Glaciological and climatological drivers of heterogeneous glacier mass loss in the Tanggula Shan (Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau), since the 1960s

Owen King*, Sajid Ghuffar, Atanu Bhattacharya, Ruzhen Yao, Tandong Yao, Tobias Bolch

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Despite their extreme elevation, glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass in response to atmospheric warming, the pattern of which purportedly reflects regional contrasts in climate. Here we examine the evolution of glaciers along ∼500 km of the Tanggula Shan, Central-Eastern Tibetan Plateau. Using remotely sensed datasets, we quantified changes in glacier mass, area and surface velocity, and compared these results to time series of meteorological observations, in order to disentangle drivers of glacier mass loss since the 1960s. Glacier mass loss has increased (from −0.21 ± 0.12m w.e. a−1 in 1960s–2000s, to −0.52 ± 0.18m w.e. a−1 in 2000s–2015/18) in association with pervasive positive temperature anomalies (up to 1.85°C), which are pronounced at the end of the now lengthened ablation season. However, glacier mass budget perturbations do not mirror the magnitude of temperature anomalies in sub-regions, thus additional factors have heightened glacier recession. We show how proglacial lake expansion and glacier surging have compounded glacier recession over decadal/multi-decadal time periods, and exert similar influence on glacier mass budgets as temperature changes. Our results demonstrate the importance of ice loss mechanisms not often incorporated into broad-scale glacier projections, which need to be better considered to refine future glacier runoff estimates.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1149-1166
Number of pages18
JournalJournal of Glaciology
Volume69
Issue number277
Early online date11 Apr 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Oct 2023

Keywords

  • Corona KH-4
  • glacial lake
  • glacier mass balance
  • surge-type glacier
  • Tibetan Plateau

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Earth-Surface Processes

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