Discussion on the feature of strong earthquake: Orderly distribution in time, space and intensity before the Western Kunlun Mountain Pass M=8.1 earthquake

Knowledge of the alpine glacier mass fluctuations is a fundamental prerequisite for understanding glacier dynamics, projecting future glacier change, and assessing the availability of freshwater resources. The glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are sources of water for most of the major Asian rivers and their fate remains unclear due to accurate estimates of glacier mass fluctuations are lacking over long time scales. Here, we used d18O record at a proglacial open lake as proxy to estimate the Holocene glacier mass fluctuations in the Western Kunlun Mountain (WKM) quantitatively and continuously. Relative to past decades, maximum WKM glacier mass loss (-28.62&#177;25.76 Gt) occurred at 9.5-8.5 ka BP, and maximum glacier mass gain (24.53&#177;25.02 Gt) occurred at 1.3~0.5 ka BP, the difference in WKM glacier mass between the two periods account for ~20% of the total glaciers. Long-term changes in glacier mass suggests the TP glaciers likely face severe threats at the current rates of global warming.

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On the physical model of earthquake precursor fields and the mechanism of precursors′ time-space distribution (II) — How do the stress and strain fields evolve while a strong earthquake is in preparation and how does the evolution affect the seismicity and earthquake precursors?

Acta Seismologica Sinica ◽

10.1007/bf02650618 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Shi-Rong Mei

Keyword(s):

Physical Model ◽

Strong Earthquake ◽

Earthquake Precursor ◽

Earthquake Precursors ◽

Space Distribution ◽

Stress And Strain ◽

Strain Fields ◽

Time Space

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Slight glacier reduction over the northwestern Tibetan Plateau despite significant recent warming

10.5194/tc-2016-165 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Yetang Wang ◽

Shugui Hou ◽

Wenling An ◽

Hongxi Pang ◽

Yaping Liu

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

21St Century ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Early 21St Century ◽

Mountain Glaciers ◽

Recent Warming ◽

Kunlun Mountain ◽

Western Kunlun ◽

Significant Area ◽

The Early 21St Century

Abstract. "Pamir–Karakoram–Western-Kunlun-Mountain (northwestern Tibetan Plateau) Glacier Anomaly" has been a topic of debate due to the balanced, or even slightly positive glacier mass budgets in the early 21st century. Here we focus on the evolution of glaciers on the western Kunlun Mountain and its comparison with those from other regions of the Tibetan Plateau. The possible driver for the glacier evolution is also discussed. Western Kunlun Mountain glaciers reduce in area by 0.12 % yr−1 from 1970s to 2007–2011. However, there is no significant area change after 1999. Averaged glacier thickness loss is 0.08 ± 0.09 m yr−1 from 1970s to 2000, which is in accordance with elevation change during the period 2003–2008 estimated by the ICESat laser altimetry measurements. These further confirm the anomaly of glaciers in this region. Slight glacier reduction over the northwestern Tibetan Plateau may result from more accumulation from increased precipitation in winter which to great extent protects it from mass reductions under climate warming during 1961–2000. Warming slowdown since 2000 happening at this region may further mitigate glacier mass reduction, especially for the early 21st century.

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