Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Ice records provide a qualitative rather than a quantitative indication of the trend of climate change. Using the bulk aerodynamic method and degree day model, this study quantified ice mass loss attributable to sublimation/evaporation (S/E) and meltwater on the basis of integrated observations (196...

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Main Authors: Wentao Du, Shichang Kang, Jizu Chen, Weijun Sun, Xiang Qin, Zhenming Ji, Wenxuan Sun, Yanan Qiu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2023-12-01
Series:Journal of Glaciology
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Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000515/type/journal_article
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author Wentao Du
Shichang Kang
Jizu Chen
Weijun Sun
Xiang Qin
Zhenming Ji
Wenxuan Sun
Yanan Qiu
author_facet Wentao Du
Shichang Kang
Jizu Chen
Weijun Sun
Xiang Qin
Zhenming Ji
Wenxuan Sun
Yanan Qiu
author_sort Wentao Du
collection DOAJ
description Ice records provide a qualitative rather than a quantitative indication of the trend of climate change. Using the bulk aerodynamic method and degree day model, this study quantified ice mass loss attributable to sublimation/evaporation (S/E) and meltwater on the basis of integrated observations (1960–2006) of glacier-related and atmospheric variables in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. During 1961–2005, the average annual mass loss in the ice core was 95.33 ± 20.56 mm w.e. (minimum: 78.97 mm w.e. in 1967, maximum: 146.67 mm w.e. in 2001), while the average ratio of the revised annual ice accumulation was 21.2 ± 7.7% (minimum: 11.0% in 1992, maximum 44.8% in 2000). A quantitative formula expressing the relationship between S/E and air temperature at the monthly scale was established, which could be extended to estimation of S/E changes of other glaciers in other regions. The elevation effect on alpine precipitation determined using revised ice accumulation and instrumental data was found remarkable. This work established a method for quantitative assessment of the temporal variation in ice core mass loss, and advanced the reconstruction of long-term precipitation at high elevations. Importantly, the formula established for reconstruction of S/E from temperature time series data could be used in other regions.
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issn 0022-1430
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language English
publishDate 2023-12-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
record_format Article
series Journal of Glaciology
spelling doaj-art-ba9ae9d557ab4813affb01dbf7f0dd672025-08-20T02:50:08ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-12-01691687169710.1017/jog.2023.51Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan PlateauWentao Du0Shichang Kang1Jizu Chen2Weijun Sun3Xiang Qin4Zhenming Ji5Wenxuan Sun6Yanan Qiu7Qilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaQilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, ChinaQilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, ChinaCollege of Geography and Environment, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, ChinaQilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, ChinaGuangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Zhuhai), Zhuhai, ChinaQilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Climate Change and Natural Disaster Studies, School of Atmospheric Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaQilian Shan Station of Glaciology and Eco-environment, State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Lanzhou, China School of Aerospace Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, ChinaIce records provide a qualitative rather than a quantitative indication of the trend of climate change. Using the bulk aerodynamic method and degree day model, this study quantified ice mass loss attributable to sublimation/evaporation (S/E) and meltwater on the basis of integrated observations (1960–2006) of glacier-related and atmospheric variables in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. During 1961–2005, the average annual mass loss in the ice core was 95.33 ± 20.56 mm w.e. (minimum: 78.97 mm w.e. in 1967, maximum: 146.67 mm w.e. in 2001), while the average ratio of the revised annual ice accumulation was 21.2 ± 7.7% (minimum: 11.0% in 1992, maximum 44.8% in 2000). A quantitative formula expressing the relationship between S/E and air temperature at the monthly scale was established, which could be extended to estimation of S/E changes of other glaciers in other regions. The elevation effect on alpine precipitation determined using revised ice accumulation and instrumental data was found remarkable. This work established a method for quantitative assessment of the temporal variation in ice core mass loss, and advanced the reconstruction of long-term precipitation at high elevations. Importantly, the formula established for reconstruction of S/E from temperature time series data could be used in other regions.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000515/type/journal_articleIce coremeltwater losssublimation/evaporationquantified ice mass lossTibetan Plateau
spellingShingle Wentao Du
Shichang Kang
Jizu Chen
Weijun Sun
Xiang Qin
Zhenming Ji
Wenxuan Sun
Yanan Qiu
Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
Journal of Glaciology
Ice core
meltwater loss
sublimation/evaporation
quantified ice mass loss
Tibetan Plateau
title Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
title_full Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
title_fullStr Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
title_full_unstemmed Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
title_short Quantified mass loss of the Laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961–2005 at high elevation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau
title_sort quantified mass loss of the laohugou ice core and its precipitation signal during 1961 2005 at high elevation in the northeastern tibetan plateau
topic Ice core
meltwater loss
sublimation/evaporation
quantified ice mass loss
Tibetan Plateau
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000515/type/journal_article
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