Summer heat wave in 2022 led to rapid warming of permafrost in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract Extreme events with increasing frequency and intensity are significantly affecting the permafrost environment. Analysis using the ERA5-Land reanalysis data revealed that the permafrost region of the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) experienced the summer heat wave in 2022. Four active la...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Main Authors: Xiaofan Zhu, Tonghua Wu, Jie Chen, Xiaodong Wu, Pengling Wang, Defu Zou, Guangyang Yue, Xuchun Yan, Xin Ma, Dong Wang, Peiqing Lou, Amin Wen, Chengpeng Shang, Weiying Liu
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2024
Subjects:
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
Meteorology. Climatology
QC851-999
permafrost
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-024-00765-4
https://doaj.org/article/3b9557a060bb4839876795687701e3ae
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Summary:Abstract Extreme events with increasing frequency and intensity are significantly affecting the permafrost environment. Analysis using the ERA5-Land reanalysis data revealed that the permafrost region of the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) experienced the summer heat wave in 2022. Four active layer sites experienced maximum active layer thicknesses (ALT) in 2022 (mean: 207.7 cm), which was 20% higher than the mean ALT during 2000–2021 (mean: 175.9 cm). The mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) observed in 2022 was also the highest, exceeding the average of the previous years by 10%. The contribution fraction of heat wave to the seasonal thaw depth of active layer was quantified using Stefan model with ranging from 6.6% to 13.6%, and the maximum contribution fraction occurs in 2022. These findings are helpful to better understand the impact processes of extreme events on the active layer and permafrost.

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