Glacier Changes and Their Effects on Northwest China

• 作者: Feng Tong Liu Shiyin Xu Junli
• 来源期刊: 气象与环境研究：英文版
• 学科: 地球科学
• 关键词: GLACIER CHANGE GLACIER RUNOFF EFFECTS NORTHWEST China
• 年，卷（期）: qxyhjyjywb_2017,（6）
• 页码范围: 15-19
• 页数: 5页
• 分类号: P

摘要

Though being considered strategically important in matters of national defense based on its abundance of natural resources, Northwest China is one of the most ecologically vulnerable areas in the country. As one of the region's important water sources, glaciers have gone through major changes due to climate change. An analysis of research results over the past 60 years reveals that the glaciers have been retreating in general to some degree in large river basins in Northwest China, but the rate of retreating varied largely among different regions, ranging from 0.01% - a -1 to 0.75% a -1. Specifically, glaciers around the Lantsang River Basin and the Altay Mountains have been retreating fastest. The retreat of glaciers has already caused an increase in runoff in mountainous areas of Northwest China. Meanwhile, increases in the frequency of glacial flash floods and in the flood discharge will further enhance the probability of glacial lake outburst floods and ensuing disasters.