The Ice-Age on the Tibetan Plateau and in the Adjacent Regions

AbstractGlaciers are an important element of the environment in the source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers on the Tibetan Plateau. Using Geographical Information System techniques, we have studied changes in the location of glacier margins in two areas: the Geladandong area in the headwaters of the Yangtze, and the A’nyêmaqên Shan mountains in the headwaters of the Yellow River. Marginal positions during the Little Ice Age (LIA) maximum, in 1969 in the Geladandong area, in 1966 in the A’nyêmaqên Shan, and in 2000 in both areas, were determined using aerial photographs, satellite images, topographical maps and digital elevation models. Extrapolating the results to the entire source regions of the Yangtze and Yellow rivers, we estimate that the total glacierized area decreased about 1.7% between 1969 and 2000 in the Geladandong area and about 17% between 1966 and 2000 in the A’nyêmaqên Shan. Glaciers were stable or advanced slightly between 1969 and 1995 in the Geladandong area, and between 1966 and 1981 in the A’nyêmaqên Shan, but have retreated since the mid-1990s in the former and since the 1980s in the latter. Significant increases in summer air temperature and decreases in annual precipitation are the causes of the present retreat. As a consequence of the retreat, water storage, as ice, in the Yangtze and Yellow river drainages is decreasing by 65–70 × 106 m3 a−1.

Download Full-text

Temperature variations over the past millennium on the Tibetan Plateau revealed by four ice cores

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756407782871305 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 46 ◽

pp. 362-366 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Tandong Yao ◽

Keqin Duan ◽

L.G. Thompson ◽

Ninglian Wang ◽

Lide Tian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

19Th Century ◽

Northern Hemisphere ◽

Ice Core ◽

Ice Cores ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Late 19Th Century ◽

The Past ◽

Northern Tibetan Plateau

AbstractTemperature variation on the Tibetan Plateau over the last 1000 years has been inferred using a composite δ18O record from four ice cores. Data from a new ice core recovered from the Puruogangri ice field in the central Tibetan Plateau are combined with those from three other cores (Dunde, Guliya and Dasuopu) recovered previously. The ice-core δ18O composite record indicates that the temperature change on the whole Tibetan Plateau is similar to that in the Northern Hemisphere on multi-decadal timescales except that there is no decreasing trend from AD 1000 to the late 19th century. The δ18O composite record from the northern Tibetan Plateau, however, indicates a cooling trend from AD 1000 to the late 19th century, which is more consistent with the Northern Hemisphere temperature reconstruction. The δ18O composite record reveals the existence of the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age (LIA) on the Tibetan Plateau. However, on the Tibetan Plateau the LIA is not the coldest period during the last millennium as in other regions in the Northern Hemisphere. The present study indicates that the 20th-century warming on the Tibetan Plateau is abrupt, and is warmer than at any time during the past 1000 years.

Download Full-text

Rapid northward shift of the Indian Monsoon on the Tibetan Plateau at the end of the Little Ice Age

Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres ◽

10.1002/2017jd026849 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 122 (17) ◽

pp. 9262-9279 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Xiaolong Zhang ◽

Baiqing Xu ◽

Franziska Günther ◽

Roman Witt ◽

Mo Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Little Ice Age ◽

Indian Monsoon ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau

Download Full-text

Little Ice Age on the Tibetan Plateau and its bordering mountains: Evidence from moraine chronologies

Global and Planetary Change ◽

10.1016/j.gloplacha.2014.02.003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 116 ◽

pp. 41-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Xiangke Xu ◽

Chaolu Yi

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Little Ice Age ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau

Download Full-text

A comparison of tree-ring records and glacier variations over the past 700 years, northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/172756406781812438 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 43 ◽

pp. 86-90 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Xiaohua Gou ◽

Fahu Chen ◽

Meixue Yang ◽

Gordon Jacoby ◽

Jianfeng Peng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Yellow River ◽

Ice Age ◽

Maximum Temperature ◽

The Yellow River ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

The Past ◽

Summer Maximum

AbstractThe ecological environment of the headwater area of the Yellow River, west China, is seriously deteriorating because of the harsh natural environment, weakened ecological systems and intensified human activities as well as regional climate changes. Forests and glaciers coexist in this area. Glaciers in the area have retreated over the last decade because of climate change. Most glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) tend to retreat during warm intervals and advance during cold intervals. Tree-ring records provide an important index for examining past climate changes. A total of 139 core samples from 97 living cypresses (Juniperus przewalskii) in the central region of the Yellow River headwater area, the Animaqin mountains, northeastern TP, were sampled from three sites that are close to each other. The chronologies were developed using the ARSTAN program. Analyses indicate that these tree-ring width records reflect the summer maximum temperature of the study area over the past 700 years. The tree-ring records and the glacier advances recorded by terminal moraines are compared. Inferred summer maximum temperatures suggest three cold periods during the Little Ice Age, around AD1500, 1700 and 1850. These cold intervals are consistent with the glacier moraine record from the region.

Download Full-text

Identification of glaciers with surge characteristics on the Tibetan Plateau

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/s0260305500005012 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 168-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Zhang Wenjing

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Little Ice Age ◽

Climate Variation ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Loss Of Life ◽

Transportation Corridors ◽

Southeast Tibet

Investigations of Zelunglung and Midui Glaciers in southeast Tibet, China, indicate that they have some characteristics of surge-type glaciers. There have been two extraordinary movements of Zelunglung Glacier, one in 1950 and one in 1968. A collapse of the terminus area took place in 1984. Midui Glacier experienced extraordinary movements about 55 years ago and also in 1988. During these events, the glacier termini reached moraines formed during neoglaciation and the Little Ice Age. The advances of the two glaciers are not related to climate variation. The glaciers caused serious disasters with loss of life and property, and disruption of transportation corridors.

Download Full-text

Identification of glaciers with surge characteristics on the Tibetan Plateau

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/1992aog16-1-168-172 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 16 ◽

pp. 168-172 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zhang Wenjing

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Little Ice Age ◽

Climate Variation ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Loss Of Life ◽

Transportation Corridors ◽

Southeast Tibet

Investigations of Zelunglung and Midui Glaciers in southeast Tibet, China, indicate that they have some characteristics of surge-type glaciers. There have been two extraordinary movements of Zelunglung Glacier, one in 1950 and one in 1968. A collapse of the terminus area took place in 1984. Midui Glacier experienced extraordinary movements about 55 years ago and also in 1988. During these events, the glacier termini reached moraines formed during neoglaciation and the Little Ice Age. The advances of the two glaciers are not related to climate variation. The glaciers caused serious disasters with loss of life and property, and disruption of transportation corridors.

Download Full-text

Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose

Climate of the Past ◽

10.5194/cp-11-327-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 327-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 42

Author(s):

J. Wernicke ◽

J. Grießinger ◽

P. Hochreuther ◽

A. Bräuning

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Tree Ring ◽

Summer Season ◽

Ice Age ◽

Transfer Model ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

The Past ◽

Dry Conditions ◽

Hydroclimatic Variables

Abstract. We present an 800-year δ18O chronology from the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The chronology dates back to AD 1193 and was sampled in AD 1996 from living Juniperus tibetica trees. This first long-term tree-ring-based δ18O chronology for eastern Tibet provides a reliable archive for hydroclimatic reconstructions. Highly significant correlations were obtained with hydroclimatic variables (relative humidity, vapour pressure, and precipitation) during the summer season. We applied a linear transfer model to reconstruct summer season relative humidity variations over the past 800 years. More moist conditions prevailed during the termination of the Medieval Warm Period while a systematic shift during the Little Ice Age is not detectable. A distinct trend towards more dry conditions since the 1870s is apparent. The moisture decline weakened around the 1950s but still shows a negative trend. The mid-19th century humidity decrease is in good accordance with several multiproxy hydroclimate reconstructions for south Tibet. However, the pronounced summer relative humidity decline is stronger on the central and eastern TP. Furthermore, the relative humidity at our study site is significantly linked to the relative humidity at large parts of the TP. Therefore, we deduce that the reconstructed relative humidity is mostly controlled by local and mesoscale climatic drivers, although significant connections to the higher troposphere of west-central Asia were observed.

Download Full-text

Variability of summer humidity during the past 800 years on the eastern Tibetan Plateau inferred from δ<sup>18</sup>O of tree-ring cellulose

Climate of the Past Discussions ◽

10.5194/cpd-10-3327-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 3327-3356 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

J. Wernicke ◽

J. Grießinger ◽

P. Hochreuther ◽

A. Bräuning

Keyword(s):

Relative Humidity ◽

Tibetan Plateau ◽

19Th Century ◽

Summer Season ◽

Ice Age ◽

Transfer Model ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Spatial Correlations ◽

The Past ◽

The North

Abstract. We present an 800 years long δ18O chronology from the eastern part of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). The chronology dates back to 1193 AD and was sampled in 1996 AD from living Juniperus tibetica trees. The chronology is unique for eastern Tibet and provides a reliable archive for hydroclimatic reconstructions. Highly significant correlations were obtained with air moisture (relative humidity, vapour pressure and precipitation) during the summer season. We applied a linear transfer model to reconstruct the summer season relative humidity variation over the past 800 years. We identified more moist conditions at the termination of the Medieval Warm Period, an oscillating air humidity around the mean during the Little Ice Age and a sudden decrease of relative humidity since the 1870s. The late 19th century humidity decrease is in good accordance with several multiproxy hydroclimate reconstructions for south Tibet. On the other hand, since the end of the 19th century strong evidences for an increase in humidity on the northern TP is exhibited. Spatial correlation analysis with the North Atlantic Oscillation index (NAO) and the sea surface temperature (SST) of Niño region 3.4 reveal a weak and nonstationary relationship to the δ18O chronology. Instead, spatial correlations expose a dominating convective influence to the relative humidity reconstruction. Furthermore, wavelength analysis reveal good agreements between the significant cyclicities in our δ18O chronology and several moisture sensitive proxy archives.

Download Full-text

Rivers of Southeast Asia

The Physical Geography of Southeast Asia ◽

10.1093/oso/9780199248025.003.0014 ◽

2005 ◽

Author(s):

Avijit Gupta

Keyword(s):

Tibetan Plateau ◽

Southeast Asia ◽

Seasonal Pattern ◽

Drainage System ◽

Large Rivers ◽

Ice Age ◽

The Tibetan Plateau ◽

Narrow Valley ◽

System P ◽

Flow Through

Southeast Asia, in general, is a subcontinent with surplus water, as evidenced by the formerly widespread tropical rainforests. Most of the region receives at least 2000 mm of rainfall annually, and a positive water balance prevails for the majority of months. Four very large rivers (the Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, and Sông Hóng or Red) originate close to each other on the eastern Tibetan Plateau north of the region, and flow through large structure-guided valleys towards the southeast like outstretched fingers. Other major rivers of the region (Chao Phraya, Pahang, Brantas, Mahakam, etc.) start and end within Southeast Asia. The upland slopes are drained by a large number of tributaries, and short, wide estuaries wind through coastal plains. Table 4.1 lists selective physical dimensions of the large rivers of Southeast Asia. Except the Mekong, a part of whose discharge consists of seasonal snowmelt from the Tibetan Plateau, the rivers are rain-fed; and the majority tend to show a seasonal pattern of discharge corresponding to either the southwestern or the northeastern monsoon, depending on the location. The wide riverine lowlands of the previous chapter are structural depressions, filled in mostly by the alluvium of the major rivers that occupy them. The Irrawaddy and its main tributary, the Chindwin, flow through the Central Myanmar Lowland. The channel of the Chao Phraya is located within the Central Plain of Thailand. Further to the east, the Mekong has filled the eponymous lowland. The Salween, in contrast, flows almost entirely in 1000 m gorges cut into plateaux and mountains. The Sông Hóng flows in a narrow valley except for the last 250 km from the coast, where it traverses the coastal plain of north Viet Nam. The present coastline of Southeast Asia, however, is a temporary pause in the geological evolution of the drainage system, and as described in Chapter 2, only appeared in the Holocene. The rivers of the ice age Pleistocene used to continue further. What now are individual major streams in many instances used to be parts of the channel network of a much larger system.

Download Full-text