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Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Snowline Altitude and Their Responses to Climate Change in the Tienshan Mountains, Central Asia, during 2001–2019

Author

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  • Gang Deng

    (Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Geo-Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China)

  • Zhiguang Tang

    (Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Geo-Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China)

  • Guojie Hu

    (State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China)

  • Jingwen Wang

    (National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Geo-Spatial Information Technology, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
    School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China)

  • Guoqing Sang

    (National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Geo-Spatial Information Technology, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
    School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China)

  • Jia Li

    (National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Geo-Spatial Information Technology, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China
    School of Resource Environment and Safety Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan 411201, China)

Abstract

Snow cover is an important water resource in arid and semi-arid regions of Central Asia, and is related to agricultural and livestock production, ecosystems, and socio-economic development. The snowline altitude (SLA) is a significant indicator for monitoring the changes in snow cover in mountainous regions under the changing climate. Here, we investigate the spatiotemporal variation of SLA in the Tienshan Mountains (TS) during 2001–2019 using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow cover products on a grid-by-grid basis. The potential influence of topographic factors (slope gradient and aspect) on SLA and the correlation between SLA, temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation are also investigated. The results are as follows: (1) The annual cycle of SLA shows strong seasonal fluctuations (from about 2000 m in late December to 4100 m in early August). The SLA over the TS exhibits a large spatiotemporal heterogeneity. (2) SLA increases with a steeper slope gradient. The SLA of the northerly aspect is generally less than the southerly. (3) The SLA over the TS generally shows an increasing trend in the recent years (2001–2019). The change trend of SLA varies in different months. Except for a slight decrease in June, the SLA increased in almost all months, especially at the start of the melt season (March and April) and the end of melting season (July and August). (4) The SLA increases with increased temperature/radiation in the TS, and decreases with increased precipitation. Solar radiation is the dominant climatic factor affecting the changes of SLA in the TS. Compared with precipitation, temperature is more correlated to SLA dynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Gang Deng & Zhiguang Tang & Guojie Hu & Jingwen Wang & Guoqing Sang & Jia Li, 2021. "Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Snowline Altitude and Their Responses to Climate Change in the Tienshan Mountains, Central Asia, during 2001–2019," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-21, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:7:p:3992-:d:529586
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    1. T. Caloiero & R. Coscarelli & E. Ferrari, 2018. "Application of the Innovative Trend Analysis Method for the Trend Analysis of Rainfall Anomalies in Southern Italy," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(15), pages 4971-4983, December.
    2. Annina Sorg & Tobias Bolch & Markus Stoffel & Olga Solomina & Martin Beniston, 2012. "Climate change impacts on glaciers and runoff in Tien Shan (Central Asia)," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 2(10), pages 725-731, October.
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    1. Shuai Sun & Chunxiang Shi & Xiao Liang & Shuai Zhang & Junxia Gu & Shuai Han & Hui Jiang & Bin Xu & Qingbo Yu & Yujing Liang & Shuai Deng, 2023. "The Evaluation of Snow Depth Simulated by Different Land Surface Models in China Based on Station Observations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(14), pages 1-17, July.

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