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

Abstract

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.