Responses of Snow Depth and Seasonal Frozen Ground Temperature to Enhanced Air Temperature in Kunges Valley, Tianshan Mountains

作者：Guo Lingpeng · 发表于：资源科学 · 年份：2012 · 被引用次数：2 · 研究领域：Cryospheric studies and observations、Climate change and permafrost、Arctic and Antarctic ice dynamics

Climate change is influencing the temporal and spatial variation of snow cover and the hydro-thermal variation of seasonal frozen ground. And both seasonal snow cover and frozen ground significantly affect the streamflow in spring and its annual distribution. In order to analyze the effects of snow cover and air temperature on the thermal regime of seasonal frozen ground, an air temperature enhancement experiment was performed at the Tianshan Station for Snow-cover and Avalanche Research with a temperature enhancement system based on the principle of Temperature Free-Air Controlled Enhancement(TFACE). The field experiment was conducted under three treatments: natural condition, temperature-enhanced treatment I (enhanced by approximately 2 ℃ ) and temperature-enhanced treatment II (enhanced by approximately 4 ℃ ). It began on March 13 and ended on April 15. The results indicate that the air temperature enhancement has greater impact on snow cover than on the seasonal frozen ground. With an initial snow depth of 128cm, snow-melting under the temperature-enhanced treatment I and treatment II are 19 days and 25 days respectively earlier than that under natural condition. Air temperature, maximum snow depth and its date are the key factors that influence the seasonal frozen ground temperature during the snow-melting season. Soil thaws from the bottom to the top soil layer under the condition of snow covering. Because of the disappearance of snow cover, the soil receives solar radi...