Impact of glacier shape on the mass balance changes: A case study of Dongkemadi region, central Tibetan Plateau

AbstractClimate variables that control the annual cycle of the surface energy and mass balance on Zhadang glacier in the central Tibetan Plateau were examined over a 2 year period using a physically based energy-balance model forced by routine meteorological data. The modelled results agree with measured values of albedo, incoming longwave radiation, surface temperature and surface level of the glacier. For the whole observation period, the radiation component dominated (82%) the total surface energy heat fluxes. This was followed by turbulent sensible (10%) and latent heat (6%) fluxes. Subsurface heat flux represented a very minor proportion (2%) of the total heat flux. The sensitivity of specific mass balance was examined by perturbations of temperature (±1 K), relative humidity (±20%) and precipitation (±20%). The results indicate that the specific mass balance is more sensitive to changes in precipitation than to other variables. The main seasonal variations in the energy balance were in the two radiation components (net shortwave radiation and net longwave radiation) and these controlled whether surface melting occurred. A dramatic difference in summer mass balance between 2010 and 2011 indicates that the glacier surface mass balance was closely related to precipitation seasonality and form (proportion of snowfall and rainfall).

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Modeling the runoff and glacier mass balance in a small watershed on the Central Tibetan Plateau, China, from 1955 to 2008

Hydrological Processes ◽

10.1002/hyp.8256 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 26 (11) ◽

pp. 1593-1603 ◽

Cited By ~ 61

Author(s):

Hongkai Gao ◽

Xiaobo He ◽

Baisheng Ye ◽

Jianchen Pu

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

Small Watershed ◽

Central Tibetan Plateau

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Mass balance of Xiao Dongkemadi glacier on the central Tibetan Plateau from 1989 to 1995

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756400781820075 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 159-163 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Koji Fujita ◽

Yutaka Ageta ◽

Pu Jianchen ◽

Yao Tandong

Keyword(s):

Body Temperature ◽

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Air Temperature ◽

Black Body ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Central Tibetan Plateau ◽

Geostationary Meteorological Satellite ◽

Continuous Mass

AbstractData on the mass balance of Xiao Dongkemadi glacier in the Tanggula mountains, central Tibetan Plateau, were obtained over 5 5 years from 1989 to 1995. These are the first continuous mass-balance data for a continental-type glacier on the Tibetan Plateau, where the glacier accumulates during the summer monsoon (summer-accumulation-type glacier). Mass-balance vs altitude profiles were steeper in the negative than in the positive mass-balance years. This is considered to have resulted from the effect of summer accumulation. The annual mass balance is compared with air temperature, precipitation, and black-body temperature in the area including the glacier, which is calculated from infrared radiation observations by theJapanese Geostationary Meteorological Satellite. It was found that the interannual variation in the glacier mass balance was not closely related to maximum monthly mean air temperature, while it did have a relatively good correlation with maximum monthly mean black-body temperature.

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The energy and mass balance of a continental glacier: Dongkemadi Glacier in central Tibetan Plateau

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-018-31228-5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Liqiao Liang ◽

Lan Cuo ◽

Qiang Liu

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Central Tibetan Plateau

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Superimposed ice in glacier mass balance on the Tibetan Plateau

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/s0022143000003440 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 42 (142) ◽

pp. 454-460 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Koji Fujita ◽

Katsumoto Seko ◽

Yutaka Ageta ◽

Pu Jianchen ◽

Yao Tandong

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Ice Formation ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Snow Layer ◽

Glacier Surface ◽

Accumulation Zone ◽

Central Tibetan Plateau ◽

Glacier Ice

AbstractThe relations between mass balance and meltwater refreezing were examined on the basis of glaciological observations carried out in summer 1993 on Xiao Dongkemadi Glacier, Tanggula Mountains, central Tibetan Plateau. On this glacier, a part of meltwaler refreezes at the snow/ice interface as superimposed ice. The amount of superimposed ice formation was determined by both meltwater supply and temperature condition of the glacier. Snow-layer thickness on the glacier ice body is less than 2 m, even in the higher accumulation zone. About 60% of meltwaler generated in the accumulation zone for the period May–September was trapped at the snow/ice interface by refreezing, and was not discharged out of the glacier. About 26% of accumulated snow to the glacier surface was replaced on the snow/ice interface by refreezing in the accumulation zone. These facts indicate that superimposed ice formation is quite significant for water retention in glaciers under low-precipitation conditions.

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Surface Albedo Variation and Its Influencing Factors over Dongkemadi Glacier, Central Tibetan Plateau

Advances in Meteorology ◽

10.1155/2015/852098 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-10 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Jie Wang ◽

Yuhuan Cui ◽

Xiaobo He ◽

Jian Zhang ◽

Shijiang Yan

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Mass Balance ◽

Critical Role ◽

Influence Factors ◽

Field Measurements ◽

Spatiotemporal Variability ◽

Glacier Mass Balance ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Central Tibetan Plateau ◽

The Relationship

Glacier albedo plays a critical role in surface-atmosphere energy exchange, the variability of which influences glacier mass balance as well as water resources. Dongkemadi glacier in central Tibetan Plateau was selected as study area; this research used field measurements to verify Landsat TM-derived albedo and MOD10A1 albedo product and then analyzed the spatiotemporal variability of albedo over the glacier according to them, as well as its influence factors and the relationship with glacier mass balance. The spatial distribution of glacier albedo in winter did not vary with altitude and was determined by terrain shield, whereas, in summer, albedo increased with altitude and was only influenced by terrain shield at accumulation zone. During 2000–2009, albedo in summer decreased at a rate of 0.0052 per year and was influenced by air temperature and precipitation levels, whereas albedo in winter increased at a rate of 0.0045 per year, influenced by the level and frequency of precipitation. The annual variation of albedo in summer during 2000–2012 has the high relative to that of glacier mass balance measurement, which indicates that glacier albedo in the ablation period can be considered as a proxy for glacier mass balance.

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