Abstract
Many have made efforts to clarify the climatic significance of stable isotopic variations in ice cores around central Asia through the study of stable isotopes in present‐day precipitation. A new shallow ice core from Muztagata, in the eastern Pamirs, allows for a detailed comparison of annual δ18O variation with local meteorological data as well as with global air temperature variations. On the basis of a comparison of seasonal fluctuations of δ18O in the local precipitation, the 41.6‐m ice core drilled at 7010 m provides a record of about one‐half century. The annual fluctuations of δ18O in this ice core are in good agreement (correlation coefficient of 0.67) with the annual air temperature changes at the nearby meteorological station Taxkorgen, indicating that the isotopic record from this ice core is a reliable temperature trend indicator. The most important discovery from the δ18O variation of this ice core is a rapid warming trend in the 1990s, which is consistent with a general global warming trend over this time period. This recent rapid warming at higher elevations in this area has led to the quick retreat of alpine glaciers.
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