Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015
The accelerated retreat of glaciers and the reduction of glacier ice reserves caused by climate change can significantly affect regional water resources and hydrological cycles. Changes in glacier thickness are among the key indicators that reflect this process. We analyzed changes observed in the e...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2019-06-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143019000145/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811155821858390016 |
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| author | BO CAO BAOTIAN PAN WEIJIN GUAN ZHENLING WEN JIE WANG |
| author_facet | BO CAO BAOTIAN PAN WEIJIN GUAN ZHENLING WEN JIE WANG |
| author_sort | BO CAO |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The accelerated retreat of glaciers and the reduction of glacier ice reserves caused by climate change can significantly affect regional water resources and hydrological cycles. Changes in glacier thickness are among the key indicators that reflect this process. We analyzed changes observed in the elevation of glacier surfaces in the Gongga Mountains (GGM) using multi-temporal Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from topographic maps, SRTM, ICESat and ZY-3 data. The results showed that the mean rate of change in glacier surface altitude in the GGM was ~−26.7 ± 2.03 m (0.54 ± 0.04 m a−1) between 1966 and 2015. The mean melt rates differed over different time periods, latterly showing an accelerating trend. As a general rule, glaciers appear to be losing more volume at lower than at higher elevations. Further analysis of these results suggests that supraglacial debris coverage in the GGM promotes higher rates of mass loss. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:41:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c39561665341452a86cef003cf823cea |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:41:07Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-c39561665341452a86cef003cf823cea2023-03-09T12:40:45ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522019-06-016536637510.1017/jog.2019.14Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015BO CAO0BAOTIAN PAN1WEIJIN GUAN2ZHENLING WEN3JIE WANG4Key Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaKey Laboratory of Western China's Environmental Systems (MOE), College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, ChinaThe accelerated retreat of glaciers and the reduction of glacier ice reserves caused by climate change can significantly affect regional water resources and hydrological cycles. Changes in glacier thickness are among the key indicators that reflect this process. We analyzed changes observed in the elevation of glacier surfaces in the Gongga Mountains (GGM) using multi-temporal Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) derived from topographic maps, SRTM, ICESat and ZY-3 data. The results showed that the mean rate of change in glacier surface altitude in the GGM was ~−26.7 ± 2.03 m (0.54 ± 0.04 m a−1) between 1966 and 2015. The mean melt rates differed over different time periods, latterly showing an accelerating trend. As a general rule, glaciers appear to be losing more volume at lower than at higher elevations. Further analysis of these results suggests that supraglacial debris coverage in the GGM promotes higher rates of mass loss.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143019000145/type/journal_articledebris-covered glaciersglacier mass balanceglacier volume |
| spellingShingle | BO CAO BAOTIAN PAN WEIJIN GUAN ZHENLING WEN JIE WANG Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 Journal of Glaciology debris-covered glaciers glacier mass balance glacier volume |
| title | Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 |
| title_full | Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 |
| title_fullStr | Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 |
| title_short | Changes in glacier volume on Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau, based on the analysis of multi-temporal DEMs from 1966 to 2015 |
| title_sort | changes in glacier volume on mt gongga southeastern tibetan plateau based on the analysis of multi temporal dems from 1966 to 2015 |
| topic | debris-covered glaciers glacier mass balance glacier volume |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143019000145/type/journal_article |
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