ID:
publications-2671
Type:
Peer reviewed articles
Year:
2018
Authors:
Remco J. de Kok, Obbe A. Tuinenburg, Pleun N. J. Bonekamp, Walter W. Immerzeel
Title:
Irrigation as a Potential Driver for Anomalous Glacier Behavior in High Mountain Asia
Venue/Journal:
Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:
10.1002/2017GL076158
Research type:
AI & Machine Learning
Water System:
Groundwater
Technical Focus:
Abstract:
AbstractMany glaciers in the northwest of High Mountain Asia (HMA) show an almost zero or positive mass balance, despite the global trend of melting glaciers. This phenomenon is often referred to as the āKarakoram anomaly,ā although strongest positive mass balances can be found in the Kunlun Shan mountain range, northeast of the Karakoram. Using a regional climate model, in combination with a moistureātracking model, we show that the increase in irrigation intensity in the lowlands surrounding HMA, particularly in the Tarim basin, can locally counter the effects of global warming on glaciers in Kunlun Shan, and parts of Pamir and northern Tibet, through an increase in summer snowfall and decrease in net radiance. Irrigation can thus affect the regional climate in a way that favors glacier growth, and future projections of glacier melt, which may impact millions of inhabitants surrounding HMA, will need to take into account predicted changes in irrigation intensity.
Link with Projects:
676819
Link with Tools:
Related policies:
ID:
