TY - JOUR

T1 - Glacier Surface Heatwaves Over the Tibetan Plateau

AU - Chen, Wenfeng

AU - Yao, Tandong

AU - Zhang, Guoqing

AU - Woolway, R. Iestyn

AU - Yang, Wei

AU - Xu, Fenglin

AU - Zhou, Tao

PY - 2023/3/28

Y1 - 2023/3/28

N2 - The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has warmed at a rate twice the global average and presents unique warming patterns in surface temperature changes. However, key characteristics of glacier surface heatwave duration and intensity over the TP during the present extreme warming period are still unknown. In this study, we show that surface temperatures in glacial regions of the TP (0.37 ± 0.10°C per decade) have increased faster than those in non-glacial areas (0.29 ± 0.05°C per decade) between 2001 and 2020. Moreover, the duration (5.3 ± 3.2 days per decade) and cumulative intensity (24.9 ± 16.3 days °C per decade) of glacier surface heatwaves have increased significantly during autumn. Our results demonstrate an elevation dependence to these key warming characteristics, which we also suggest are associated with extreme glacier mass loss. Here, we highlight potential threats to the sustainability of glacier water resources and increasing risk of glacier related hazards at the “roof of the world.”

AB - The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has warmed at a rate twice the global average and presents unique warming patterns in surface temperature changes. However, key characteristics of glacier surface heatwave duration and intensity over the TP during the present extreme warming period are still unknown. In this study, we show that surface temperatures in glacial regions of the TP (0.37 ± 0.10°C per decade) have increased faster than those in non-glacial areas (0.29 ± 0.05°C per decade) between 2001 and 2020. Moreover, the duration (5.3 ± 3.2 days per decade) and cumulative intensity (24.9 ± 16.3 days °C per decade) of glacier surface heatwaves have increased significantly during autumn. Our results demonstrate an elevation dependence to these key warming characteristics, which we also suggest are associated with extreme glacier mass loss. Here, we highlight potential threats to the sustainability of glacier water resources and increasing risk of glacier related hazards at the “roof of the world.”

KW - General Earth and Planetary Sciences

KW - Geophysics

U2 - 10.1029/2022GL101115

DO - 10.1029/2022GL101115

M3 - Article

VL - 50

JO - Geophysical Research Letters

JF - Geophysical Research Letters

SN - 0094-8276

IS - 6

M1 - e2022GL101115

ER -