Effect of climate change on runoff of a glacierized Himalayan basin

The continuous increase in the emission of greenhouse gases has resulted in global warming, and substantial changes in the global climate are expected by the end of the current century. The reductions in mass, volume, area and length of glaciers on the global scale are considered as clear signals of a warmer climate. The increased rate of melting under a warmer climate has resulted in the retreating of glaciers. On the long‐term scale, greater melting of glaciers during the coming years could lead to the depletion of available water resources and influence water flows in rivers. It is also very likely that such changes have occurred in Himalayan glaciers, but might have gone unnoticed or not studied in detail. The water resources of the Himalayan region may also be highly vulnerable to such climate changes, because more than 50% of the water resources of India are located in the various tributaries of the Ganges, Indus and the Brahmaputra river system, which are highly dependent on snow and glacier runoff. In the present study, the snowmelt model SNOWMOD has been used to simulate the melt runoff from a highly glacierized small basin for the summer season. The model simulated the distribution and volume of runoff with reasonably good accuracy. Based on a 2‐year simulation, it is found that, on average, the contributions of glacier melt and rainfall in the total runoff are 87% and 13% respectively. The impact of climate change on the monthly distribution of runoff and total summer runoff has been studied with respect to plausible scenarios of temperature and rainfall, both individually and in combined scenarios. The analysis included six temperature scenarios ranging between 0·5 and 3 °C, and four rainfall scenarios (?10%, ?5%, 5%, 10%). The combined scenarios were generated using temperature and rainfall scenarios. The combined scenarios represented a combination of warmer and drier and a combination of warmer and wetter conditions in the study area. The results indicate that, for the study basin, runoff increased linearly with increase in temperature and rainfall. For a temperature rise of 2 °C, the increase in summer streamflow is computed to be about 28%. Changes in rainfall by ±10% resulted in corresponding changes in streamflow by ±3·5%. For the range of climatic scenarios considered, the changes in runoff are more sensitive to changes in temperature, compared with rainfall, which is likely due to the major contribution of melt water in runoff. Such studies are needed for proper assessment of available water resources under a changing climate in the Himalayan region. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

一个适用于描述中国大陆冬季气温变化的东亚冬季风指数

利用1951年1月-2007年2月的NCEP V1格点资料和中国台站观测资料,定义了一个冬季风环流指数(IEAWM),并分析其与中国冬季气温和东亚大气环流变化的联系.结果表明该指数能够很好地反映东亚冬季风系统各成员的变化,兼顾北方和南方的环流状况和东西部热力差异的影响,改进了原有冬季风指数大多针对单一的冬季风环流成员及对中国冬季气温变化反映能力的不足,能够很好地反映中国冬季平均气温的异常变化.分析表明,当该指数为正值时东亚冬季风偏强,对应着地面西伯利亚高压和高空东亚大槽均偏强,东亚地区对流层中层的高-低纬度之间的纬向风经向切变加强,有利于中高纬度冷空气向南侵入,导致中国大陆地区气温偏低,反之亦然.IEAWM的年代际变化表明东亚冬季风在1985年之前偏强,1985年之后明显偏弱,这与1985年之后中国冬季变暖是一致的.     

近50年中国冬季气温对ENSO响应的时空稳定性分析研究

根据1962~2010年中国160站的月平均气温资料、Ni?o3.4区海洋Ni?o指数(ONI)资料以及相应的NECP/NCAR再分析资料,采用相关分析、滑动相关分析、滑动t检验、合成分析等方法,探讨了最近50年中国冬季气温对ENSO响应的时空稳定性问题。结果表明:中国冬季气温异常对ENSO的响应有着显著的地域性差异以及年代际变化,其中东北和西南地区的相关关系不稳定度比较大,而在中国东部地区则比较稳定。东北与西南地区在20世纪70年代中后期以后,冬季气温对ENSO的响应迅速减弱,甚至发生了反向变化,而东部地区这种关系近50年并没有较强的突变。相应的亚洲高空大气环流对ENSO的响应也具有明显的空间差异和阶段性变化,其特征与中国冬季气温对ENSO的响应特征基本对应。从大气环流角度解释中国冬季气温对ENSO的响应发生阶段性减弱的可能机制:ENSO通过经向Hadley环流影响中高纬度大气环流,由于70年代中后期以后亚洲经向Hadley环流的下沉支发生显著减弱,使得东亚大气环流对ENSO的响应减弱,进而导致中国冬季气温对ENSO的响应减弱。     

江西地区冬季气温异常与北半球500hPa高度场的关系

利用1960—2011年江西省81个台站月平均气温观测资料和NCEP/NCAR北半球逐月500 hPa高度场再分析资料,分析了江西地区冬季(当年12月至次年2月)气温异常的时空特征、冷暖典型年500 hPa高度距平场特征以及气温异常与北半球500 hPa高度场的相关性,并运用奇异值分解(SVD)方法探讨了北半球500 hPa高度场异常与江西地区冬季气温异常之间的耦合关系。结果表明:(1)江西地区省冬季气温以全区一致的变化为主;(2)影响江西地区冬季气温异常的500 hPa高度场关键区为北大西洋(20.0°—42.5°N,10°—70°W)和欧亚地区(25.0°—72.5°N,40°—150°E),影响时段分别为当年7月(前期)和当年冬季(同期);(3)前期7月北大西洋关键区500 hPa高度场与江西地区冬季气温呈显著的正相关关系,其中最显著的区域为赣北地区;冬季欧亚大陆关键区500 hPa高度场与江西地区冬季气温也呈显著的相关关系,其中最显著的区域为赣北、赣中地区。     

河北冬奥赛区一次夜间增温过程的数值模拟及诊断

夜间增温是河北冬奥赛区冬季频发的天气现象,对其进行准确的模拟与预报对赛区建设及比赛保障至关重要.本文针对河北冬奥赛区2020年2月8日夜间至9日凌晨发生的一次夜间增温过程,通过引入高分辨率地形数据,利用中尺度区域数值模式WRF4.1.5精细化再现了此次夜间增温过程,并探究了此次过程的气象特征及成因.研究结果表明:此次夜...     

Little River Experimental Watershed,a keystone in understanding of coastal plain watersheds

The US Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service Southeast Watershed Research Laboratory (SEWRL) initiated a hydrologic research program on the Little River Experimental Watershed (LREW) in 1967. Long-term (52 years) streamflow data are available for nine sites, including rainfall-runoff relationships and hydrograph characteristics regularly used in research on interactive effects of climate, vegetation, soils, and land-use in low-gradient streams of the US EPA Level III Southeastern Plains ecoregion. A summary of prior research on the LREW illustrates the impact of the watershed on building a regional understanding of hydrology and water quality. Climatic and streamflow data were used to make comparisons of scale across the nine nested LREW watersheds (LRB, LRF, LRI, LRJ, LRK, LRO, LRN, LRM, and LRO3) and two regional watersheds (Alapaha and Little River at Adel). Annual rainfall for the largest LREW, LRB, was 1200 mm while average annual streamflow was 320 mm. Annual rainfall, streamflow, and the ratio between annual streamflow and rainfall (Sratio) were similar (α = 0.05) across LREWs LRB, LRF, LRI, LRJ, LRK, and LRO. While annual rainfall within the 275 ha LRO3 was found to be similar to LRO and LRM (α = 0.05), annual streamflow and Sratio were significantly different (α = 0.05). Comparisons of annual rainfall, streamflow, and Sratio between LRB and the regional watersheds indicated no differences (α = 0.05). Based upon this analysis, most regional watersheds shared similar hydrologic characteristics. LRO3 was an exception, where increases in row crops and decreases in forest coverage resulted in increased streamflow. LREW data have been instrumental in building considerable scientific understanding of flow and transport processes for these stream systems. Continued operation of the LREW hydrologic network will support hydrologic research as well as environmental quality and riparian research programs that address emerging and high priority natural resource and environmental issues.     

北极涛动年代际变化对东亚北部冬季气温增暖的影响

利用NCEP／NCAR再分析资料中的地表气温资料,分析了1949-1999年东亚北部地区冬季气温的变化。结果表明,从20世纪70年代中期开始东亚北部的气温显著升高,具有明显的年代际变化特征。这种气温的异常变化主要受东亚冬季风的直接影响。近二十几年来,北极涛动对东亚冬季风的影响越来越显著,北极涛动维持在正位相并持续增强,同期东亚冬季风持续减弱。研究表明,北极涛动持续增强的趋势是东亚北部地区冬季增暖的重要原因之一。     

Bed sediment entrainment by streamflow: State of the science

In fluvial sedimentology, bed sediment entrainment by streamflow has a decisive role in controlling several fluvial processes. Owing to its huge practical importance, the subject has been painstakingly explored for over a century. However, a detailed understanding of the mechanism of the bed sediment entrainment phenomenon achieved hitherto is far from complete. The central theme of bed sediment entrainment is occupied by the sediment entrainment threshold, which varies enormously in its qualitative definition, identification and quantification encompassing a broad range of spatiotemporal scales. This article presents the state of the science of the entrainment of non‐cohesive bed sediments under a steady‐unidirectional streamflow. It begins with the diverse definitions and representations of the entrainment threshold criterion from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, scrutinising its suitability and ambit of applicability. Then, the effects of energetic factors that drive the entrainment threshold criterion are critically appraised. The indispensable mechanisms of bed sediment entrainment, including the theoretical background and modelling strategies, the role of turbulent bursting phenomenon and the phenomenological perspective into the origin of the scaling laws of sediment entrainment, are explained. Throughout the article, special emphasis is given to the strengths and weaknesses of the current state of the science. In addition, a deliberate attempt is made to invoke the thought‐provoking ideas on the multifarious features of bed sediment entrainment. Finally, the innovative perspectives on the bed sediment entrainment are provided and the concluding remarks are made, elucidating the major challenges and suggesting the prospective ways to resolve them as a future scope of research.     

Snowmelt characteristics in a pristine mountain catchment of the Jalovecký Creek,Slovakia, over the last three decades

The Jalovecký Creek catchment, Slovakia (area 22.2 km², mean elevation 1500 m a.s.l.), is likely the last big valley complex in the Carpathian Mountains, in which the hydrological cycle is still governed by natural processes. Hydrological research is conducted there since the end of the 1980s. The overall mission of the research is to increase the knowledge about the hydrological cycle in the highest part of the Carpathians. The research agenda, briefly introduced in the first part of this article, is focused on water balance, snow accumulation and melt and runoff formation. Recent analysis of precipitation, discharge, snow cover and isotopic data from period 1989–2018 indicates that hydrological cycle has become more dynamic since 2014. Although several indicators suggest that it could be related to the cold part of the year, direct links with snow storage and the contribution of snowmelt water to catchment runoff were not confirmed. The second part of the article is therefore focused on an analysis of daily cycles in streamflow in March to June 1988–2018 to obtain a deeper insight into the snowmelt process. We describe characteristics of the cycles and examine their variability over the study period. The results indicate that less snow at the lowest elevations (800–1150 m a.s.l.) since 2009 could have influenced the cessation of the cycles in June since 2010. The possible role of the decreased amount of snow at the lowest elevations in changes in runoff characteristics is also suggested by an increase in time lags between maximum discharges during the events and maximum air temperatures preceding discharge maxima measured near the catchment outlet (at 750 m a.s.l.) in spring 2018 compared to springs with a similar number of streamflow cycles in the years 1988, 2000 and 2009. Wavelet analysis did not indicate changes in global power spectra in hourly discharge and air temperature data.     

Do mixing models with different input requirement yield similar streamflow source contributions? Case study: A tropical montane catchment

Hydrogeochemical based mixing models have been successfully used to investigate the composition and source identification of streamflow. The applicability of these models is limited due to the high costs associated with data collection and the hydrogeochemical analysis of water samples. Fortunately, a variety of mixing models exist, requiting different amount of data as input, and in data scarce regions it is likely that preference will be given to models with the lowest requirement of input data. An unanswered question is if models with high or low input requirement are equally accurate. To this end, the performance of two mixing models with different input requirement, the mixing model analysis (MMA) and the end-member mixing analysis (EMMA), were verified on a tropical montane headwater catchment (21.7 km²) in the Ecuadorian Andes. Nineteen hydrogeochemical tracers were measured on water samples collected weekly during 3 years in streamflow and eight potential water sources or end-members (precipitation, lake water, soil water from different horizons and springs). Results based on 6 conservative tracers, revealed that EMMA (using all tracers) and MMA (using pair-combinations out of the 6 conservative ones), identified the same end-members: rainfall, soil water and spring water., as well as, similar contribution fractions to streamflow from rainfall 21.9% and 21.4%, soil water 52.7% and 52.3%, and spring water 26.1% and 28.7%, respectively. Our findings show that a hydrogeochemical mixing model requiring a few tracers can provide similar outcomes than models demanding more tracers as input data. This underlines the value of a preliminary detailed hydrogeochemical characterization as basis to derive the most cost-efficient monitoring strategy.