Arid
DOI10.5194/angeo-27-4505-2009
Melting of major Glaciers in the western Himalayas: evidence of climatic changes from long term MSU derived tropospheric temperature trend (1979-2008)
Prasad, A. K.1,3; Yang, K. -H. S.1,2,3; El-Askary, H. M.1,3,4,5; Kafatos, M.1,3
通讯作者Prasad, A. K.
来源期刊ANNALES GEOPHYSICAE
ISSN0992-7689
EISSN1432-0576
出版年2009
卷号27期号:12页码:4505-4519
英文摘要

Global warming or the increase of the surface and atmospheric temperatures of the Earth, is increasingly discernible in the polar, sub-polar and major land glacial areas. The Himalayan and Tibetan Plateau Glaciers, which are the largest glaciers outside of the Polar Regions, are showing a large-scale decrease of snow cover and an extensive glacial retreat. These glaciers such as Siachen and Gangotri are a major water resource for Asia as they feed major rivers such as the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra. Due to scarcity of ground measuring stations, the long-term observations of atmospheric temperatures acquired from the Microwave Sounding Unit (MSU) since 1979-2008 is highly useful. The lower and middle tropospheric temperature trend based on 30 years of MSU data shows warming of the Northern Hemisphere’s mid-latitude regions. The mean month-to-month warming (up to 0.048 +/- 0.026 degrees K/year or 1.44 degrees K over 30 years) of the mid troposphere (near surface over the high altitude Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau) is prominent and statistically significant at a 95% confidence interval. Though the mean annual warming trend over the Himalayas (0.016 +/- 0.005 degrees K/year), and Tibetan Plateau (0.008 +/- 0.006 degrees K/year) is positive, the month to month warming trend is higher (by 2-3 times, positive and significant) only over a period of six months (December to May). The factors responsible for the reversal of this trend from June to November are discussed here. The inequality in the magnitude of the warming trends of the troposphere between the western and eastern Himalayas and the IG (Indo-Gangetic) plains is attributed to the differences in increased aerosol loading (due to dust storms) over these regions. The monthly mean lower-tropospheric MSU-derived temperature trend over the IG plains (dust sink region; up to 0.032 +/- 0.027 degrees K/year) and dust source regions (Sahara desert, Middle East, Arabian region, Afghanistan-Iran-Pakistan and Thar Desert regions; up to 0.068 +/- 0.033 degrees K/year) also shows a similar pattern of month-to-month oscillation and six months of enhanced and a statistically significant warming trend. The enhanced warming trend during the winter and pre-monsoon months (December-May) may accelerate glacial melt. The unequal distribution of the warming trend over the year is discussed in this study and is partially attributed to a number of controlling factors such as sunlight duration, CO2 trends over the region (2003-2008), water vapor and aerosol distribution.


英文关键词Atmospheric composition and structure Aerosols and particles Meteorology and atmospheric dynamics Climatology Radio science Remote sensing
类型Article
语种英语
国家USA ; Egypt
收录类别SCI-E
WOS记录号WOS:000273060300012
WOS关键词INDIAN-SUMMER MONSOON ; TIBETAN PLATEAU ; DASUOPU GLACIER ; SNOW ; RETREAT ; REANALYSIS ; MOUNTAINS ; ANOMALIES ; IMPACT ; REGION
WOS类目Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
WOS研究方向Astronomy & Astrophysics ; Geology ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
资源类型期刊论文
条目标识符http://119.78.100.177/qdio/handle/2XILL650/159712
作者单位1.Chapman Univ, Schmid Coll Sci, Dept Phys Computat Sci & Engn, Orange, CA 92866 USA;
2.Chapman Univ, Schmid Coll Sci, Dept Biol Sci, Orange, CA 92866 USA;
3.Chapman Univ, Ctr Excellence Earth Observing, Orange, CA 92866 USA;
4.Univ Alexandria, Fac Sci, Dept Environm Sci, Alexandria 21522, Egypt;
5.Natl Author Remote Sensing & Space Sci, Cairo, Egypt
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GB/T 7714
Prasad, A. K.,Yang, K. -H. S.,El-Askary, H. M.,et al. Melting of major Glaciers in the western Himalayas: evidence of climatic changes from long term MSU derived tropospheric temperature trend (1979-2008)[J],2009,27(12):4505-4519.
APA Prasad, A. K.,Yang, K. -H. S.,El-Askary, H. M.,&Kafatos, M..(2009).Melting of major Glaciers in the western Himalayas: evidence of climatic changes from long term MSU derived tropospheric temperature trend (1979-2008).ANNALES GEOPHYSICAE,27(12),4505-4519.
MLA Prasad, A. K.,et al."Melting of major Glaciers in the western Himalayas: evidence of climatic changes from long term MSU derived tropospheric temperature trend (1979-2008)".ANNALES GEOPHYSICAE 27.12(2009):4505-4519.
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