Arid Zone Research ›› 2021, Vol. 38 ›› Issue (4): 919-929.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2021.04.03

• Water Resources and Utilization • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Simulating surface energy and mass balance of the Puruogangri ice cap during 2012-2014 based on High Asia Refined analysis data

LI Jianjiang1(),LI Jia1(),WU Lixin1,WANG Yingzheng1,2,GUO Lei1   

  1. 1. School of Geosciences and Info-physics, Central South University, Changsha 410083, Hunan, China
    2. College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
  • Received:2020-11-02 Revised:2021-04-28 Online:2021-07-15 Published:2021-08-03
  • Contact: Jia LI E-mail:185012119@csu.edu.cn;lijia20050710@csu.edu.cn

Abstract:

Glacier mass balance is an important parameter for describing how glaciers respond to climate change. The Puruogangri ice cap is the largest ice cap on the Tibetan Plateau, and the retrieval of its mass balance is of great significance. In this study, the surface energy balance and mass balance of the Puruogangri ice cap between April 23, 2012 and May 11, 2014 were simulated from the High Asia Refined analysis data via the coupled snowpack and ice surface energy and mass balance model(COSIMA). Based on simulated surface energy balance and mass balance, we revealed the ablation mechanism of the Puruogangri ice cap and the reason why ablation accelerated between April 23, 2012 and May 11, 2014. From April 23, 2012 to May 23, 2013 and May 23, 2013 to May 11, 2014, the simulated mass balance values of the Puruogangri ice cap were -0.18 m w. e. and 0. 36 m w. e., respectively. These results were consistent with the previously reported result (-0.13 ± 0.03 m w. e. and -0. 34 ± 0.06 m w.e., respectively) that was derived by differencing the digital elevation models obtained at different times. The simulated mass balance indicated that the low areas, such as the western parts of the ice cap, experienced mass loss, while the high areas, such as the northern part of the ice cap, experienced mass gain. The maximum mass loss and gain during the observation period were 2.69 m w. e. and 0.85 m w. e., respectively. The energy used for ablation between May 23, 2013 and May 11, 2014 was less than that used between April 23, 2012 and May 23, 2013. Therefore, the surface ablation was weakened between May 23, 2013 and May 11, 2014. However, the solid precipitation between May 23, 2013 and May 11, 2014 was also less than that between April 23, 2012 and May 23, 2013; therefore, the net surface mass balance of the ice cap decreased between May 23, 2013 and May 11, 2014.

Key words: Puruogangri ice cap, High Asia Refined analysis, coupled snowpack and ice surface energy and mass balance model(COSIMA), surface energy balance, mass balance