Isotopic variation in the lake water balance at the Yamdruk‐tso basin,southern Tibetan Plateau

The use of stable isotopes is a practical tool in the study of the lake water budget. This is an one way to study the hydrological cycle in the large numbers of inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau, in which the isotope record of the sediment is believed to reflect the climatic and environmental changes. The monitoring of stable isotopes of the precipitation, river and lake waters during 2004 in the inland Yamdruk‐tso basin, southern Tibetan Plateau, reveals the lake water δ¹⁸O is over 10‰ higher than the local precipitation. This high difference indicates strong isotope enrichment due to lake water evaporation. The simulation results based on the isotope technique show that the present lake water δ¹⁸O level corresponds to an average relative humidity of around 54–58% during evaporation, which is very close to the instrumental observation. The simulation results also show that the inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau have a strong adjustability to the isotope shift of input water δ¹⁸O. On average, the isotope component in the inland lake water is to a large extent controlled by the local relative humidity, and can also be impacted by a shift of the local precipitation isotope component. This is probably responsible for the large consistence in the isotope component in the extensive inland lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Several characteristics of contemporary climate change in the Tibetan Plateau

Characteristics of contemporary climate change in the Tibetan Plateau have been investigated based on the observational data of monthly mean air temperature, monthly mean maximum and minimum air temperatures, and precipitation amount at 217 stations in the Plateau and its adjacent areas in 1951–1998, in which the temperature data at Lhasa, Lanzhou, Kunming and Chengdu were extended to a period of 1935–1950. The following conclusions can be drawn. (1) The air temperature in the Tibetan Plateau decreased from the 1950s to the 1960s, afterwards it began warming up to the 1990s. The data at the Lhasa Station beginning from 1935 have indicated that the air temperature at the station was the highest in the 1940s, then it became cooling until the 1960s. After the 1960s, it began warming until the 1990s. However, the air temperature at Lhasa in the 1990s still did not reach as high as in the 1940s. (2) Since the 1960s, there has existed a cooling belt below 3000 m altitude above sea level, which is located in eastern and southeastern Tibetan Plateau, and there has existed a strong warming belt from south to north in 85–95° E. Because there are very nonhomogeneous and positive-negative alternating changes between cooling and warming belts, the air temperature is not linearly increased with increasing height. (3) Since the 1960s, there has existed a precipitation decreasing belt distributed over southwestern to northeastern Plateau as well as over a below 3000 m a.s.l. area in southeastern Plateau. The warming with decreasing precipitation occurs in the central area of the Plateau and the above 3000 m western Plateau; the warming with increasing precipitation occurs in the northern and southern Plateau; and the cooling with decreasing precipitation occurs in the below 3000 m southeastern Plateau.     

Comparison analysis of the summer monsoon precipitation between northern and southern slopes of Tanggula Mountains,Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau: a case study in summer 1998

Based on the precipitation data obtained through GEWEX Asian Monsoon Experiment–Tibet fieldwork from May to September 1998, this study investigated the features of the summer monsoon precipitation on the northern and southern slopes of the huge Tanggula Mountains in the Qinghai–Xizang (Tibetan) Plateau. The results show that the precipitation on the southern slope is about 50% higher than on the northern slope, whereas the frequency and diurnal pattern of the precipitation are very similar. The mean precipitation intensity on the southern slope is larger than on the northern slope. In most cases, the daily precipitation showed similar variation on both slopes, demonstrating that the precipitation processes might be similar. In the summer monsoon period, the local convective precipitation contributed to the total precipitation on both slopes and such a contribution on the southern slope is larger. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relation between stable isotope in monsoon precipitation in southern Tibetan Plateau and moisture transport history

The moisture transport history to the south of the Tibetan Plateau was modeled using the meteorological data provided by NCEP in this paper, and the modeled results were compared with the measured δ¹⁸O in the south of the Tibetan Plateau. The relation between δ¹⁸O in precipitation in the south of the Tibetan Plateau and moisture trajectories was discussed. The results show that the extremely low δ¹⁸O in precipitation in the south of the Tibetan Plateau is always related to the moisture from the low-level sea surface evaporation. The long-distance transport of moisture also contributes to low δ¹⁸O in precipitation probably due to the rainout process during moisture transport. It is also found that low δ¹⁸O in precipitation is also related with deep layer transport of moisture, and with intensive condensation in the upper layers of the atmosphere, resulting in low δ¹⁸O because of depletion of heavy isotopes in deep condensation. However, high δ¹⁸O in precipitation whether in monsoon period or not is always companied with moisture coming from the upper layers, and the moisture is from northern or western sides of the plateau. The interpretation of the modeled results is in agreement with the isotope fractionation processes.

     

Sensitivity of the central Asian climate to uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in the coupled climate model (MRI-CGCM1)

Abstract   The relationship between the altitude of the Tibetan Plateau and climate change in central Asia was investigated through a numeric experiment using the Meteorological Research Institute (MRI) coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model I (MRI-CGCM1). The results suggest that summer precipitation in central Asia decreased significantly as the Tibetan Plateau rose in height. Spring precipitation, however, increased during initial growth stages when the plateau height was up to 40% of its present-day height, and then decreased with further plateau growth. During the Tibetan Plateau uplift, the difference between precipitation and evaporation was minimal during spring. When the plateau attained a height exceeding 60% of its present height, relatively low precipitation but high evaporation in spring led to a lower amount of ground moisture. In the case of the high plateau, sensible heat flux during summer and fall largely exceeded latent heat flux. Change was particularly significant for cases when the plateau reached 40–60% of its present-day height. The duration of the predominant sensible heat flux became longer with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau. The period in which latent heat exceeded sensible heat seems to have been restricted to winter and early spring. The numeric experiments suggest that a significant drying of central Asia corresponded to the period in which the Tibetan Plateau exceeded approximately half its present-day height.     

Precipitation variation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau recorded by the tree rings since 850 AD and its relevance to the Northern Hemisphere temperature

With their high resolution and reliability, tree rings play a very important role in global climate change study. The long tree-ring chronology is considered as one of the most important information sources to study the climatic change in the past several thousands years. In recent years, the tree-ring researches in China have made great progress, and the temperature and precipita- tion in some areas were reconstructed[1-20] which on- tributed to the global change studies in China. Due to the…     

地壳流变结构控制作用下的龙门山断裂带地震发生机理

青藏高原东缘低地形变速率的龙门山断裂带上相继发生了2008汶川M_w7.9级地震和2013芦山M_w6.6级地震.地震勘探与震源定位结果揭示了龙门山区域地震空间分布特征：纵向上,龙门山断裂带这两次地震主震均发生在龙门山断裂带上地壳的底部（14~19 km）,绝大部分余震均发生在上地壳范围（5~25 km）,而在其中、下地壳深度范围内鲜见余震发生;横向上,地震（M_w>3）在龙门山断裂带青藏高原一侧密集分布且曾有大震发生,而四川盆地地震稀少（M_w>3）.为探讨龙门山断裂带地震发生机理,并解释以上龙门山区域地震空间分布特征,本文建立了龙门山断裂带西南段跨芦山地震震中区域的四种不同流变结构的龙门山断裂带三维岩石圈模型,以地表GPS观测资料为约束边界条件,数值模拟龙门山断裂带岩石圈在数千年以上长期匀速构造挤压作用下的应力积累特征,探讨了地壳分层流变性质对地壳应力积累的影响,分析了该区域地震空间分布与构造应力积累速率的关系.计算结果表明：该区域在数千年的应力积累过程中,脆性上地壳中应力表现近于恒定值的线性增长趋势,龙门山断裂带上地壳底部出现应力集中积累现象,这一应力集中现象可以解释龙门山断裂带汶川地震与芦山地震主震的发生,及其大部分余震在脆性上地壳中的触发;青藏高原一侧上地壳应力积累速率远远高于四川盆地的应力积累速率,这一应力积累分布现象可以解释龙门山区域青藏高原一侧地震密集而四川盆地地震稀少的地震空间分布特征;通过比较不同流变结构模型中的应力积累状态,认为导致这一应力积累空间分布状态的重要控制因素在于青藏高原中、下地壳较低的黏滞系数与四川盆地中、下地壳较高的黏滞系数的差异.在柔性的中、下地壳内,应力增长近于指数形式,稳定状态之后其应力增长速率近于零,构造应力积累难以达到岩石破裂强度,因而鲜见地震发生.地壳各层位的应力增长率差异与地震成层分布的现象共同揭示了龙门山区域岩石圈分层流变结构：脆性上地壳、韧性中、下地壳（青藏高原一侧较弱,四川盆地一侧较强）、韧性岩石圈上地幔.     

全球变化下青藏高原湖泊在地表水循环中的作用

青藏高原是地球上最重要的高海拔地区之一,对全球变化具有敏感响应.青藏高原作为"亚洲水塔",其地表水资源及其变化对高原本身及周边地区的经济社会发展具有重要的影响.然而,在气候变暖的情况下,构成高原地表水资源的各个组分,如冰川、湖泊、河流、降水等水体的相变及其转化却鲜为人知.湖泊是青藏高原地表水体相变和水循环的关键环节.湖泊面积、水位和水量对西风和印度季风的降水变化非常敏感,但湖泊面积和水量变化在不同区域和时段的响应也不尽相同.湖泊水温对气候变暖具有明显响应,湖泊水温和水下温跃层深度的变化能够对水—气的热量交换具有明显影响,从而影响了区域蒸发和降水等水循环过程.由于湖泊水量增加,高原中部色林错地区湖泊盐度自1970s以来普遍下降.根据60多个湖泊实地监测建立的遥感反演模型研究发现,2000—2019年湖泊透明度普遍升高.对不同补给类型的大湖水量平衡监测发现,影响湖泊变化的气象和水文要素具有较大差异.在目前的暖湿气候条件下,青藏高原的湖泊将会持续扩张.为了深入认识湖泊变化在青藏高原区域水循环和气候变化中的作用,需要全面了解湖泊水量赋存及连续的时间序列变化,需要深入了解湖泊理化参数变化及对湖泊大气之间热量交换的影响,需要更多来自大湖流域的综合连续观测数据.     

Public participation in monitoring programmes as a tool for lakeshore monitoring: the example of Lake Pyhäjärvi, Karelia, Eastern Finland

Lake Pyhäjärvi, on the border between Finland and Russia in Karelia, is a very valuable clear-water lake of the Lobelia type. It belongs to the European Union's Natura 2000 programme in Finland, and has been included in regional and national monitoring programmes since the 1960s. The main monitoring station is situated near the outlet of the lake. Deterioration of its water quality was suspected already in the 1980s because of decreasing Secchi depths (transparency) and increasing chlorophyll a.The occurrence of algal blooms on the lakeshores is monitored weekly during each summer at one site on Lake Pyhäjärvi (site 1). This is a part of nationwide intensive algae monitoring programme organised by the environmental authorities together with voluntary observers at some 270 lake sites in Finland since 1998. Since 1997, Secchi depth observations have been carried out by volunteers biweekly or monthly at 17 sites on the lake. In the vicinity of one of these transparency observation sites (station 100), intensive monitoring of algae has been carried out. At this lakeshore monitoring site 69 algal observations were made, ten of which recorded algal blooms during the study period 1998–2002. The observed algal blooms were caused by algae of the Anabaena species, mainly by Anabaena lemmermannii. At Lake Pyhäjärvi the number of algal bloom observations received from the public have decreased from the 1990s to the 2000s. The range of Secchi disc transparency was 5.0–8.4 m with a mean value of 6.2 m at station 100 and 4.3–7.7 m (mean 6.1 m) at the main monitoring station 2 during the open water periods in 1998–2002. During this study period, the maximum values at site 100 seem to have increased slightly, which might indicate some improvement in the water quality due to decreased point source loading.We conclude that the intensive algal monitoring results of 5 years at the lakeshore site and the transparency results — both compiled by trained volunteers — reflect an improvement in the state of Lake Pyhäjärvi in Karelia. This conclusion is in accordance with the long-term water quality and short-core studies of sedimentary diatoms in Lake Pyhäjärvi. We suggest that the intensive algal observations and transparency measurements are both suitable methods for the monitoring of lakeshores and lakes, and that both are suitable for voluntary monitoring. We found public participation a good tool for monitoring lakes and lakeshores.     

Decadal trend of climate in the Tibetan Plateau—regional temperature and precipitation

The Tibetan Plateau has one of the most complex climates in the world. Analysis of the climate in this region is important for understanding the climate change worldwide. In this study, climate patterns and trends in the Tibetan Plateau were analysed for the period from 1961 to 2001. Air temperature and precipitation were analysed on monthly and annual time scales using data collected from the National Meteorological Centre, China Meteorological Administration. Nonlinear slopes were estimated and analysed to investigate the spatial and temporal trends of air temperature and precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau using a Mann–Kendall method. Spatial analysis of air temperature and precipitation variability across the Tibetan Plateau was undertaken. While most trends are local in nature, there are general basinwide patterns. Temperature during the last several decades showed a long‐term warmer trend, especially the areas around Dingri and Zogong stations, which formed two increasing centres. Only one of the stations investigated exhibited decreasing trend, and this was not significant. Precipitation in the Tibetan Plateau has increased in most regions of the study area over the past several decades, especially in the eastern and central part, while the western Tibetan Region exhibited a decreased trend over the same period. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of spatial distribution and multi-year trend of the remotely sensed soil moisture on the Tibetan Plateau

Long-term highly accurate surface soil moisture data of TP(Tibetan Plateau)are important to the research of Asian monsoon and global atmospheric circulation.However,due to the sparse in-situ networks,the lack of soil moisture observations has seriously hindered the progress of climate change researches of TP.Based on the Dual-Channel soil moisture retrieval algorithm and the satellite observation data of AMSR-E(Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS),we have produced the surface soil moisture data of TP from 2003 to 2010 and analyzed the seasonal characteristic of the soil moisture spatial distribution and its multi-year changing trend in area of TP.Compared to the in-situ observations,the accuracy of the soil moisture retrieved by the proposed algorithm is evaluated.The evaluation result shows that the new soil moisture product has a better accuracy in the TP region than the official product of AMSR-E.The spatial distribution of the annual mean values of soil moisture and the seasonal variations of the monthly-averaged soil moisture are analyzed.The results show that the soil moisture variations in space and time are consistent with the precipitation distribution and the water vapor transmission path in TP.Based on the new soil moisture product,we also analyzed the spatial distribution of the changing trend of multi-year soil moisture in TP.From the comparisons with the precipitation changing trend obtained from the meteorological observation sites in TP,we found that the spatial pattern of the changing trend of soil moisture coincides with the precipitation as a whole.     

Subsistence strategies of prehistoric hunter-gatherers on the Tibetan Plateau during the Last Deglaciation

The study of prehistoric hunter-gatherer subsistence strategies on the Tibetan Plateau is important for understanding the mechanisms and processes of human adaption to high altitude environments.But to date,only a few Paleolithic sites have been found on the Tibetan Plateau with clear stratigraphy and reliable dating.These sites are mainly distributed in the Qinghai Lake Basin on the northeastern part of the plateau,and the sporadic fauna and flora remains excavated provide limited information about the subsistence strategies of hunter-gatherers.In 2014,relatively abundant animal remains were unearthed in the Lower Cultural Layer (LCL,15400-13100 cal yr BP) of the"151 site"located in the Qinghai Lake Basin,providing important information about human subsistence strategies on the Tibetan Plateau during the Last Deglaciation.Zooarchaeological analysis of these faunal remains indicates that hunter-gatherers at the"151 site"mainly targeted large ungulates of Bos and wild horse/ass,and only brought back the most nutritious parts of animal carcasses including upper and intermediate limb bones,heads,and trunks (ribs and vertebrae).People then processed and consumed the carcasses around single hearths.Our comprehensive analyses of contemporaneous sites in the Qinghai Lake Basin show that a subsistence strategy involving opportunistic hunting of ungulates,high mobility,and short occupation of campsites was used by terminal Pleistocene huntergatherers to adapt to the high-altitude environment on the Tibetan Plateau.This subsistence strategy may have been a first step of gradual hunter-gatherer adaptation to the extreme conditions on the Tibetan Plateau after the Last Glacial Maximum,and laid the foundation for the widespread distribution of hunter-gatherers on the plateau during the Holocene.     

TRMM多卫星降水分析资料揭示的青藏高原及其周边地区夏季降水日变化

本文在对比了TRMM多卫星降水分析TMPA(TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis)资料和中国643个气象站观测降水量时空分布的基础上,采用2002~2006年夏季TMPA每小时降水量资料,用合成分析和谐波分析的方法研究了青藏高原及其周边地区夏季降水量和降水频率的日变化特征.分析结果表明,平均降水量和降水频率日变化谐波分析的标准振幅显示出青藏高原地区夏季降水具有显著的日变化特征,高原中部地区对流活动日变化最强,其次是高原西南方向的印度半岛地区.谐波分析的位相表明降水量和降水频率最大值出现的时间具有选择性,高原中部降水量最大值多集中在傍晚前后,高原以东的四川盆地通常在夜晚,尤其是在后半夜达到最大值,而长江上游和中下游地区对流活动则分别在上午和下午最为活跃.青藏高原以东地区降水量日变化的位相明显不同于其他陆地地区,也不同于高原中部,具有自西向东传播的信号,四川盆地的夜雨现象可能是高原地区对流活动日变化自西向东传播的结果.     

青藏高原东北隅弧形构造区现代中小地震密集区与历史强震的关系探讨

青藏高原东北隅地区位于青藏高原、鄂尔多斯和阿拉善三大块体交汇部位,发育一组以逆走滑活动为主的弧形断裂系,其新活动性强,历史及现代强震频发,是探讨现代中小地震密集区与历史强震关联性的理想地区,也是检验和发展小震密集区值方法及其适用条件的有利地区.本文采用甘肃省地震局对该区1970年以来1～5级地震仪器监测目录,利用网格点...     

青藏高原S波和泊松比的层析成像

本研究使用中国数字地震台网（CDSN）（2009—2016）走时数据开展青藏高原地壳地震波速度三维层析成像研究,获得分辨率达到1°×1°×20 km的青藏高原地壳S波三维速度结构和泊松比分布.结果表明,分布在可可西里和羌塘北部的高钾质和钾质火山岩带,其上地壳到下地壳都存在S波波速扰动负异常和高泊松比.说明第三纪青藏高原隆升过程中,由于大陆碰撞使三叠纪的东昆仑缝合带重新破裂,造成大量壳幔混合熔融物质上涌和火山喷发,进而揭示了青藏高原北部新生代火山岩的存在与青藏高原的形成和隆升密切相关;青藏高原新生代裂谷位于中下地壳S波速度扰动负异常带的两侧,裂谷带之下的中下地壳泊松比减小到0.22以下.裂谷带之下中下地壳的S波速异常分布和泊松比值可以推断青藏高原新生代裂谷深达中地壳底部,这个推论与密度扰动三维成像的相关结论一致.青藏高原S波速度和泊松比在下地壳至壳幔边界随深度产生急剧变化,说明地壳内部发生了大规模的层间拆离和水平剪切;青藏高原东构造结之下泊松比高达0.29~0.33,S波速度扰动为负异常,推断东构造结下方地壳主要由坚硬的蛇纹石化橄榄岩组成;青藏高原中下地壳S波速负异常区范围大面积扩大,地壳底部几乎被S波速低值区全部覆盖.下地壳S波异常分布特点可能反映下地壳管道流的影响.     

Pollen-inferred vegetation and environmental changes in the central Tibetan Plateau since 8200 yr BP

The ecotone between alpine steppe and meadow in the central Tibetan Plateau is sensitive to climate changes. Here we used the pollen records from three lakes in this region to reconstruct the evolution of local vegetation and climate since 8200 cal. yr BP. The history of temperature and precipitation was reconstructed quantitatively with multi-bioclimatic indexes and a transfer function from pollen records. Results show that the steppe/meadow dominated during the period of 8200–6500 cal. yr BP, especially 8200–7200 cal. yr BP, indicating the central Tibetan Plateau was controlled by strong monsoon. The steppe dominated during the periods of 6000–4900, 4400–3900, and 2800–2400 cal. yr BP. The steppe decreased gradually and the meadow expanded during the period of 4900–4400 cal. yr BP. Three century-scale drought events occurred during 5800–4900, 4400–3900 and 2800 cal. yr BP, respectively. The first time when the regional climate shifted to the present level was at 6500 cal. yr BP in the central Plateau. Since 3000 cal. yr BP, the temperature and precipitation have decreased gradually to the present level. However, the cold climate between 700–300 cal. yr BP likely corresponds to the Little Ice Age. Supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences 100 Talents Project (Grant No. 29082762), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40671196, 40372085, 49371068, 49871078), and U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant Nos. ATM-9410491, ATM-008194)     

上新世以来构造隆升对亚洲夏季风气候变化的影响

大量地质证据表明,上新世以来(最近5 MaB.P.)青藏高原北部及非洲东部和南部地区出现过显著的构造隆升,而与此同时亚洲季风也经历了显著变化,这两者之间是否存在着因果联系一直是地学界所关心和争论的一个重要科学问题.本文利用美国国家大气研究中心(NCAR)的公用大气模式(CAM 3.1)就上新世以来青藏高原北部及东-南非高原的构造隆升对亚洲夏季风气候变化的影响进行了数值试验研究.结果表明,上新世以来亚洲夏季风的增强与两地构造隆升密切相关,但两者隆升对于亚洲季风子系统的作用是有区别的.青藏高原北部隆升主要造成东亚北部夏季风的增强及季风降水的增多,但对南亚夏季风的作用较小;东-南非高原的隆升明显增强南亚夏季风,但对东亚北部夏季风的影响有限.     

A spatial analysis of hydro‐climatic and vegetation condition trends in the Yellow River basin

Stream‐gauge data indicate that the flow of the Yellow River has declined during the past several decades. Zero flow in sections of the river channel, i.e. the Yellow River drying‐up phenomenon, has occurred since the 1970s. In this paper we present an analysis of changes in the spatial patterns of climatic and vegetation condition data in the Yellow River basin based on data from meteorological stations and satellites. The climatic data are from 1960 to 2000 and the vegetation condition data are from 1982 to 2000. The angular‐distance‐weighted interpolation method is used to get climatic data coverage from station observations. The spatial distribution of tendency is detected with Student's t‐test. The spatial patterns of climatic and vegetation condition change was analysed together with the statistical data on human activities. The analysis indicates that the precipitation decreases and temperature increases in most parts of the Yellow River basin, the evaporative demand of the atmosphere decreases in the upper reaches and increases in the lower reaches, and human activities have improved the vegetation condition in the irrigation districts. The Loess Plateau, the Tibetan Plateau, and the irrigation districts are respectively suggested as precipitation, temperature, and human activity hot spots of the Yellow River drying‐up phenomenon. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late Cenozoic magnetic polarity stratigraphy in the Jiudong Basin,northern Qilian Mountain

Late Cenozoic sediments in the Hexi Corridor, foreland depression of the Qilian Mountain preserved reliable records on the evolution of the Northern Tibetan Plateau. Detailed magnetic polarity dating on a 1150 m section at Wenshushan anticline in the Jiudong Basin, west of Hexi Corridor finds that the ages of the Getanggou Formation, Niugetao Formation and Yumen Conglomerate are >11-8.6 Ma, 8.6-4.5 Ma and 4.5-0.9 Ma respectively. Accompanying sedimentary analysis on the same section suggests that the northern Tibetan Plateau might begin gradual uplift since 8.6-7.6 Ma, earlier than the northeastern Tibetan Plateau but does not suppose that the plateau has reached its maximum elevation at that time. The commencement of the Yumen Conglomerate indicates the intensive tectonic uplift since about 4.5 Ma.

     

青藏高原东南缘构造旋转的古地磁学证据

本文在总结青藏高原东南缘近年来地质研究进展的基础上,从古地磁学的角度讨论其新生代以来的构造运动特征.结果表明:相对稳定的欧亚大陆,新生代以来山泰地块发生了约20°～80°顺时针旋转,局部地区旋转量甚至高达135°,且中部地区的旋转量明显高于南北地区;印支地块经历了～30°的顺时针旋转;川滇地块的顺时针旋转量沿102°E...