Spatial and Temporal Variability of the Surface Mass Balance of Debris-Covered Glacier Tongues

IF 3.5 2区 地球科学 Q1 GEOSCIENCES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
P. D. A. Kraaijenbrink, W. W. Immerzeel
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Abstract

Himalayan glaciers often have a supraglacial debris layer that causes spatial heterogeneity in surface changes and mostly reduces melt. Despite this, debris-covered glaciers lose mass at similar rates to debris-free glaciers. Understanding related processes is crucial for assessing impacts on water resources and hazards. This study assesses the spatiotemporal variability of surface changes in debris-covered glaciers by analyzing (parts of) two distinctly different Himalayan glaciers, Lirung Glacier and Langtang Glacier, over 2013–2018 using high-resolution uncrewed aerial system data. Derived multi-annual surface mass balances across the debris-covered tongues had reduced spatial variability compared to (sub) annual surface changes, likely due to topographic feedbacks in surface processes, while at supraglacial ice cliffs both melt amplification and dampening was observed, with an overall net negative effect on mass balance. Increased melting due to higher cliff abundance contributed to the equal surface mass balances between the tongues, despite differences in elevation and air temperatures. Additionally, cliff abundance increased sensitivity to temperature fluctuations, leading to greater surface mass balance variability. In response to the Gorkha Earthquake of April 2015, Langtang Glacier exhibited higher sensitivity of the ice influx, suggesting it has potential sensitivity to climate change. In contrast to Langtang Glacier, which showed no retreat, Lirung Glacier experienced an anomalously fast retreat of a terminal ice cliff, substantially impacting its mass balance. The spatiotemporal response revealed by this study reiterates the significant role of ice cliffs in debris-covered glacier surface mass balance, emphasizing the need for their accurate representation in impact studies.

Abstract Image

碎屑覆盖冰川舌面物质平衡的时空变化
喜马拉雅冰川通常有一个冰上碎屑层,导致表面变化的空间异质性,并主要减少融化。尽管如此,有碎片覆盖的冰川和没有碎片覆盖的冰川损失质量的速度相似。了解相关过程对于评估对水资源的影响和危害至关重要。本研究利用高分辨率无人机系统数据,分析了2013-2018年喜马拉雅两个截然不同的冰川——立戎冰川和朗塘冰川(部分),评估了碎屑覆盖冰川表面变化的时空变异性。与(次)年的地表变化相比,被碎屑覆盖的冰舌的多年地表质量平衡的空间变异性减小,这可能是由于地表过程中的地形反馈所致,而在冰川上的冰崖上,观测到融化放大和衰减,总体上对质量平衡产生了净负影响。尽管海拔和气温存在差异,但较高的悬崖丰度导致的融化增加使冰舌之间的表面质量平衡保持一致。此外,悬崖丰度增加了对温度波动的敏感性,导致更大的表面质量平衡变率。2015年4月廓尔喀地震后,琅塘冰川对冰流的敏感性较高,表明其对气候变化具有潜在的敏感性。与没有退缩的琅堂冰川不同,黎戎冰川经历了一个末端冰崖的异常快速退缩,严重影响了其物质平衡。本研究揭示的时空响应重申了冰崖在被碎屑覆盖的冰川表面物质平衡中的重要作用,强调了在影响研究中对其精确表示的必要性。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
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来源期刊
Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface Earth and Planetary Sciences-Earth-Surface Processes
CiteScore
6.30
自引率
10.30%
发文量
162
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