冰雪覆盖与气候变化

引言冰雪覆盖是地球—大气系统中一个活跃的成员,也是地理环境中的一个重要组成部分。因此,多年来冰雪覆盖就是地理学家及气候学家的研究对象。冰雪覆盖的变化,对气候有很大影响,小至海冰与大陆积雪的季节与年际变化,大到冰河期大陆冰盖的巨大改变,都在不同尺度的气候变化中留下了不可磨灭的痕迹。     

A hindcast simulation of Arctic and Antarctic sea ice variability, 1955–2001

A hindcast simulation of the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice variability during 1955-2001 has been performed with a global, coarse resolution ice-ocean model driven by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction/National Center for Atmospheric Research reanalysis daily surface air temperatures and winds. Both the mean state and variability of the ice packs over the satellite observing period are reasonably well reproduced by the model. Over the 47-year period, the simulated ice area (defined as the total ice-covered oceanic area) in each hemisphere experiences large decadal variability together with a decreasing trend of Ø1% per decade. In the Southern Hemisphere, this trend is mostly caused by an abrupt retreat of the ice cover during the second half of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s. The modelled ice volume also exhibits pronounced decadal variability, especially in the Northern Hemisphere. Besides these fluctuations, we detected a downward trend in Arctic ice volume of 1.8% per decade and an upward trend in Antarctic ice volume of 1.5% per decade. However, caution must be exercised when interpreting these trends because of the shortness of the simulation and the strong decadal variations. Furthermore, sensitivity experiments have revealed that the trend in Antarctic ice volume is model-dependent.     

西藏高原不同时段雪灾的空间分布及大气环流特征

利用西藏高原38个气象站自建站以来至2008年的10月至翌年4月逐日积雪资料,依据积雪深度和积雪持续日数两项要素组合的雪灾等级指标,分析了前冬、隆冬和春季3个时段西藏高原不同等级雪灾空间分布。结果表明：主要有3个雪灾发生高频中心区,即以聂拉木为中心的喜马拉雅山脉中段区、以嘉黎为中心的那曲地区中东部区及以错那为中心的喜马拉雅山脉东段区;在时段上雪灾主要出现在前冬和隆冬,春季最少,但在前冬和隆冬雪灾频率分布有较大的空间差异;喜马拉雅山脉中段区、阿里地区、那曲站以中灾和重灾为主。利用NCEP/NCAR再分析月平均高度场数据,对区域性雪灾异常年和无雪灾年进行了合成分析,结果表明:前冬和隆冬北半球500 hPa中高纬环流非常相似,自大西洋东海岸向东至西太平有显著的“+-+-”波列,而春季中高纬从欧洲西部为“-+-+-+”波列;3个时段欧洲大陆长波槽脊异常加强,经向环流发展;前冬和隆冬欧亚大陆高度距平场为西高东低,春季正好相反;雪灾年与无雪灾年极涡、乌拉尔山高压脊、贝加尔湖高压脊和北美大槽的强度、位置有较大的差异,而东亚大槽只是春季有所差别外其他时段不明显。     

CIRCULATION PATTERNS AND TEMPERATURE FIELDS ASSOCIATED WITH EXTENSIVE SNOW COVER ON THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT

Weekly snow cover areas, derived from the NOAA/NESS Northern Hemisphere Digitized Snow and Ice Cover Data Base, were correlated with weekly temperature anomalies across the United States and with weekly 700-mb geopotential heights over the North American sector. The correlations were computed for snow cover across the entire North American continent as well as the western and eastern United States for the winters 1966–67 through 1979–80. Extensive snow cover is associated with negative temperature anomalies across most of the continental United States. The strongest relationship occurs along the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains from the Canadian border to the central Great Plains and reflects the southward movement of cold arctic air masses toward the Gulf of Mexico. An anomalous trough over the western part of North America is responsible for extensive snow cover in the winter. The surface storm track is displaced southward during winters with heavy snow cover, with cyclones occurring more frequently in the southern Plains and southeastern United States. Moist Gulf of Mexico air advected northward by the southerly flow aloft is an important prerequisite condition for the occurrence of extensive snow cover in the eastern United States during the first half of winter.     

Hydrology of Dali Lake in central-eastern Inner Mongolia and Holocene East Asian monsoon variability

Lacustrine records from the northern margin of the East Asian monsoon generate a conflicting picture of Holocene monsoonal precipitation change. To seek an integrated view of East Asian monsoon variability during the Holocene, an 8.5-m-long sediment core recovered in the depocenter of Dali Lake in central-eastern Inner Mongolia was analyzed at 1-cm intervals for total organic and inorganic carbon concentrations. The data indicate that Dali Lake reached its highest level during the early Holocene (11,500–7,600 cal yr BP). The middle Holocene (7,600–3,450 cal yr BP) was characterized by dramatic fluctuations in the lake level with three intervals of lower lake stands occurring 6,600–5,850, 5,100–4,850 and 4,450–3,750 cal yr BP, respectively. During the late Holocene (3,450 cal yr BP to present), the lake displayed a general shrinking trend with the lowest levels at three episodes of 3,150–2,650, 1,650–1,150 and 550–200 cal yr BP. We infer that the expansion of the lake during the early Holocene would have resulted from the input of the snow/ice melt, rather than the monsoonal precipitation, in response to the increase in summer solar radiation in the Northern Hemisphere. We also interpret the rise in the lake level since ca. 7,600 cal yr BP as closely related to increased monsoonal precipitation over the lake region resulting from increased temperature and size of the Western Pacific Warm Pool and a westward shifted and strengthened Kuroshio Current in the western Pacific. Moreover, high variability of the East Asian monsoon climate since 7,600 cal yr BP, marked by large fluctuations in the lake level, might have been directly associated with variations in the intensity and frequency of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events.     

欧亚大陆冬季雪深的时空演变特征及其影响因子分析

利用美国冰雪资料中心(National Snow and Ice Data Center)提供的前苏联1948~1994年逐日积雪深度资料,定义了冬季雪深增量的概念,探讨了欧亚大陆秋末雪深、冬季雪深、冬季雪深增量的时空演变规律,通过比较分析三者的异常变化特征,揭示了三者之间可能存在的联系。经验正交函数分解(EOF)结果表明:欧亚大陆冬季雪深、冬季雪深增量的第一模态的空间分布特征均为大致以50°N为界的南北反相变化,欧亚大陆北部的积雪深度和冬季雪深增量都呈现出一致性的变化趋势;两者对应的时间序列均反映了显著的年代际变化特征,且年代际转变均发生在20世纪70年代中期前后。第二模态则呈现出欧亚大陆东、西部反相的偶极型空间分布特征。进一步分析表明,欧亚大陆秋末雪深无论从空间分布还是时间演变来看与冬季雪深几乎不存在相关性。欧亚大陆冬季雪深变化主要是冬季雪深增量影响所致,与秋末雪深无关。     

欧亚秋季雪盖与北半球冬季大气环流的联系

利用NOAA 提供的1973-2004 年32 年欧亚雪盖面积资料和NCEP/NCAR 再分析资料, 采用相关和合成方法对比分析了欧亚秋、冬季雪盖与北半球冬季大气环流的关系,得到了一个观测事实: 欧亚秋季雪盖与后期冬季北半球中高纬大气环流存在显著的相关关系, 尤其是与北半球冬季大气环流的最主要模态北极涛动(AO) 或北大西洋涛动(NAO) 呈显著的负相关关系, 而且欧亚秋季雪盖面积与后期冬季北半球大气环流的关系比欧亚冬季雪盖与同期大气环流的关系更好。最后提出了一个联系欧亚秋季雪盖与冬季大气环流的可能原因: 欧亚秋季雪盖异常可能是导致后期冬季北半球大气环流变化的一个主要强迫因子。     

近50年青藏高原东部冬季积雪的时空变化特征

选取青藏高原东部地区1961-2010 年64 个测站的积雪数据,分析了冬季积雪日数的空间分布和年代际变化特征,结果表明：高原东部冬季积雪空间分布差异较大,巴颜喀拉山、唐古拉山和念青唐古拉山多雪且变率大,藏南谷地、川西干暖河谷地带及柴达木盆地少雪且变率小,这样的空间分布是由周边大气环流系统及复杂局地地形共同造成的;高原东部冬季积雪表现出“少—多—少”的年代际变化特征,分别在80 年代末和20 世纪末发生由少到多和由多到少的两次突变,尤其是20 世纪末的突变更为显著;降雪和气温的变化是影响积雪日数的重要因素,其中降雪的影响更为显著;80 年代末高原冬季降雪由少到多的突变是造成积雪日数发生相应变化的主要原因;20 世纪末高原冬季气温和降雪分别发生由低到高和由多到少突变,其影响叠加导致积雪日数发生了更为显著的突变。     

青藏高原积雪对全球变暖的响应

根据６０个地面基本气象台站１９５７－１９９２年逐日雪深观测记录，用统计模式检验了青藏高原积雪变化趋势，证明近３６年来高原积雪变化呈普遍增加趋势，并且与北球冬季气温呈正相关，高原积雪的增加与北半球温带低地春季积雪面积自８０年代后期的减少形成了鲜明的对比，与两个大陆冰盖雪积累率的增加相一致。     

THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SNOW COVER AND CYCLONES IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

Snow cover extent is correlated with the latitude, pressure, and frequency of cyclones at every five degrees of longitude from 70° to 100° West, for the winter seasons 1971 to 1980. Each cyclone parameter is also lag correlated with snow cover extent to test relationships between snow cover extent of one week and cyclone variables of successive weeks. More extensive snow cover is related to cyclones traveling farther south, having higher central pressure, and becoming less frequent.     

近50 年云南区域气候变化特征分析

利用云南气温和降水资料, 分析了云南气候变化特征及强降水极端天气和高温干旱事件对全球气候变暖的响应。以云南香格里拉、西双版纳、昆明地区为代表, 分析了区域气象要素变化趋势。结果表明: 云南近50 年气温变化与全球、北半球、中国变化趋势基本一致, 气温变化幅度略大于全球, 弱于北半球和全国变化。云南20 世纪80 年代中后期以后出现增暖现象, 以90 年代后期增温最明显, 1986 年以来出现13 年暖冬, 大部分地区冬春季降霜日数减少。随气候变暖, 香格里拉地区降雪日数呈下降趋势, 西双版纳地区雾日明显减少, 全省降雨日数逐渐减少, 大雨频率变化不大, 暴雨、大暴雨频率上升, 高温干旱事件频率增加。进入21 世纪以后, 云南降水减少, 高温干旱事件有增强增多趋势, 由2～3 年一遇变为1～2 年一遇。2005 年春夏连旱和2006 年春旱是云南近50 年和20 年来最严重的旱灾。     

近50年青藏高原东部降雪的时空演变

选用1967-2012年青藏高原东部60个站点的观测资料,分析了该地区降雪的时空演变特征,并结合降水和气温的变化,探讨了降雪与积雪的关系,结果表明：青藏高原东部年降雪量在1.3~152.5 mm范围内变化,空间分布差异显著;秋季降雪表现出中间多、周边少的特征,冬季降雪表现出由东南向西北递减的特征,春季降雪最多且空间分布与年降雪基本一致;降雪可划分为青南高原区、藏北高原区、柴达木盆地区、青藏高原东南缘区、川西高原西北部区、青藏高原南缘区、青海东北部区及藏南谷地区;就青藏高原整体而言,除秋季外,整年、冬季和春季降雪均表现出“少—多—少”的年代际变化特征,其中冬季降雪在1986年发生了由少到多的突变,整年、冬季和春季降雪均在1997年发生了由多到少的突变;不同区域降雪的时间变化规律各具特点;降雪与积雪的关系十分密切,春季降雪受气温的影响最为显著,秋季次之,冬季最弱;20世纪末,春季降雪受气温升高的影响表现出与降水变化相反的由多到少的气候突变特征。     

Ice cover variability in the Caspian and Aral seas from active and passive microwave satellite data

The paper discusses time and space variations of ice extent in the Caspian and Aral seas during the last decade (1992-2002). It uses synergy of data from active (radar altimeter) and passive (radiometer) microwave nadir-looking instruments onboard the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite. The proposed approach is substantiated and validated using both in situ and satellite imagery data for the Caspian Sea. The results indicate significant spatial and temporal variability of ice conditions, with a significant decrease of both the duration of ice season and ice extent during the last four winters (1998-2002). The TOPEX/Poseidon-derived time series of sea ice extent are very valuable in view of the fragmentary and mostly unpublished data on ice conditions on the Caspian and Aral seas since the mid-1980s.     

THE 'LITTLE ICE AGE': RE-EVALUATION OF AN EVOLVING CONCEPT

ABSTRACT. This review focuses on the development of the ‘Little Ice Age’ as a glaciological and climatic concept, and evaluates its current usefulness in the light of new data on the glacier and climatic variations of the last millennium and of the Holocene. ‘Little Ice Age’ glacierization occurred over about 650 years and can be defined most precisely in the European Alps (c. AD 1300–1950) when extended glaciers were larger than before or since. ‘Little Ice Age’ climate is defined as a shorter time interval of about 330 years (c. AD 1570–1900) when Northern Hemisphere summer temperatures (land areas north of 20°N) fell significantly below the AD 1961–1990 mean. This climatic definition overlaps the times when the Alpine glaciers attained their latest two highstands (AD 1650 and 1850). It is emphasized, however, that ‘Little Ice Age’ glacierization was highly dependent on winter precipitation and that ‘Little Ice Age’ climate was not simply a matter of summer temperatures. Both the glacier‐centred and the climate‐centred concepts necessarily encompass considerable spatial and temporal variability, which are investigated using maps of mean summer temperature variations over the Northern Hemisphere at 30‐year intervals from AD 1571 to 1900. ‘Little Ice Age’‐type events occurred earlier in the Holocene as exemplified by at least seven glacier expansion episodes that have been identified in southern Norway. Such events provide a broader context and renewed relevance for the ‘Little Ice Age’, which may be viewed as a ‘modern analogue’ for the earlier events; and the likelihood that similar events will occur in the future has implications for climatic change in the twenty‐first century. It is concluded that the concept of a ‘Little Ice Age’ will remain useful only by (1) continuing to incorporate the temporal and spatial complexities of glacier and climatic variations as they become better known, and (2) by reflecting improved understanding of the Earth‐atmosphere‐ocean system and its forcing factors through the interaction of palaeoclimatic reconstruction with climate modelling.     

The role of declining Arctic sea ice in recent decreasing terrestrial Arctic snow depths

The dramatic decline in Arctic sea ice cover is anticipated to influence atmospheric temperatures and circulation patterns. These changes will affect the terrestrial climate beyond the boundary of the Arctic, consequently modulating terrestrial snow cover. Therefore, an improved understanding of the relationship between Arctic sea ice and snow depth over the terrestrial Arctic is warranted. We examined responses of snow depth to the declining Arctic sea ice extent in September, during the period of 1979–2006. The major reason for a focus on snow depth, rather than snow cover, is because its variability has a climatic memory that impacts hydrothermal processes during the following summer season. Analyses of combined data sets of satellite measurements of sea ice extent and snow depth, simulated by a land surface model (CHANGE), suggested that an anomalously larger snow depth over northeastern Siberia during autumn and winter was significantly correlated to the declining September Arctic sea ice extent, which has resulted in cooling temperatures, along with an increase in precipitation. Meanwhile, the reduction of Arctic sea ice has amplified warming temperatures in North America, which has readily offset the input of precipitation to snow cover, consequently further decreasing snow depth. However, a part of the Canadian Arctic recorded an increase in snow depth driven locally by the diminishing September Arctic sea ice extent. Decreasing snow depth at the hemispheric scale, outside the northernmost regions (i.e., northeastern Siberia and Canadian Arctic), indicated that Arctic amplification related to the diminishing Arctic sea ice has already impacted the terrestrial Arctic snow depth. The strong reduction in Arctic sea ice anticipated in the future also suggests a potential long-range impact on Arctic snow cover. Moreover, the snow depth during the early snow season tends to contribute to the warming of soil temperatures in the following summer, at least in the northernmost regions.     

北半球积雪/海冰面积与温度相关性的差异分析

积雪和海冰的时空变化对区域以及全球的气候、水文具有重要影响。基于雪冰数据和NCEP再分析气温数据,利用MK检验、滞后分析等方法,分析了积雪、海冰的时空变化特征及其与温度的相关特征。结果表明：1979-2013年,北半球积雪区、北极圈的年均温度呈显著上升的趋势,而积雪面积和海冰面积呈显著下降的趋势。在大部分地区,积雪覆盖频率随着温度的上升呈显著减少的趋势,但在中国长江中下游、青藏高原等局部地区,积雪覆盖频率随着温度的上升呈显著增加趋势。在大部分的近陆地海域,海冰覆盖频率随着温度的上升呈显著下降趋势。超前时间1~2个月的温度与海冰面积的负相关性最高。超前1~4个月的温度与积雪面积的负相关性最高。温度对海冰的影响时间比对积雪的影响时间长1~2个月。温度变化对海冰和积雪的影响存在一致性,但积雪和海冰对温度的响应时间存在差异,具有空间变异性。     

A QUICJ AND DIRECT METHOD FOR ESTIMATING MEAN MONTHLY GLOBAL TEMPERATURES FROM 500MB D@TA*

Year-month mean 500mb contour positions are used to estimate Northern Hemisphere temperature variations for 1946–1980. The method is capable of giving early evidence of climatic change. Global application awaits accumulation of similar data from the Southern Hemisphere. Results are compatible with those obtained using surface data.     

An analysis of short-term albedo variations at Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland

Abstract An analysis of ten‐minute albedo variations, recorded on Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, over an 11 day period in the 1999 ablation season is presented. Most of the short‐term (<1 day) albedo variability is caused by variations in cloud cover, while solar zenith angle variations in the range 25° to 75° are of minor importance, probably due to the predominantly cloudy conditions during the measurement period. A new method to calculate albedo variation as a function of cloud cover is developed. Short‐term albedo variations are expressed by the ratio of the measured albedo to the daily albedo ‘minimum’, defined as the albedo under cloud‐free conditions when the solar zenith angle is <50°. Variations in cloud cover are quantified by the ratio of the measured incoming shortwave radiation flux to the theoretical direct‐beam shortwave radiation flux. The resulting relationships are successful, explaining 83% and 87–90% of short‐term albedo variation on snow and ice respectively, and may be incorporated into albedo parameterizations already used in numerical energy balance melt models, without the need for additional data. Simulations with a glacier energy balance model suggest that melt rates are overestimated by between 1 and 3 mm water equivalent per day if a correction is not made for the increase in albedo under cloudy conditions. Other causes of albedo variation are identified and evidence is found for the removal of fine debris from the glacier surface by intense rainfall, leading to an albedo increase. The implications for energy balance models and satellite‐derived albedo measurements are discussed.     

青海南部地区40多年来气候变化的特征分析

利用1961-2003年气温、降水、积雪等气象观测资料,分析了青海南部地区年际、年代际及各季气候变化的特征和规律。结果表明:该地区秋季气温升高最为明显,这有别于我国华北、东北、西北东部和新疆等地区冬季增温最为显著的特点;降水量冬、春季呈增加的趋势,而夏、秋季呈减少趋势;地表积雪量冬、春季的平均增加量分别为15.1cm和3.8cm,而夏、秋季的平均递减量分别为0.3cm和0.2cm。气候变暖和冬、春季降水增多以及冬、春季平均积雪量的跨季节异常或持续维持是导致青海南部地区20世纪80~90年代雪灾增多的最直接原因之一。冬、春季降水和地表积雪的增加,使得雪灾发生的频次增加,危害程度加重;而夏、秋季降水和积雪减少、气温升高、地表蒸发加大、水资源量减少,干旱出现的几率增大,影响畜牧业生产,制约当地经济发展。     

Application of time-lapse digital imagery for ground-truth verification of satellite indices in the boreal forests of Alaska

Satellite remote sensing studies of snow cover in high-latitude boreal forests require ground-truth verification based on ground observation networks. In this study, we used time-lapse digital images to precisely detect the extent of snow cover at nine locations in the boreal forests of Alaska, and to demonstrate the relationship of these ground-truth measurements to satellite indices of snow cover. Our results show that normalized difference vegetation indices (NDVIs) and normalized difference water indices (NDWIs) show significant variations at the end and beginning periods of continuous snow cover: the NDVIs on the last days of continuous snow cover ranged from 0.12 to 0.37, and those on the first days of continuous snow cover ranged from 0.16 to 0.38. The normalized difference snow indices (NDSIs) were also positive during periods of continuous snow cover and negative during periods of no snow cover. The NDWIs varied significantly from the beginning to the end of periods of continuous snow cover. This study confirms that continuous snow cover is important for accurate phenological studies using NDVIs in the region of the trans-Alaska camera network. Simple cameras can be effectively utilized in ground-based networks, functioning not only as a ground-truth verification tools for calibrating satellite indices, but also as a source of data to fill data gaps in satellite records.