Recent change of the ice core accumulation rates on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Three ice cores recovered from the Himalayas (i.e. the East Rongbuk Glacier and the Far East Rongbuk Glacier at Mt. Qomolangma (Everest), and the Dasuopu Glacier at Xixiabangma) show a sharp decline in the accumulation rates since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipitation fluctuation over India and the low northern latitude zone (5°–35°N). Correspondingly, an increasing trend is observed for the ice core accumulations from the central and northern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (i.e. the Xiao Dongkemadi Glacier in the central Tanggula Mountains, the Guliya Ice Cap in the western Kunlun Mountains, and the Dunde Ice Cap in the Qilian Mountains) since the 1950s, which is consistent with the precipitation fluctuation over the middle-high northern latitude zone (35°–70°N). However, the variation magnitude of the high-elevation ice core accumulations is more significant than that of precipitation at the low-elevation places, suggesting its extra sensitivity of high-elevation areas to climatic change. The inter-decadal abrupt change of the African-Asian summer monsoon in the 1960s may attribute to the recent ice core accumulation change during the recent decades.