Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T17:56:07.107Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Recent glacier and glacial lake changes and their interactions in the Bugyai Kangri, southeast Tibet

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2016

Qiao Liu ,
Wanqin Guo ,
Yong Nie ,
Shiyin Liu  and
Junli Xu
Qiao Liu*
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
Wanqin Guo
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
Yong Nie
Affiliation:
Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes and Ecological Regulation, Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
Shiyin Liu
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
Junli Xu
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Cryosphere Sciences, Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China
*
Correspondence: Liu Qiao <[email protected]>
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Glaciers in the Bugyai Kangri are located in a transition zone from southeast Tibet, where monsoonal temperate glaciers dominate, to inner Tibet, where continental glaciers dominate. Here we analyze glacier and glacial lake changes in this region using multi-year inventories based on Landsat images from 1981–2013. Results show that the total area of 141 glaciers in the region decreased by 30.44 ±0.89 km2 from 198.35 ±9.54 km2 (1980s) to 167.93 ±4.52 km2 (2010s). The annual area shrinkage rate (–0.48% a–1) is lower than that reported for southeastern Tibet but higher than that of inner Tibet. Both the number and total area of glacial lakes increased between 1981 and 2013. Among all lakes, proglacial lakes contribute most (~81 %) to the expansion. The total area of ten proglacial lakes increased by 150.3 ± 13.17% and of these ten lakes the four that expanded most sharply showed increased calving at their upper margins, resulting in more rapid retreat of lake-terminating glaciers than land-terminating glaciers. Owing to rapid calving, several lakes may undergo further growth in the near future, increasing the potential risk of glacial lake outburst floods.

Keywords

climate changeglacier calvingglacier fluctuationsjökulhlaups (GLOFs)remote sensing
Type
Paper
Information
Annals of Glaciology , Volume 57 , Issue 71 , March 2016 , pp. 61 - 69
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2016

References

Aizen, VB and Helen, L (1994) The existing conditions of the southeastern Tibet glacier. In Xie, Z and Kotlyakov, VM eds, Glaciers and environment in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau - The Congga Mountain. China Science Press, Beijing Google Scholar
Basnett, S, Kulkarni, AV and Bolch, T (2013) The influence of debris cover and glacial lakes on the recession of glaciers in Sikkim Himalaya, India. J. Glaciol 59(218), 1035–1046 (doi: 10.3189/2013JoG12J184)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benn, D and 9 others (2012) Response of debris-covered glaciers in the Mount Everest region to recent warming, and implications for outburst flood hazards. Earth-Sci. Rev., 114, 156–174 (doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2012.03.008)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Böhner, J (2006) General climatic controls and topoclimatic variations in Central and High Asia. Boreas, 35, 279–295 (doi: 10.1111/j.1 502-3885.2006.tb01158.x)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolch, T, Menounos, B and Wheate, R (2010) Landsat-based inventory of glaciers in western Canada, 1985-2005. Remote Sens. Environ, 114(1), 127–137 (doi: 10.1016/j.rse.2009.08.015)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bolch, T and 11 others (2012) The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers. Science, 336, 310–314 (doi: 10.1126/science. 1215828)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cheng, Z, Zhu, P, Dang, C and Liu, J (2008) Hazards of debris flow duo to glacier-lake outburst in southeastern Tibet. J. Glaciol. Ceocryol., 30(6), 954–959 [in Chinese with English summary]Google Scholar
Ding, Y and Liu, J (1992) Glacier lake outburst flood disasters in China. Ann. Glaciol., 16, 180–184 Google Scholar
Ding, Y, Liu, S, Li, J and Shangguan, D (2006) The retreat of glaciers in response to recent climate warming in western China. Ann. Glaciol., 40, 97–105 (doi: 10.3189/172756406781812005)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fujita, K (2008) Effect of precipitation seasonality on climatic sensitivity of glacier mass balance. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 276(1-2), 14–19 (doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2008.08.028)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fujita, K and Ageta, Y (2000) Effect of summer accumulation on glacier mass balance on the Tibetan Plateau revealed by mass-balance model. J. Glaciol., 46(153), 244–252 (doi: 10.3189/172756500781832945)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fujita, K and Nuimura, T (2011) Spatially heterogeneous wastage of Himalayan glaciers. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci., 108(34), 14011–14014 (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1106242108)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fujita, K, Sakai, A, Nuimura, T, Yamaguchi, S and Sharma, RR (2009) Recent changes in Imja Glacial Lake and its damming moraine in the Nepal Himalaya revealed by in situ surveys and multi-temporal ASTER imagery. Environ. Res. Lett, 4(4), 045205 (doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/4/4/045205)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fujita, K and 6 others (2013) Potential flood volume of Himalayan glacial lakes. Natur. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 13(7), 1827–1839 (doi: 10.51 94/nhess-13-1827-2013)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gardelle, J, Arnaud, Y and Berthier, E (2011) Contrasted evolution of glacial lakes along the Hindu Kush Himalaya mountain range between 1990 and 2009. Global Planet. Change, 75, 47–55 (doi: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.10.003)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huggel, C, Kaab, A, Haeberli, W, Teysseire, P and Paul, F (2002) Remote sensing based assessment of hazards from glacier lake outbursts: a case study in the Swiss Alps. Can. Ceotech. J., 39(2), 316–330 (doi: 10.1139/t01-0099)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Immerzeel, WW, Van Beek, LPH and Bierkens, MFP (2010) Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science, 328(5984), 1382–1385 (doi: 10.1126/science.1183188)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jarvis, A, Reuter, HI, Nelson, A and Guevara, E (2008) Hole-filled seamless SRTM data V4 International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) http://srtm.csi.cgiar.org Google Scholar
Kang, S, Xu, Y, You, Q, Flugel, WA, Pepin, N and Yao, T (2010) Review of climate and cryospheric change in the Tibetan Plateau. Environ. Res. Lett, 5(1), 015101 (doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/5/1/015101)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kirkbride, MP and Warren, CR (1999) Tasman Glacier, New Zealand: 20th-century thinning and predicted calving retreat. Global Planet. Change, 22(1-4), 11–28 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Komori, J (2008) Recent expansions of glacial lakes in the Bhutan Himalayas. Quat Int., 184, 177–186 (doi: 10.1016/j.quaint. 2007.09.012)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, J (1986) The glaciers in Tibet. Science Press, Beijing [in Chinese]Google Scholar
Li, X and 9 others (2008) Cryospheric change in China. Global Planet. Change, 62(3-4), 210–218 (doi: 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2008.02.001)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, J, Cheng, Z and Su, P (2014) The relationship between air temperature fluctuation and glacial lake. Quat. Int., 321, 78–87 (doi: 10.1016/j.quaint.2013.11.023)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Q and 6 others (2010) Recent shrinkage and hydrological response of Hailuogou glacier, a monsoon temperate glacier on the east slope of Mount Gongga, China. J. Glaciol., 56(196), 215–224 (doi: 10.3189/002214310791968520)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Q, Liu, S and Guo, W (2015) Glacier changes in the upper reaches of Lancang River Basin, China, between 1960-1970s and 2005-2010. Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 47(2), 95–104 (doi: 10.1657/AAAR0013-104)Google Scholar
Liu, S, Sun, W, Shen, Y and Li, G (2003) Glacier changes since the Little Ice Age maximum in the western Qilian Shan, northwest China, and consequences of glacier runoff for water supply. J. Glaciol., 49(164), 117–124 (doi: 10.3189/172756503781830926)Google Scholar
Liu, S and 8 others (2006) Glacier changes during the past century in the Gangrigabu mountains, southeast Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau, China. Ann. Glaciol., 43, 187–193 (doi: 10.3189/172756406781812348)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, R, Tang, D and Zhu, P (1999) Debris flows and environment in Tibet. Chengdu Science and Technology University Press, Chengdu [in Chinese]Google Scholar
Lutz, AF, Immerzeel, WW, Shrestha, AB and Bierkens, MFP (2014) Consistent increase in High Asia's runoff due to increasing glacier melt and precipitation. Nature Climate Change, 4, 587–592 (doi: 10.1038/NCLIMATE2237)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maussion, F, Scherer, D, Mölg, T, Collier, E, Curio, J and Finkelnburg, R (2014) Precipitation seasonality and variability over the Tibetan Plateau as resolved by the High Asia Reanalysis. J. Climate, 27(5), 1910–1927 (doi: 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00282.1)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McNabb, RW, Hock, R and Huss, M (2015) Variations in Alaska tidewater glacier frontal ablation, 1985–2013. J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf., 120(1), 120–136 (doi: 10.1002/2014jf003276)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mölg, T, Maussion, F and Scherer, D (2013) Mid-latitude westerlies as a driver of glacier variability in monsoonal High Asia. Nature Climate Change, 4, 68–73 (doi: 10.1038/NCUMATE2055)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Neckel, N, Kropácek, J, Bolch, T and Hochschild, V (2014) Glacier mass changes on the Tibetan Plateau 2003-2009 derived from ICESat laser altimetry measurements. Environ. Res. Lett., 9, 014009 (doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/9/1/014009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nie, Y, Liu, Q and Liu, S (2013) Glacial lake expansion in the Central Himalayas by Landsat images, 1990-2010. PLoS One, 8, e83973 (doi: 10.1 371/journal.pone.0083973)CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nuimura, T and 12 others (2015) The GAMDAM Glacier Inventory: a quality controlled inventory of Asian glaciers. Cryosphere, 9, 849–864 (doi: 10.5194/tc-9-849-2015)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, F, Kääb, A, Maisch, M, Kellenberger, T and Haeberli, W (2002) The new remote-sensing-derived Swiss glacier inventory: I. Methods. Ann. Claciol, 34, 355–361 (doi: 10.3189/172756402781817941)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Paul, F and 9 others (2009) Recommendations for the compilation of glacier inventory data from digital sources. Ann. Claciol., 50(53), 119–126 (doi: 10.3189/172756410790595778)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Radić, V and Hock, R (2014) Glaciers in the Earth's hydrological cycle: assessments of glacier mass and runoff changes on global and regional scales. Surv. Geophys., 35, 813–837 (doi: 10.1007/s10712-013-9262-y)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richardson, SD and Reynolds, JM (2000) An overview of glacial hazards in the Himalayas. Quat. Int., 65–66, 31-47 (doi: 10.1016/S1040-6182(99)00035-X)Google Scholar
Sakai, A and Fujita, K (2010) Formation conditions of supraglacial lakes on debris-covered glaciers in the Himalayas. J. Claciol., 56(195), 177–181 (doi:10.3189/002214310791190785)Google Scholar
Sakai, A, Nishimura, K, Kadota, T and Takeuchi, N (2009) Onset of calving at supraglacial lakes on debris-covered glaciers of the Nepal Himalaya. J. Claciol., 55(193), 909–917 (doi: 10.3189/002214309790152555)Google Scholar
Scherler, D, Bookhagen, B and Strecker, MR (2011) Spatially variable response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover. Nature Geosci., 4, 156–159 (doi: 10.1038/ngeo1068, 2011)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shangguan, D, Liu, S, Ding, Y, Ding, L, Xu, J and Jing, L (2009) Glacier changes during the last forty years in the Tarim Interior River basin, northwest China. Progr. Natur. Sci., 19(6), 727–732 (doi: 10.1016/j.pnsc.2008.11.002)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shi, Y (2008) Concise glacier inventory of China. Shanghai Popular Science Press, Shanghai Google Scholar
Su, Z and Shi, Y (2002) Response of monsoonal temperate glaciers to global warming since the Little Ice Age. Quat. Int., 97–98, 123-131 (doi: 10.1016/S1040-61 82(02)00057-5)Google Scholar
Venteris, ER (1999) Rapid tidewater glacier retreat: a comparison between Columbia Glacier, Alaska and Patagonian calving glaciers. Global Planet. Change, 22(1-4), 131–138 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, N and Ding, L (2002) Study on the glacier variation in Bujiagangri section of the east Tanggula Range since the Little Ice Age. J. Glaciol. Geocryol, 24(3), 234–244 [in Chinese with English summary]Google Scholar
Wang, W, Yao, T and Yang, X (2011) Variations of glacial lakes and glaciers in the Boshula mountain range, southeast Tibet, from the 1970s to 2009. Ann. Glaciol., 52(58), 9–17 (doi: 10.3189/172756411797252347)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, W, Yang, X and Yao, T (2012) Evaluation of ASTER GDEM and SRTM and their suitability in hydraulic modelling of a glacial lake outburst flood in southeast Tibet. Hydrol. Process., 26, 213–225 (doi: 10.1002/hyp.8127)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, and 6 others (2013) Changes of glacial lakes and implications in Tian Shan, central Asia, based on remote sensing data from 1 990 to 2010. Environ. Res. Lett, 8, 044052 (doi: 10.1088/1748-9326/8/4/044052)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warren, C and Aniya, M (1999) The calving glaciers of southern South America. Global Planet. Change, 22, 59–77 (doi: 10.1016/S0921-8181(99)00026-0)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Warren, CR and Kirkbride, MP (2003) Calving speed and climatic sensitivity of New Zealand lake-calving glaciers. Ann. Glaciol., 36, 173–178 (doi: 10.3189/172756403781816446)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wei, J and 6 others (2014) Surface-area changes of glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau interior area since the 1970s using recent Landsat images and historical maps. Ann. Glaciol., 55(66), 213–222 (doi: 10.3189/2014AoG66A038)Google Scholar
Westob, MJ, Glasser, NF, Brasington, J, Hambrey, MJ, Quincey, DJ and Reynolds, JM (2014) Modelling outburst floods from moraine-dammed glacial lakes. Earth-Sci. Rev., 134, 137–158 (doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.03.009)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wu, B (2005) Weakening of Indian summer monsoon in recent decades. Adv. Atmos. 5cJ., 22(1), 21–29 (doi: 10.1007/BF02930866)Google Scholar
Xu, M and 6 others (2006) Steady decline of east Asian monsoon winds, 1 969-2000: evidence from direct ground measurements of wind speed. J. Geophys. Res., 111, D24111 (doi: 10.1029/2006JD007337)Google Scholar
Yang, W, Yao, T, Xu, B, Wu, G, Ma, L and Xin, X (2008) Quick ice mass loss and abrupt retreat of the maritime glaciers in the Kangri Karpo Mountains, southeast Tibetan Plateau. Chinese Sci. Bull., 53(16), 2547–2551 (doi: 10.1007/s11434-008-0288-3)CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yao, T and 14 others (2012) Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in Tibetan Plateau and surroundings. Nature Climate Change, 2, 663–667 (doi: 10.1038/NCLIMATE1 580)CrossRefGoogle Scholar