Reduced solid water storage over the Tibetan Plateau caused by black carbon
Abstract Trans-boundary black carbon aerosols from South Asia profoundly affects the climate and cryosphere of the Tibetan Plateau. However, the integration effects of black carbon on radiative forcing and precipitation, as well as on solid water storage remain to a large extent unknow. This study p...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02335-9 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Trans-boundary black carbon aerosols from South Asia profoundly affects the climate and cryosphere of the Tibetan Plateau. However, the integration effects of black carbon on radiative forcing and precipitation, as well as on solid water storage remain to a large extent unknow. This study presents the systematic assessment of both direct melting and indirect precipitation mass supply effects on glaciers for the 2007-2016 period. Key findings reveal that South Asian black carbon deposition reduced glacial albedo, increasing melt by 7.5%, while black carbon-induced precipitation reduction caused an additional 6.1% mass loss. Combined, these effects drove 33.7% solid water storage decreases in the Himalayas. The excess ice-loss poses a critical threat to water resource for downstream population centers in Indus and Ganges-Brahmaputra exorheic basins, with reductions of approximately 18.9% and 25.7%, respectively. This evidence highlights the urgent need for regional black carbon mitigation strategies to safeguard water security and ecosystem stability. |
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| ISSN: | 2662-4435 |