Warming and wetting climate during last century revealed by an ice core in northwest Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) exist in different states of extension and retreat, responding to the westerly winds and Indian monsoon. However, few studies to-date have focused on climate change in the westerlies-dominated northwest TP. Here, we report an ice core climate record during the last century retrieved from the Kuokuosele (KKSL) Glacier in the westerlies-dominated eastern Pamir, northwest TP. The ice core has dated based on annual layer counting using ice core δ18O seasonal cycles, constrained by both the beta (β) activity peak and 137Cs concentration peak in 1962/63. Reconstruction of δ18O and annual accumulation from the ice core and comparison with observed temperature and precipitation at nearby meteorological stations as well as CRU (Climate Research Unit) data confirm their climatic and regional significance. Both ice core δ18O and accumulation increased during the last century, thus pointing to a warming and wetting trend in the westerlies dominated northwest TP.