Glacier variations in response to climate change in the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Range, Tibetan Plateau from 1999 to 2015

• Published in: Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research
• Main Authors: Qin Ji, Tai-bao Yang, Jun Dong, Yi He
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2018
• Subjects: glacier retreat; climate change; eastern nyainqêntanglha range; remote sensing; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Ecology; QH540-549.5; Antarctic and Alpine Research; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2018.1435844; https://doaj.org/article/60d6fca1a82d4f32816da18f7142b15b

Changes in glaciers in response to climate change in the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Range were studied using Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI. The entire mountain range contained approximately 6,426 glaciers, covering an area of 6508.03 ± 252.02 km2 in 1999. The glaciers shrank from 1999 to 2015 and the total ice cover was reduced by 1285.99 ± 6.01 km2, accounting for 19.76 ± 3.78% of the glacierized area in 1999. The mean loss of glacier area was 1.24%•a−1 during 1999–2015. The analysis of meteorological data showed a remarkable pattern in mean annual air temperature (especially after 1998), whereas the annual precipitation displayed a stable pattern from 1989 to 2011. The glacier shrinkage in the region can probably be attributed to the increase in air temperature. The largest glaciers in the area show a maximum elevation of about 5,200–5,400 m a.s.l. in 1990, 2013, and 2015. The altitude of glaciers varied from 4,000 m a.s.l. to 6,000 m a.s.l. and the majority of the glaciers were distributed between 4,800 m and 5,800 m. All glaciers, regardless of their orientation, have shrunk, but glaciers mainly south-facing retreated faster than those facing others directions.