrow><mo>∼</mo><mn mathvariant="normal">485</mn><mo>×</mo><msup><mn mathvariant="normal">10</mn><mn mathvariant="normal">6</mn></msup></mrow></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="58pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="f6ca451e6690ddc039993c7cba084d74"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00002.svg" width="58pt" height="14pt" src="tc-16-2745-2022-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>3</sup></span> a<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> during the same period, with ground ice meltwater contributing <span class="inline-formula">∼12</span> % of the lake volume increase. This study contributes to explaining the rapid expansion of Selin Co and equilibrating the water balance at the watershed scale. More importantly, the proposed method can be extended to other watersheds underlain by permafrost and help in understanding the hydrological changes in these watersheds.</p>https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/2745/2022/tc-16-2745-2022.pdf |
| spellingShingle | L. Wang L. Zhao L. Zhao H. Zhou H. Zhou S. Liu S. Liu E. Du D. Zou G. Liu Y. Xiao G. Hu C. Wang Z. Sun Z. Li Y. Qiao T. Wu C. Li X. Li Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau The Cryosphere |
| title | Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full | Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_short | Contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of Selin Co (lake) on the Tibetan Plateau |
| title_sort | contribution of ground ice melting to the expansion of selin co lake on the tibetan plateau |
| url | https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/2745/2022/tc-16-2745-2022.pdf |
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