Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of temperature trend on glacier-mass balance, snow density, snowmelt, snow depth and runoff by using observations of nine glacier stations that covered most of the China over the period of 1979-2013. Trend analysis showed an increasing trend of temperature on all of the selected stations. On an average, temperature (?C) was increasing at the rate of 0.46/10a. The increasing trend of temperature showed a negative relationship with annual glacier-mass balance on most of the stations and caused a decrease in annual balance. Results of Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a highly significant negative correlation between temperature and snow density (correlation coefficient (CC = ?0.661 at 0.01 significance level). There was a significant positive correlation between temperature and snowmelt (CC = 0.532 at 0.01 significance level). There was a significant negative correlation between temperature and snow depth (corre-lation coefficient (CC = ?0.342 at 0.05 significance level). Moreover, there was a significant positive correlation between temperature and runoff (CC = 0.586 at 0.01 significance level). Increasing trend of temperature caused an increasing trend of annual snowmelt and runoff anomaly% at the rate of 24.82/10a and 9.87/10a, respectively. On the other hand, a declining trend in annual snow density and snow depth anomaly% was found at a rate of ?5.32/10a and ?1.93/10a, respectively. We concluded that the snow density, snowmelt and runoff are significantly sensitive to temperature in China. This contribution has provided information for further understanding of glacier variation and its influencing factors.
Highlights
Global climate models predict that the Arctic will experience greater than global average temperature and precipitation increases in response to the build-up of greenhouse gases [1]
The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of temperature trend on glacier-mass balance, snow density, snowmelt, snow depth and runoff by using observations of nine glacier stations that covered most of the China over the period of 1979-2013
We concluded that the snow density, snowmelt and runoff are significantly sensitive to temperature in China
Summary
Global climate models predict that the Arctic will experience greater than global average temperature and precipitation increases in response to the build-up of greenhouse gases [1]. Any decrease in glacier melt runoff often leads to economic losses and associated negative social consequences [9]. Glacier runoff is the main contributor to water supplies for agriculture in the western China. In these regions, glacier meltwater has been described to play a crucial role for irrigation during the hot and dry seasons [12]. Glacier melting causes negative mass balance with strong impacts on the quantity and seasonal distribution of runoff in the western China. Monitoring the long-term behavior of surge-type glaciers and detailed study of individual surges is essential for improving our knowledge of the physical mechanisms behind surging [13].Water resources provided by alpine glaciers are an important pillar for people in the arid regions of the western China [14]
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