The Arctic, Antarctic, and Tibetan Plateau (TP) are often referred to as Earth’s three poles, and they exert outsized influence on the global climate. The three poles have undergone accelerating loss of sea ice, ice shelves, and/or glaciers, accompanied by pronounced warming in the Arctic and TP and region-specific warming in Antarctica. Despite their geographical remoteness, the three poles exhibit evident linkages, yet substantial gaps remain in our understanding of their climate teleconnections. This review summarizes the interactions among Earth’s three poles. The three poles are dynamically linked through a hierarchy of pathways. The Arctic–TP interactions are dominated by stationary Rossby-wave trains triggered by sea-ice and snow anomalies and reinforced by land-surface feedback over the plateau. The Arctic–Antarctic coupling relies on ocean heat transport through Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation and on the modulation of tropical Atlantic temperature and the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The Antarctic–TP signals travel via sea-surface temperature anomalies in the Indian Ocean forced by the Antarctic Oscillation, which propagate northward and excite wave trains and transport moisture onto the TP. Closing the remaining knowledge gaps will require coordinated paleoclimate constraints, targeted field campaigns over the Southern Ocean and TP, and next‑generation Earth‑system models equipped with machine‑learning techniques. Such integrative efforts are essential for more reliable projections of compound extremes and for informing adaptation strategies.
How to cite: Duan, A., Li, X., Hu, W., Che, T., Hu, J., Peng, Y., Zhang, C., Hu, D., Tang, Y., Pan, Z., Wang, Q., and Wu, G.: Climate teleconnections among the Earth’s three poles, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2674, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2674, 2026.
Abstract:
The Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, a pivotal regulator of global climate and hydrological cycles, hosts intricate multi-sphere interactions under accelerating global changes. Unlocking its full scientific potential requires not only open data sharing but also intelligent, AI-ready data governance. The National Tibetan Plateau Data Center (TPDC) has established a leading open-data ecosystem, hosting over 8,400 datasets (62% fully open access) totaling 674 TB, and implementing systematic FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) principles through automated lifecycle management, peer review, DOI assignment, and CC-BY licensing.
To advance from open data to AI-powered digital twins, TPDC has pioneered the READY framework (Richness, Ethics, Accessibility, Diversity, Yield), bridging geoscience data with AI-driven discovery through three transformative systems: (1) AI-Ready Data Governance & Semantic Automation, implementing cross-sphere quality control and ethics reviews, while utilizing NLP and knowledge graphs for automated metadata generation and semantic annotation; (2) AI-Ready Data Engineering, achieving multi-modal spatiotemporal anchoring and cross-scale alignment to build hierarchical Earth system models, notably treating uncertainty as a ‘first-class object’; and (3) AI-Ready Data Service, shifting from auxiliary analysis to a model-oriented continuous data supply, creating a dynamic loop that supports foundation model training and enables integrated prediction-decision making.. These capabilities are strengthened by integrating data from the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research (STEP), historical archives, and international collaborations (e.g., NSIDC, ICIMOD, WMO), ensuring global interoperability and scientific robustness.
TPDC’s data governance framework has underpinned over 8,000 SCI publications, enabling critical insights into climate adaptation, cryosphere-related hazards, and sustainable pathways. Ultimately, TPDC is committed to realizing the vision of ‘probing the past, assessing the present, and preparing for the future,’ providing robust, multi-scale predictions to support sustainable development and ecological security.
Keywords: National Tibetan Plateau Data Center (TPDC); Qinghai-Xizang Plateau; AI-Ready Data; READY Framework; Digital Twins; FAIR Principles; Earth System Science
References:
Li, X., Cheng, G., Wang, L., Wang, J., Ran, Y., Che, T., Li, G., He, H., Zhang, Q., Jiang, X., Zou, Z., & Zhao, G. (2021). Boosting geoscience data sharing in China. Nat. Geosci. 14, 541–542. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-021-00808-y
Pan, X., Guo, X., Li, X., Niu, X., Yang, X., Feng, M., Che, T., Jin, R., Ran, Y., Guo, J., Hu, X., & Wu, A. (2021). National Tibetan Plateau Data Center: Promoting Earth System Science on the Third Pole. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 102, E2062–E2078, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-21-0004.1.
How to cite: Pan, X., Li, X., Feng, M., and Guo, Y.: From Open Data to AI-Powered Digital Twins: The TPDC’s READY Framework for the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-17561, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-17561, 2026.
The Tibetan Plateau (TP), also known as the “Water Tower of Asia”, profoundly impacts regional and global climates. Existing climate models exhibit substantial biases over the area, primarily due to low spatial resolution, deficient driving data, and inadequate model domains. Leveraging meteorological station data, the CN05.1 gridded meteorological dataset, and various reanalysis datasets, we comprehensively evaluate the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting model at gray-zone resolution (9 km) (hereafter WRF9km) in simulating TP air temperature and precipitation during 1980—2019, and identify bias causes. WRF9km effectively captures the spatial patterns of observed air temperature, although it exhibits a cold bias that can mainly be explained by overestimated surface albedo (accounting for 64%), along with underestimated downward radiation and ground heat fluxes. WRF9km also simulates observed spatial precipitation patterns well (seasonal correlations > 0.5, significant at the 95% level); however, its precipitation biases exhibit pronounced spatial heterogeneity, with overestimation along the slope regions of the southern and eastern TP and underestimation over the interior TP, particularly the western TP, relative to CN05.1. These biases primarily arise from inadequate characterization of wind-field dynamics and moisture transport within the model framework. Meanwhile, the WRF9km effectively captures annual precipitation variation with minor deviations, although it does not fully reproduce the temporal trends in precipitation over the TP. Overall, compared to the driving ERA5 data, WRF9km yields only marginal improvement in mitigating the cold bias but substantially reduces the regional mean precipitation wet bias by 79%, particularly over the southern and eastern slopes. This evaluation provides critical insights to advance dynamic downscaling studies in complex terrain, highlighting the need for enhanced surface albedo parameterizations and improved quality of input driving data.
How to cite: Wang, X., Li, Y., Ou, T., Wang, J., Gou, X., Pang, G., Yang, M., Linderholm, H., Chen, D., and Lu, M.: Evaluation of the WRF model’s performance at gray-zone resolution in simulating climate over the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-16550, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-16550, 2026.
This study investigates the spatiotemporal characteristics and governing mechanisms of winter extreme precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), identifying two distinct synoptic categories through spectral clustering analysis. Based on 192 regional extreme precipitation events (REPEs) during 1980–2020, we classify these events into Type 1 (68.23%, 131 events) characterized by precipitation centers over the western and eastern parts of the southern slope of the TP, and Type 2 (31.77%, 61 events) featuring precipitation centers located in the western TP. These types exhibit contrasting dynamic origins and long-term trend changes, with Type 2 REPEs showing a significant increase in occurrence frequency in recent decades, while Type 1 REPEs have declined. Type 1 REPEs are driven by a Rossby wave train originating over western North America, which propagates southeastward to induce equivalently barotropic cyclonic anomalies over the TP. This configuration enhances ascending motions and convective activity along the southern TP slopes, further supported by anomalous moisture convergence along the southern slope of the TP. In contrast, Type 2 REPEs are governed by a mid-latitude Rossby wave train along 40°N, generating an anomalous cyclonic-anticyclonic dipole southwest and southeast of the TP. This structure triggers ascent and convection over the western TP, with moisture concentrated over the western TP. These findings advance the understanding of TP extreme precipitation variability and its teleconnection drivers, highlighting the role of hemispheric-scale wave trains in modulating regional climate extremes.
How to cite: Ha, Y. and Ding, Z.: Impact of Synoptic-Scale Circulation Classifications on Winter Extreme Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2884, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2884, 2026.
Mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) play a critical role in downstream heavy rainfall over Sichuan. However, conventional single-threshold identification and area-overlap tracking methods often suffer from substantial misidentification in plateau regions, primarily due to cold cirrus contamination and incomplete life-cycle representation. In this study, an improved area-overlap combined with Kalman-filtering (AOL-KF) tracking algorithm is developed for warm seasons (May–October) during 2019–2023 over the TP by introducing a rainfall constraint. FY-4A blackbody brightness temperature is jointly used with GMCP merged precipitation through a rain-rate threshold, with FY-4A cloud type serving as auxiliary information. The rainfall constraint is further evaluated using Ka-band ground-based millimeter-wave cloud radar observations at Naqu and Yushu during July–August 2020. Results show that cirrus-induced false identification is effectively suppressed, and the identified MCSs are more consistent with radar observations. Trajectory reconstruction indicates that potential MCSs are mainly distributed east of 85°E and south of 35°N, with 61.14% propagating eastward. Only 1.85% of TP MCSs move off the plateau, and 0.93% further affect Sichuan. MCS translation speed exhibits a clear meridional gradient and is significantly modulated by mid–upper-level (200–400 hPa) flow. A representative case demonstrates that TP-origin MCSs intensify over Sichuan due to enhanced moisture convergence, secondary circulation, and atmospheric instability.
How to cite: Jiang, M., Jiang, J., Zhao, P., Shi, W., Chen, D., and Gui, Z.: Tracking Warm-Season Mesoscale Convective Systems over the Tibetan Plateau and Their Impact on Sichuan Heavy Rainfall, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-12225, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-12225, 2026.
Summer precipitation over the inner Tibetan Plateau (TP) has increased markedly since the 1990s, leading to widespread lake expansion and exerting profound impacts on local ecosystems and infrastructure. While previous studies focused on external moisture transport associated with weakened westerlies, our study identifies a critical yet overlooked internal driver. To quantify the spatial origins of this increase, we employed an Eulerian moisture back-tracking model (Water Accounting Model: WAM-2layers) that decomposes the regional water vapor budget into specific source contributions. Using this framework combined with circulation diagnostics for 1979–2021, we reveal that internal moisture recycling within the TP is essential for sustaining the observed wetting trend. Specifically, the eastern TP (ETP), contributes an amount of moisture to western TP (WTP) precipitation comparable to major external sources. Moreover, the ETP’s contribution has increased by more than 23% compared to the earlier period, surpassing the growth from western and southern external sources. Our analysis bridges the gap between regional moisture budget equations and quantitative source attribution by demonstrating that this enhanced ETP contribution is driven not by local evapotranspiration, but by anomalous easterly winds. These anomalies, associated with a westward shift of the westerly jet core, intensified east-to-west moisture transport, suppressed vertical kinetic energy exchange, and increased lower-tropospheric moisture retention. These results highlight that intensified internal water recycling is a primary mechanism reshaping the regional hydrological balance and accelerating lake expansion in the western TP.
How to cite: Yuan, X., Wang, Y., Yang, K., and Ma, X.: Enhanced Internal Moisture Recycling from Eastern to Western Tibetan Plateau Sustains the Recent Increase in Inner Plateau Precipitation, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2961, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2961, 2026.
The spatiotemporal heterogeneity of snowpack properties—particularly snow grain size, density, and liquid water content—combined with the attenuating and radiating effects of forest canopy, continues to pose critical challenges that limit the accuracy of snow depth retrieval from passive microwave remote sensing. To address these issues, this study introduces the Equivalent Volume Scattering Index (EVSI), a physically informed metric designed to isolate the radiative contributions of non-snow-depth factors in microwave signal propagation. The EVSI is defined as the ratio of the differential brightness temperature between high-frequency (e.g., 37 GHz) and low-frequency (e.g., 19 GHz) passive microwave channels to in situ ground-based snow depth observations. Leveraging the joint spatiotemporal patterns of in situ snow depth and EVSI, we first classified Northern Hemisphere snowpack into seven distinct snow types via unsupervised cluster analysis. This typology captures dominant regimes characterized by unique combinations of microphysical and environmental conditions. For each snow type, we then developed a dynamic, regionally adaptive, and partially non-resetting EVSI-based snow depth retrieval model. The “partially non-resetting” design preserves key snow state variables across time steps—such as grain size evolution and liquid water retention—while allowing radiative transfer parameters to adapt dynamically to evolving snow and canopy conditions. In contrast to conventional passive microwave snow depth algorithms, the proposed framework not only ensures physical interpretability through its foundation in microwave radiative transfer theory but also prioritizes operational feasibility by relying exclusively on readily accessible inputs, including daily air temperature, daily precipitation, and daily brightness temperatures from both low- and high-frequency microwave channels. Consequently, the algorithm simultaneously achieves higher retrieval accuracy and enhanced spatiotemporal generalizability, demonstrating robust performance across diverse climatic zones and seasonal cycles—thereby advancing both scientific understanding and practical applicability in global snow monitoring.
How to cite: Wang, J., Che, T., Dai, L., Su, Y., Hu, Y., and Li, Y.: A Novel Snow Depth Retrieval Approach for the Northern Hemisphere Based on an Equivalent Volumetric Scattering Index, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13253, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13253, 2026.
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is characterized by complex and heterogeneous surface conditions across its multiple climate zones, leading to significant spatial variability in the dominant controls on surface water and energy fluxes. This complexity poses a significant challenge to mechanistic analyses of surface water and energy fluxes and to the evaluation of flux products from remote sensing and reanalysis. In this study, we synthesize multi-year eddy-covariance observations from 19 land–atmosphere interaction stations covering humid, semi-humid, semi-arid and arid regions of the TP and use convergent cross mapping (CCM) and boosted regression trees (BRT) to: (1) systematically identify the principal drivers of latent heat flux (LE) and sensible heat flux (H) and their regional variability; and (2) assess the performance of several commonly used remote-sensing and reanalysis flux products over the TP. We find pronounced climate-zone differences in the dominant controls on LE. In humid and semi-humid zones, net radiation (Rn) is the primary driver; within the semi-humid zone, increasing volumetric water content of the shallow soil (Shallow VWC) shifts LE progressively from a water-limited to energy-limited regimes. In semi-arid and arid zones, LE is jointly regulated by Shallow VWC and vapor pressure deficit (VPD): higher Shallow VWC consistently enhances LE, whereas low VPD favors LE and high VPD strongly suppresses it. These regional differences can be attributed to the differential responses of surface conductance (Gs) to Shallow VWC and VPD. In arid and semi-arid regions, Shallow VWC plays a key regulatory role: increases in Shallow VWC markedly enhance the sensitivity of Gs to VPD and increase the reference conductance (Gs_ref); meanwhile, Gs in these regions is more sensitive to VPD; therefore, under high VPD conditions, Gs declines rapidly, thereby strongly suppressing LE. By contrast, no comparable regulatory effect of Shallow VWC is observed in humid regions, and the sensitivity of Gs to VPD is overall lower than in arid and semi-arid regions. By contrast, controls on H are consistent across climate zones and are dominated by the land–air temperature gradient (Ts–Ta). Evaluation of remote-sensing and reanalysis products indicates critical weaknesses with pronounced regional specificity in their performance. Because the models fail to accurately characterize the roles of Shallow VWC and VPD, LE estimates are least accurate in arid regions; by contrast, biases in H are largest in humid regions, where most products still inadequately represent its modulation by Ts–Ta.
How to cite: Cai, Z., Wang, B., and Ma, Y. and the Zhengling Cai: Regional differences in the dominant controls and regulatory mechanisms of surface water and heat fluxes across the climate zones of the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1473, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1473, 2026.
High-resolution land surface temperature (LST) is a critical variable for quantifying fine-scale energy and water cycle variations. NASA’s ECOSTRESS mission provides unprecedented high-resolution thermal infrared observations for investigating intricate land-atmosphere interactions. Nevertheless, previous LST validation efforts have been constrained by sparse ground networks with inadequate sample sizes, limited diversity in land cover types and atmospheric conditions, and insufficient high-elevation coverage. To overcome this long-standing challenge, a comprehensive validation framework was established by integrating a feasible radiance-based (R-based) validation method with conventional temperature-based (T-based) validation. The R-based method was first verified at a homogeneous site (BJ station, Mean Bias = 0.21 K) and subsequently extended to evaluate seven previously unvalidated surface types, addressing critical data gaps across challenging surfaces like glaciers and permafrost. A comprehensive uncertainty budget was then systematically quantified for both methodologies, revealing distinct error components and inherent differences between the two approaches. To reconcile these differences and establish a more representative and robust validation reference, results from both approaches were integrated using an Uncertainty-Weighted Averaging (UWA) framework. This integrated framework yielded an overall UWA-based RMSE of 2.12 K for the ECOSTRESS LST product. Notably, retrieval accuracy was significantly degraded over surfaces characterized by high spatiotemporal variability, including alpine meadows, urban environments, and shrubland ecosystems. Furthermore, atmospheric conditions over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) were found to be systematically misclassified by the ECOSTRESS processing chain compared to low-elevation regions, leading to significant emissivity-estimation anomalies. Under these challenging conditions, a split-window algorithm demonstrated superior performance (UWA-based RMSE: 1.71 K) when accurate emissivity information was available. Therefore, rigorous quality screening and consideration of alternative retrieval algorithms are recommended for the current ECOSTRESS LST product over the TP for applications requiring high precision. Collectively, the integrated framework established in this study provides the essential methodology to overcome in-situ data scarcity and enables, for the first time, a comprehensive and systematic validation of the new-generation thermal sensor across diverse surface and atmospheric conditions.
How to cite: Qi, Y., Zhong, L., and Ma, Y.: An Integrated Framework for Validating ECOSTRESS LST across Diverse Surface and Atmospheric Conditions: Fusing Radiance- and Temperature-Based Approaches to Overcome In-Situ Data Scarcity, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1832, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1832, 2026.
Climate warming on the Tibetan Plateau is accelerating the abrupt thaw of permafrost, leading to substantial carbon emissions. However, retrogressive thaw slumps (RTSs), representing the most severe instances of abrupt thaw, are poorly understood in their carbon emissions due to sparse observations. Here, by synthesizing 4,728 RTS incidents and 1,862 in-situ CO2 and CH4 monitoring data from the collapsed areas of RTSs on the Tibetan Plateau, we estimate that CO2 and CH4 release from the expansion of RTSs increased 1.3-fold from 2017 to 2022. Projections indicate that the area of RTSs susceptibility will increase 15–18% by 2100. The corresponding CO₂ release rate is projected to reach 419 ± 316 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹, roughly 1.5 times higher than the carbon uptake of alpine ecosystems on the plateau. Compared with gradual thaw, abrupt thaw will lead to a 22% increase in CO₂ release up to 2100. While the CO2 and CH4 release from increasing RTSs susceptibility areas will surge 1.2-fold relative to 2022. These findings suggest that abrupt thaw will enhance permafrost carbon-climate feedback in high-altitudes, highlighting the crucial need for permafrost protection strategies to achieve carbon neutrality target.
How to cite: Mu, C.: Abrupt permafrost thaw causes an exceptional increase in carbon release on the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21085, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21085, 2026.
This study projects the long-term evolution of the Puruogangri Ice Field (PIF), the largest ice field on the Tibetan Plateau, under different emission scenarios until 2300 using a Quasi-physical Process Glacier evolution Model (QPGM). Results indicate that under the intermediate SSP2-4.5 scenario, the PIF will lose approximately 85% of its mass by 2300, while under the high-emission SSP5-8.5 scenario, it will completely disappear by 2150. Critically, by evaluating constructed Carbon Neutrality Pathways (CNPs), we identify 2060 as a geophysical deadline for achieving carbon neutrality. If net-zero emissions are attained by 2060, limiting regional warming to 2.3°C (~2.0°C global warming above 2000-2014), the PIF can reach a new equilibrium by the end of this century. However, delays beyond 2070 lead to irreversible, nonlinear mass loss, preventing stabilization even by 2300. Therefore, achieving carbon neutrality before 2060 is essential to prevent the irreversible collapse of the Tibetan Plateau's cryosphere. Our findings establish glacial survival thresholds and quantify the time-limited climate action window for preventing TP from ice-free.
How to cite: Duan, K.: Carbon Neutrality by 2060 Is Critical for Survival of Tibetan Plateau’s Largest Glacier, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6885, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6885, 2026.
As traditional fossil energy resources become increasingly depleted and the associated environmental and ecological problems intensify, the importance of developing new energy sources, particularly solar energy, has steadily increased. Among them, installed solar power capacity has grown rapidly, and its share in total energy consumption has continued to rise. However, the large-scale deployment of solar power generation can exert different influences on the climatic and ecological environment.
The Gonghe region of Qinghai hosts the largest integrated solar and wind power generation base in China and is also among the largest in the world. In this study, a comprehensive land–atmosphere interaction monitoring system was established at two representative sites in Gonghe, Qinghai: a 500-MW photovoltaic (PV) power station and a 50-MW concentrated solar power (CSP) station. The monitoring instruments mainly include planetary boundary layer towers, eddy covariance systems, four-component radiation balance measurements, multi-layer automatic weather stations, optical-microwave scintillometer, soil temperature and moisture networks, and phenological cameras. In addition, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing and UAV-based eddy covariance observation experiments were conducted. This study introduces the development of the land–atmosphere interaction monitoring system and presents preliminary observational and modeling results.
How to cite: Han, C., Zhang, Z., Hu, W., Hui, D., Liu, J., and Ma, Y.: A Comprehensive Monitoring System for Land-Atmosphere Interactions at Solar Farms on the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1609, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1609, 2026.
Ecosystem respiration (ER) is the second-largest carbon flux in terrestrial ecosystems after photosynthesis and plays a critical role in regulating regional carbon balance and carbon–climate feedbacks. Alpine grasslands are the dominant vegetation type on the Tibetan Plateau; however, under the ongoing warming and wetting climate, the spatiotemporal patterns and controlling mechanisms of ecosystem respiration in these grasslands remain poorly understood. To address this gap, we integrated eddy covariance observations from 35 flux sites widely distributed across the Tibetan Plateau with multi-source satellite remote sensing and reanalysis data, and applied machine learning approaches to upscale ecosystem respiration of alpine grasslands from 2000 to 2023, enabling a comprehensive assessment of its spatiotemporal variations and driving factors.
Our results show that the multi-year mean ecosystem respiration of alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau during 2000–2023 was 259.8 ± 7.4 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ and exhibited a significant increasing trend, rising from 245.9 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2000 to 268.2 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2023, with an average growth rate of 0.96 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹. Spatially, ecosystem respiration displayed pronounced east–west contrasts, with high respiration rates exceeding 700 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in eastern alpine meadows, while much lower values, generally below 150 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹, occurred in western alpine desert steppes. Trend analyses indicate that ecosystem respiration increased significantly in more than 90% of the study area , with enhancement rates reaching up to 3 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in eastern alpine meadows, whereas the increasing trend was considerably weaker in western alpine desert steppes, remaining below 0.5 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹. Further analyses suggest that vegetation growth improvement under a warming and wetting climate was a key factor driving the sustained increase in ecosystem respiration across alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau.
How to cite: Wang, Y. and Ma, Y.: Increasing ecosystem respiration in Tibetan Plateau alpine grasslands under recent climate warming and wetting, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2453, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2453, 2026.
The cryosphere is highly sensitive to climate change, and melting-induced carbon release through river systems has likely shifted over past decades. Long-term carbon isotopes of riverine organic carbon provide critical insights into climate driven cryospheric carbon export. In glacial influenced high mountain catchments, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) is 14C depleted, whereas contributions of permafrost derived aged carbon to Arctic rivers remain limited. Elevated proportions of petrogenic particulate organic carbon (POC) in glacial dominated high mountain catchments reflect glacial erosion or precipitation-driven physical erosion. Meanwhile, Arctic rivers have experienced rising inputs of permafrost derived POC, reflecting intensified thaw. Overall, these trends demonstrate an increasingly dynamic cryospheric response to ongoing climate warming.
How to cite: Fang, L.: Accelerated aged carbon release from the cryosphere during past three decades, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-16424, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-16424, 2026.
Scarce in situ data in the western and central Tibetan Plateau (TP) hinders scientific research on physical process representation in climate models. Satellite remote sensing and climate models are effective data sources in complex topography and harsh environments; however, they have not been effectively validated or improved for the lack of multi-scale observations matching their pixel or grid scales. Therefore, it is necessary to develop an integrated multi-scale observatory. Since 2014, a satellite pixel oriented TP Integrated Multi-Scale moisture and temperature Observatory (TP-IMSO) was established and has been in operation for ten years to obtain a long-term multi-scale soil temperature and moisture dataset which integrates site point and spatial surface observation designs. The TP-IMSO is composed of two automatic wireless transmission networks over the Naqu and A’li areas, and atmospheric and soil temperature and humidity vertical profile observations in the “soil – atmosphere” interface layer. We also develop a dual frequency remote data transmission system based on Beidou satellite and 4G and a dual power supply system that is resistant to low temperature and low pressure in high-altitude regions. A cube dataset of soil temperature and humidity was obtained through spatial interpolation in both horizontal and vertical directions within the soil. It is found that the elements of the TP-IMSO networks have a highly variable character. The soil moisture in the top layer (0-3cm) is more variable than that in other layers, and the largest standard deviation of all the five layers occurs in July. Using observation data to validate multiple soil moisture remote sensing products, the root mean squared error (RMSE) of remote sensing products ranges from 0.038 to 0.177 cm3·cm-3, and for ERA-interim and National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis data, the RMSE ranges from 0.038 to 0.081 cm3﹒cm-3.
How to cite: Dong, L., Wang, L., and Tang, S.: An integrated multi-scale Soil moisture and temperature observatory on the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2040, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2040, 2026.
The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) is one of the most climate-sensitive regions in the world. Changes in snowmelt water resources are critical for sustaining the “Asian Water Tower” and downstream water security. However, due to the complexity of cryospheric processes and uncertainties in models, data, and temporal scales, a consistent understanding of snowmelt runoff evolution and its climatic drivers across multiple basins is still limited. This study applies the VIC-CAS hydrological model to simulate snowmelt runoff in 15 major watersheds on the QTP during 1970–2020. We analyze the spatiotemporal variations of snowmelt runoff, total runoff, and snowmelt contribution ratios, and examine their responses to climate change within a unified framework. Results show strong spatiotemporal heterogeneity in snowmelt water resources across the plateau. On average, snowmelt contributes 24.8% of total runoff and exhibits clear seasonality, with peak contributions in June–July. Afterward, runoff generation gradually shifts from snowmelt dominance to combined glacier melt and rainfall. Monsoon-dominated basins show strong runoff seasonality, while westerly-controlled basins exhibit more uniform intra-annual distributions. Total runoff displays a weak and non-significant decreasing trend, with transition years mainly between 1980 and 1995 and a delayed pattern from east to west. In contrast, the snowmelt contribution ratio decreases significantly at a rate of about 1.7% per decade, with later transition years, especially in monsoon-influenced basins. Process-based analyses further indicate that snowmelt runoff initiation and center-of-mass dates advance significantly across all basins, accompanied by prolonged runoff duration. Snowmelt runoff exhibits a clear elevation dependence, with a threshold near ~4,000 m a.s.l., below which runoff decreases and above which it increases; this threshold shifts downward in glacier-rich basins. Overall, precipitation anomalies emerge as the dominant driver of interannual snowmelt runoff variability by controlling runoff magnitude, while rising air temperature primarily regulates the timing and phase of snowmelt runoff generation. Cryospheric elements, including glaciers and permafrost, further modulate basin-scale hydrological responses by exerting buffering and amplifying effects.
How to cite: Li, Y., Che, T., and Wang, J.: Interannual Variability of Snowmelt Runoff and Its Climatic Controls across Major River Basins of the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-13431, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-13431, 2026.
Habitat quality is a key indicator of ecosystem services. However, current habitat quality assessment methods mainly depend on land-use types, which ignore the differences within the specific land-use type and have difficulty reflecting the actual situation of an ecosystem. Therefore, this study proposes an improved habitat quality assessment method that incorporates vegetation growth status by introducing the leaf area index (LAI). This method first uses the LAI to assess pixel-level habitat suitability and then incorporates threat indicators for refined habitat quality evaluation. Finally, the proposed method is used to assess habitat quality and its changes on the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau (QTP). The results show that the proposed method can effectively distinguish habitat suitability differences among pixels with the same land use type, enabling a more reasonable and precise evaluation of habitat quality. Habitat quality assessment on the QTP revealed that most regions improved between 2000 and 2020, except for urban areas, southeastern forests, and the Qiangtang region, where significant declines occurred. In particular, the Ruoergai Wetland, Qilian Mountains, Datong Beichuan River Source, and Yellow River Source exhibited greater improvements, with net habitat quality growth exceeding 30%. Furthermore, the proposed method has great potential for habitat quality assessment in other regions with various vegetation growth conditions, which will provide further support for environmental management.
This study is funded by the National Key R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2024YFF1306200).
How to cite: Zhao, L.: An Improved Habitat Quality Assessment Model Considering Vegetation Growth Status: A Case Study of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2199, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2199, 2026.
Nitrogen oxides (NOx=NO+NO2) are a key player in the nitrogen cycle affecting health and climate, yet NOx emissions from lakes have received little attention compared with greenhouse gases. Many lakes are affected by local human activities such as shipping, but the existing bottom-up anthropogenic emission inventories contain large uncertainty in NOx emissions from lakes due to unrobust proxy data and many untracked vessels in public datasets. Moreover, natural NOx emissions from lakes away from human activities were traditionally thought to be negligible. However, recent work has discovered strong natural NOx emissions from 135 lakes on the Tibetan Plateau in summer 2019, which are comparable to anthropogenic emissions in several megacities such as Beijing and New York. Yet, whether such large natural emissions of NOx from lakes are a global phenomenon remains unknown.
Here, we quantify summertime (June-August) NOx emissions from 300 large lakes (> 200 km2) in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) during 2018-2024, based on satellite NO2 VCDs data and a physics-based emission inversion algorithm PHLET at a resolution of 0.05° x 0.05°. To ensure the quality of lake NO2 VCDs, we further exclude satellite lake pixels with unphysical, negative retrieved water vapor concentrations or affected by sun glint. Then we use PHLET to estimate gridded NOx emissions from NO2 VCDs, which describes the relationship between NOx emissions and NO2 VCDs and accounts for the nonlinear chemistry and horizontal transport. In this report, we will present the quantity and spatial distribution of lake NOx emissions.
How to cite: Tan, W., Lin, J., Kong, H., Wang, S., Wang, M., and Zhang, Y.: NOx emissions from lakes in the Northern Hemisphere, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6119, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6119, 2026.
Lake-atmosphere interaction is the most important process that can significantly influence catchment water circulation, climate change and ecosystem preservation. However, the in situ measurements are still very limited because of the harsh conditions and difficult environments. In this study, we will introduce the comprehensive measurements over several high-elevation lakes, including Nam Co, Serling Co, Bangong Co, Laang Co. The filed measurements will include lake water temperature gradients, meteorological variables, lake-atmosphere turbulent flux exchanges by eddy covariance measurements and the satellite ice phenology. The results show the obvious under-ice warming before the ice-off events and the improved WRF-Lake model can reproduce the obvious process. The characteristics of meteorological conditions and lake-atmosphere turbulent heat flux will be explained. The long-term trends in lake evaporation and ice sublimation as well as lake ice phenology will be summarized. These datasets and results will show significance for lake process analysis over these data-scarce lakes of the Tibetan Plateau.
How to cite: Wang, B., Shi, X., Chen, M., Li, X., Sun, L., and Ma, Y.: The observation and simulation of lake-atmosphere interaction processes over several high-elevation lakes of the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1653, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1653, 2026.
Containing elevated topography, the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has significant thermodynamic effects for regional environment and climate change, where understanding energy and water exchange processes (EWEP) is an important prerequisite. However, estimation of the exact spatiotemporal variability of the land-atmosphere energy and water exchange over heterogeneous landscape of the TP remains a big challenge for scientific community. Based on the observation, remote sensing, and numerical simulation, the major advances on EWEP over the past 35 years are systematically summarized in this work. All these results advanced the understanding of different aspects of EWEP over the TP by using in situ measurements, multisource satellite data and numerical modeling. Future studies are recommended to focus on the optimization of the current three dimensional comprehensive observation system, the development of applicable parameterization schemes and the investigation of EWEP on weather and climate changes over the TP and surrounding regions.
How to cite: Ma, Y.: The exchange of energy and water over the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1655, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1655, 2026.
Lakes on the Tibetan Plateau play a crucial role in regional hydrology and climate, yet they are highly sensitive to climate change. Despite their importance, our understanding of lake-atmosphere interactions in this region remains limited, primarily due to lack of multi-scale observations constrained by harsh environmental conditions. To address this data gap, we established a comprehensive hydrometeorological observation network across three lakes representing different climatic zones on the Tibetan Plateau. Since 2019, this network has continuously collected key datasets, including meteorological conditions, turbulent fluxes, water levels, temperature profiles, and salinity measurements. Our study suggests that these lakes significantly influence local climate by alleviating temperature fluctuations, altering wind patterns, and reducing atmospheric stability. The observational network marks a substantial step forward in capturing the lake-region climate system, improving our understanding of lake-atmosphere interactions and their impact on regional climate dynamics. Additionally, it supports the validation of models and refinement of remote sensing products. In the future, we aim to expand the integration of in situ, satellite, and model-based data to better support environmental conservation and water resource management on the Tibetan Plateau.
How to cite: Ma, W., Ma, W., Ma, Y., Xie, Z., He, J., Ma, L., and Wang, B.: Establishment of Integrated Hydrometeorological Observation Platforms in Lakes across Three Distinct Climatic Zones on the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-1707, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-1707, 2026.
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are one of the seven types of greenhouse gases regulated under the climate convention, and their emissions have drawn international attention. Existing studies have conducted atmospheric observations and source analyses of these substances at multiple global background sites (such as those in the AGAGE network), and estimated global and regional emissions using inversion models and other methods based on observational data. China and India, as the world's top one and top four greenhouse gas emitters, respectively, and the top two aluminum producers, warrant particular attention regarding their PFCs emissions. However, while China has some atmospheric background monitoring stations such as Shanghai Dongtan, Shenzhen Xichong, and Zhejiang Shanghuang, there is still little research on background observations in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region, especially the southern Himalayas. Moreover, South Asian regions, like India, lack background monitoring stations and few observational studies have been developed in the past five years. This study conducted a three-year atmospheric background observation experiment for three perfluorocarbons (PFCs, including PFC-116, PFC-218, PFC-318) at the Medog background station, located 30 km outside Medog County on the southern Himalayas. From August to November 2021 and July to October 2022, 229 valid instantaneous atmospheric samples (1–3 per day) were collected using Summa canisters and manual pressurization equipment, analyzed with Medusa. From June to August 2024, continuous observations were conducted using the Tianji ODS system, 434 valid samples were in-situ collected, 12 atmospheric samples daily. Based on the 663 valid samples, this study employed the Robust Extraction of Baseline Signal algorithm to analyze background concentrations of each substance and compared them with simulated background concentrations base on the AGAGE12-BOX model by Rigby et al. (currently updated only to December 2023). The results show that the observed background concentration of PFC-116 deviates from the simulated values by less than ±5%; For PFC-218, observed background concentrations also remained within ±5% of simulated values for most periods, except in August 2021 and early September 2021 when they exceeded 12-BOX simulation results by 10%–15%. However, PFC-318 background concentrations were elevated by at least 40% compared to 12-BOX simulations throughout the sampling period. During the study period, polluted information were only caught for PFC-116 in November 2021, accounting for 72% of samples with 16.8% concentration enhancement. Back Trajectory analysis indicated pollution information primarily originated from regions southwest of the sampling site, including Northeast India etc., while clean samples mainly derived from local sources, Tibet in northern China, and Bangladesh in the south. This study fills a gap in atmospheric background PFC observations over the southern Himalayas of the Tibetan Plateau and provides preliminary insights into PFC pollution sources from South Asian regions like Northeast India. Future work will build on these findings to conduct emission inversion studies for South Asian regions including India, offering scientific support for clarifying global PFC emissions.
How to cite: Peng, L., Wu, J., Wang, H., Liu, Z., and Yao, B.: Background Atmospheric Monitoring of Perfluorocarbons at the Medog Reference Site on the Southern Himalayan Slope of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2425, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2425, 2026.
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) is well known for its unique sensible heat driven air-pump in summer, characterized by low-level convergence and upper-level divergence. This study defines a Pumping Plateau Monsoon Index (PPMI) based on the divergence difference between 200 hPa and 600 hPa derived from NCEP-DOE Reanalysis-2 data. The PPMI characterizes the intensity of the TP thermal pumping effect and its associated three-dimensional circulation structure. The PPMI also shows significant correlations with the TP heat source, the east-west displacement of the South Asian High (SAH), and downstream East Asian Summer Monsoon (EASM) precipitation. During weak Tibetan Plateau Summer Monsoon (TPSM) years, an anomalous anticyclonic circulation is induced over the Iranian Plateau, shifting the SAH westward toward the Iranian High. Meanwhile, a reversal of the meridional gradient of potential vorticity leads to a bifurcation of the Rossby wave train, thereby suppressing its eastward propagation. During strong TPSM years, an anomalous cyclone-anticyclone-cyclone-anticyclone circulation pattern is correspondingly induced from the Iranian Plateau, the TP, Northeast China, to the Northwest Pacific. This pattern enhances the downstream propagation of quasi-stationary Rossby wave train and changes the upper-level circulation over the EASM oceanic region, thus inducing anomalous ascent that promotes precipitation development and latent heat release. These processes further accelerate the establishment of the EASM and deepen the East Asian Trough. These results clearly elucidate the teleconnection mechanism through which TPSM modulates the onset of EASM, providing a new dynamical perspective for forecasting EASM onset.
How to cite: Lizi, W. and Zeyong, H.: The Role of Thermal Pumping Action in the Tibetan Plateau Summer Monsoon and its impact on the South Asian High and East Asian Atmospheric Circulation, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2490, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2490, 2026.
The Indian Plate has continued northward subduction following its collision with the Eurasian Plate, giving rise to the Tibetan Plateau — the highest and one of its youngest plateaus in the world. Endowed with abundant geothermal resources, Tibetan plateau exhibits a diverse array of surface manifestations, including geysers, hydrothermal explosions, steaming grounds, mud springs, boiling and thermal springs, montmorillonite–kaolinite alteration zones, and deposits of siliceous sinter and travertine.
Over the past decade, we have conducted surveys of more than 500 hot springs across the Tibet, collecting thermal water, gas and sinter samples for chemical composition analysis and H–O–Sr–Li isotopic studies. These investigations have identified numerous hot springs enriched in dissolved boron, lithium, and cesium, as well as in helium and hydrogen gases. Notably, the plateau’s salt lakes are closely linked to hot springs, with the two often coexisting: thermal springs continuously supply mineral substances to sustain the lakes.
High-temperature geothermal fields in Tibet are primarily concentrated along the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone and within north–south-trending rift systems, where they are closely associated with partially molten bodies, e.g. the Yangbajain, Yangyi, and Daggyai geothermal fields. In contrast, low- to medium-temperature geothermal systems are distributed extensively across the plateau, sustained by elevated regional heat flow; representative cases include the Nagqu, Ningzhong, and Cuna geothermal fields. Additionally, the presence of large-scale ancient sinter deposits in the northern Tibet further attests to the once highly developed hydrothermal activity in this region.
To date, four geothermal power stations have been constructed in Tibet, of which only the Yangyi Geothermal Power Station remains operational. A new Geothermal Power Station in Gulu is currently under construction. In 2024, we drilled an exploration well at the foot of Qomolangma (Mount Everest), where the temperature of the produced thermal fluid reached as high as 193 °C.
In recent years, geothermal district heating has expanded rapidly in Tibet. Beyond heating, geothermal water is also widely utilized for hot spring therapy, aquaculture, and recreational facilities such as swimming pools and water surfing venues. As a critical component alongside solar, wind, and hydropower, geothermal energy will play a pivotal role in advancing Tibet’s development into a national-level clean energy demonstration base, thereby providing robust support for the region’s high-quality economic and social development.
How to cite: Zhao, P.: An Overview of Geothermal Resources in Tibet, China, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-3240, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-3240, 2026.
The spring (April–May–June) Barents Sea ice has been proven to affect the summer surface air temperature over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). However, its impact on summer (June–July–August) TP precipitation, a crucial climate component, remains unexplored. We investigate the physical linkage between spring Barents Sea ice and subsequent summer TP precipitation from 1979 to 2018. Our results indicate that above-normal spring Barents Sea ice leads to excessive summer TP precipitation, and vice versa. During spring, more Barents Sea ice induces remarkable cooling and subsidence over there and surrounding areas. The cooling over the Barents Sea can persist into summer, triggering a meridional wave-like pattern along the longitude of 60°E and, in turn, an anomalous atmospheric subsidence over the Caspian Sea and the eastern region adjacent to it. This alters 200 hPa convergence and modulates the Silk Road pattern (SRP). As a result, cyclonic anomalies form to the west of the TP, which enhance moisture transport toward the TP and increase its precipitation during summer. Numerical experiments reproduce these physical processes and further support our conclusions.
Key words: Barents Sea ice, Tibetan Plateau precipitation, Silk Road pattern, numerical experiment
How to cite: Han, Y.: Impact of Spring Barents Sea Ice on Summer Tibetan Plateau Precipitation, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-4616, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-4616, 2026.
Abstract: Northeast China cold vortex (NEC-CV) plays an important role in modulating the extreme precipitation and have dramatic socioeconomic impacts over Northeast China. In this study, it is found that the extreme precipitation related to NEC-CVs can explain a considerable proportion (35%–40%) of total extreme precipitation over Northeast China and a more pronounced impact of the extreme precipitation related to NEC-CVs can be found for more extreme precipitation. The interaction between the typhoon and the NEC-CV contributes significantly for the increase of extreme precipitation. During 2001-2020, among the 39 northern typhoons affecting Northeast China, 82% triggered rainfall due to peripheral moisture, and 18% passed through Jilin Province. Under the background of cold vortex, 83.3% of the 12 northward typhoons caused heavy precipitation. Among the typhoons with heavy precipitation, 60% had daily precipitation reaching rainstorm and heavy rainstorm levels, and 70% had hourly rainfall intensity reaching short-term heavy precipitation levels (divided into steady and short-term types). Under the background of cold vortex, the high-value areas of northern typhoon track density were mainly distributed in the region of 130°E-140°E and 21°N-30°N. The northern tracks that caused heavy precipitation could be divided into four categories, with the northern-northward track being the most common (more than half) but with slightly weaker rainfall levels compared to other track types, while the northern-eastward track had the highest rainfall levels. Furthermore, this study evaluates the WSM6 (single-moment) and LIUMA (double-moment) microphysics schemes in CMA-MESO for simulating a cold vortex–typhoon induced heavy rainfall event in Northeast China in July 2023. Both schemes captured the event, but LIUMA showed better agreement with observations: higher correlation (0.75 vs. 0.70), lower RMSE (0.67 vs. 1.15 mm h⁻¹), and more realistic raindrop size distributions. WSM6 overestimated precipitation due to stronger latent heating (2.2 × 10⁻⁴ K s⁻¹ vs. 2.0 × 10⁻⁴ K s⁻¹), enhancing convection. LIUMA produced higher ice- and liquid-phase mixing ratios—especially excessive ice—which led to overly strong simulated radar reflectivity. Key differences stem from how each scheme treats ice-phase processes and ice–liquid interactions, highlighting the need for advanced cloud observations for further refinement.
How to cite: Liu, G., Shi, C., Yang, X., and Li, Y.: Characteristics of extreme precipitation influenced by Northeast China Cold Vortex and the possible mechanism of its interaction with northward typhoons by a numerical study, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-4821, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-4821, 2026.
With the increasing number and intensity of drought events, understanding the ecological drought risk in the Yellow River Basin has become an important prerequisite for ecological protection in the Basin. Based on the climate, environment, and human activities in the Yellow River Basin, this study constructed the ecological drought risk evaluation index system and model, revealed the spatial distribution characteristics of risk, and analyzed the dominant factors responsible for ecological drought risk through the bivariate local Moran's I index and an optimal parameter-based geographic detector (OPGD) based model. The results show that the high-hazard areas are mainly located in the northeast of the upper reaches and the middle reaches, and the high-exposure areas are mainly located on the northeast slope of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, the Qinling Mountains, Ziwuling Mountains, Taihang Mountains, and Liupan Mountains. The high-vulnerability areas are mainly located in the middle and lower reaches of the Basin, and the high-sensitivity areas are mainly located in the source area of the Yellow River, the Loess Plateau area, except for the irrigated areas. High-risk areas of ecological drought are mainly located on the northern Shaanxi Plateau, the central Gansu Plateau, the Ningxia Plain, and the Hetao Plain (except for irrigated areas). From the perspective of land use types, the ecological drought risk from high to low is wasteland, grassland, woodland, farmland, and town areas. High risk areas account for 20.30% of the total watershed area. Through spatial correlation analysis, it was found that the upper reaches were affected by both surface temperature and precipitation, whereas the Guanzhong Basin and lower reaches were mainly affected by precipitation only. The dominant factors associated with vulnerability and sensitivity were precipitation utilization efficiency and fractional vegetation coverage, respectively. Hazard is the dominant factor leading to regional differences in ecological drought risk, and vulnerability, sensitivity, and exposure can alter the local characteristics of the spatial distribution of ecological drought risk.
How to cite: Wang, Y.: Analysis of Ecological Drought Risk Characteristics and Leading Factors in the Yellow River Basin, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-4935, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-4935, 2026.
This study employs the Noah-MP land surface model to simulate the environmental effects of a photovoltaic (PV) power station, incorporating modified parameterization schemes for radiation transfer, precipitation interception, surface roughness, gravel, and soil moisture transport. Validation was conducted using observational data collected from beneath PV panels and within inter-array spaces at a PV power station in the Gonghe Basin, Qinghai, China. Results indicate that the improved model effectively captures the spatiotemporal variation variations in radiation and soil temperature–moisture across different locations within the PV station. Both observations and simulations reveal higher soil moisture content beneath PV panels compared to inter-array areas, albeit with a weaker response to precipitation events. Due to seasonal variations in shading patterns, soil temperatures under PV panels are lower in summer and higher in winter relative to adjacent unshaded areas. This research provides a scientific basis for PV stations development and environmental conservation in the Tibetan Plateau.
How to cite: Hu, W., Han, C., and Ma, Y.: Simulating the impact of a photovoltaic power station on soil temperature and moisture in Gonghe, China, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8654, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8654, 2026.
The accelerated surface air warming of Tibetan Plateau (TP) greatly alters the local cryosphere and ecosystem. The TP warming exhibits prominent seasonality, but the processes determining the seasonality remain unclear. This study investigates the issue from an energy budget perspective through analyzing air temperature budget and surface energy balance. The warming is relatively weak in summer and spring, while it becomes strong in autumn and winter. In summer and autumn, the warming is mainly driven by outside forcing processes. Anomalous summertime reduction of precipitation over western North Pacific triggers a circumglobal wavetrain that warms TP by increasing heat transport. In autumn, the superposition of zonal and meridional wavetrains enhances anomalous heat transporting into TP, intensifying the warming. The strongest wintertime warming is contributed jointly by outside forcing and local feedbacks. The outside forcing is due to atmospheric warming over the Barents Sea, which triggers a meridional wavetrain to transport heat into TP. Two local feedback processes enhance sensible heating to heat air by warming surface. Firstly, reduced snow cover increases surface-absorbed solar radiation through the snow-albedo feedback. Secondly, the surface warming tends to strengthen evaporation and moisten the atmosphere aloft, which increases downward longwave radiation and causes a further surface warming, forming a local moisture process feedback. In spring, the changes of outside forcing process have negligible impacts on the warming of TP, the warming is mainly contributed by increases of sensible heating, which is supported by increased surface absorption of radiation fluxes due to the two local feedback processes.
How to cite: Zhao, M., Yang, X.-Q., Tao, L., and Luo, J.-J.: Processes determining the seasonality of accelerated Tibetan Plateau warming during recent decades, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8686, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8686, 2026.
While moisture transported by the mid-latitude westerlies constitutes a critical hydrological source for the Asian Water Towers (AWTs), the mechanisms governing its transport across the Himalayan barrier have remained elusive. In this study, we utilized a tethered balloon system to conduct high-altitude vertical profiling of atmospheric water vapor and its stable isotopic compositions (δD and d-excess) from the surface up to 9,050 meters above sea level (asl) on the northern slope of Mt. Qomolangma. Our measurements reveal that the westerlies can effectively facilitate the trans-Himalayan transport of moisture sourced from south regions. By integrating these observations with atmospheric model simulations, we demonstrate that water vapor undergoes significant isotopic depletion during transit. These findings provide the first direct empirical evidence of the pathways through which moisture from oceanic basins transports into the AWT interior. Furthermore, our results offer an unprecedented understanding of westerly advection across the Himalayas, establishing a crucial benchmark for future climate projections.
How to cite: Gao, J.: Isotope Profiles in Atmospheric Water Vapor Reveal Vertical Moisture Transport process to the Asian Water Towers, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-9348, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-9348, 2026.
The Mid-Latitude Region Network (MLRN) focuses on ecotones, such as the transition zones between temperate and tropical forests, as well as mountainous and cryosphere ecosystems. These ecotones are primarily identified within the Third Pole Region, the high mountains of Asia. Livelihoods in this region face the destabilization of the water-food-energy nexus exacerbated by ecosystem degradation and climate change. Recently, livelihood vulnerability assessments have been conducted in several countries in the region, such as Mongolia, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, Nepal, and the Kyrgyz Republic. However, these vulnerabilities were primarily assessed using local community surveys without the application of spatial datasets. Therefore, this study aims to transition from a static survey framework to a spatial assessment framework. Focusing on the social, human, financial, physical, and natural aspects of livelihood vulnerability, representative and modified spatial data were selected for the assessment. The selected spatial data were aggregated using a normalization approach, and a spatial vulnerability index was generated. Through this study, regional and global livelihood vulnerabilities were evaluated. In addition, this research contributes to the further development of adaptation strategies in the Third Pole region.
How to cite: Song, C., Wang, S. W., and Lee, W.-K.: Developing a spatial livelihood vulnerability index for third pole region, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-14087, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-14087, 2026.
Thermokarst lakes, the typical landscape of abrupt permafrost thaw, are expected to be a substantial CH4 source. The CH4 dynamics are disrupted by climate change, particularly frequent dry-wet alternation of small thermokarst lakes. However, microbial community changes caused by wet-dry alternation remains uncertain, and it remains a challenge to quantify the impacts of microbial shifts on CH4 emissions from thermokarst lakes, especially at the high-altitudes. Here, by field observations, laboratory incubation experiments and amplicon sequencing, we show that thermokarst lakes with seasonal wet-dry alternation exhibit a 41–70% decrease in CH4 emissions compared with perennial lakes. The alternating wet-dry cycles lead to a 33–37% decrease in relative abundances of methanogens and a 39–59% decline in syntrophic partners in lake sediments, whereas a 43-fold increase in anaerobic methanotrophic archaea Candidatus Methanoperedens. Functional gene analyses indicate acetoclastic methanogenesis dominated by Methanosaeta is the primary pathway of CH4 production. The reduction in CH4 emissions is due to the decrease in methylotrophic Methanomassiliicoccaceae and syntrophs. Moreover, the denitrifying anaerobic CH4 oxidation processes mediated by Candidatus Methanoperedens leads to further decline in CH4 emissions. This study provides novel insights into microbial changes and pathways regulating CH4 emissions from seasonal thermokarst lakes, which is crucial for assessing permafrost carbon-climate feedback and prioritizing CH4 mitigation strategy.
How to cite: Mu, M. and Mu, C.: Microbial Reduction in Methane Emissions from High-altitude Thermokarst Lakes, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-18121, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-18121, 2026.
The distribution data of Pomatosace filicula (Primulaceae) , a second−class protected monotypic plant specied endemic to the Qinghai−Tibet Plateau, were investigated using MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy) ecological niche model and ArcGIS 10.7 software. 30 environmental variables, including climate, elevation, soil conditions and human activities were selected based on the species’ growth and distribution characteristics. The species’ potential distribution patterns and its responses to key environmental factors were simulated both with and without human activity impacts. The relationships between potential suitable distribution patterns and environmental factors were examined, and changes in potentially suitable distribution areas under human influence were analyzed. The following results were obtained: (1) the potential suitable areas for Pomatosace filicula in Qinghai province were primarily concentrated in the Three−river source region of southeastern Qinghai and the Qilian mountains in the northeast. Highly suitable areas, accounting for 14.2% of the province's total area, were mainly distributed across Chenduo, Maduo, Maqin, Gande, Dari, Jiuzhi, Henan and Zeku counties. Moderately suitable areas, comprising 15.4% of the provincial area, were predominantly found in Zhiduo, Zaduo, Qumalai, Tianjun, and Qilian counties. (2) When human activities were considered, the potential distribution area was found to be contracted and fragmented, displaying a strip−like pattern along plateau valleys. The total potential suitable area in Qinghai province was reduced by 35.6%, with highly suitable areas decreased by 9.96×104 km2 and moderately suitable areas reduced by 10.97×104 km2. (3) Without considering human influence, the primary environmental variables affecting Pomatosace filicula distribution were determined to be annual precipitation, elevation and precipitation in the driest season, with contribution rates of 27.7%, 14.5%, and 12.4%, respectively. When human activities were included, the main influencing factors were identified as the human footprint index, elevation and annual temperature range, with contribution rates of 57.6%, 11.6%, and 10.1%, respectively.
How to cite: Wang, S.: Potential Distribution Pattern of the Endemic Species Pomatosace filicula (Primulaceae) on the Qinghai−Tibetan Plateau , EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-21952, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-21952, 2026.
The complex topography and land surface conditions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) result in uncertainty and nonlinearity of energy and water exchange between land and atmosphere. The quantification of nonlinear interactions facilitates understanding of complex land-atmosphere interaction on TP. The Conditional Mutual Information (CMI) difference method and ERA5-Land reanalysis dataset are involved to analyze the influence of shallow soil temperature and moisture on surface sensible and latent heat fluxes on TP. The results indicate as below. (1) There is a significant spatial difference about the sensitivity of sensible and latent heat fluxes on the shallow soil temperature and moisture on TP. The shallow soil is drier in central TP and Qaidam basin where the difference of CMI (∆I) is greater than 0.6. The sensible and latent heat fluxes exhibit greater sensitivity to soil moisture than soil temperature. Conversely, the shallow soil is wetter in eastern TP and western TP where ∆I is below -0.6. The sensible and latent heat fluxes exhibit greater sensitivity to temperature than soil moisture. (2) The strength of these sensitivities appears obvious seasonal variations. In soil moisture-sensitive regions, latent heat flux reaches maximum in summer while sensible heat flux in autumn. In soil temperature-sensitive regions, both latent and sensible heat fluxes reach maximum in summer. (3) The spatial distribution and seasonal variations of sensitivity of surface evaporation to shallow soil temperature and moisture on TP are consistent with latent heat flux, while those of land-air temperature difference are consistent with sensible heat flux. The correlation coefficient between ∆I of surface evaporation and latent heat flux is 0.48, while that between the land-air temperature difference and sensible heat flux is 0.65. They all pass the significance test at the 99% level. In summary, shallow soil temperature and moisture dominate surface evaporation and land-air temperature difference on TP and future influence the spatiotemporal characteristics of surface sensible and latent heat fluxes.
How to cite: Hou, Y. and Hu, Z.: Quantitative Analysis of the Influence of Shallow Soil Temperature and Moisture on Surface Energy and Water Exchange on the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2928, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2928, 2026.
A coherent Doppler wind lidar (Wind3D 6000) has been operating in the northern Mount Everest region since 2023. We retrieved the planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) from the Lidar observation spanning October 2023 to September 2025 using a hybrid algorithm that combines SNR-based thresholding and wavelet covariance transform (WCT) techniques, adapted to cloud and humidity regimes. The results were compared with the PBLH from radiosonde observations and reanalysis data. We find that the modified retrieval shows close agreement with radiosonde observations (R² = 0.895) and outperforms the manufacturer’s own default outputs and two reanalysis products (ERA5 and MERRA-2). Case studies for a clear-sky day, a cloudy day, and a strong-wind episode illustrate the strengths of the lidar-derived PBLH: rapid convective growth under clear skies, abrupt collapse in cloud-limited conditions, and mechanically sustained deep layers during high-wind periods. In contrast, the reanalysis product consistently misrepresents the timing and magnitude of these diurnal transitions. Composite statistics reveal a robust diurnal cycle characterized by a shallow nocturnal layer (≈300 – 400 m), rapid growth after sunrise, and a late-morning maximum of 1.5 – 1.8 km. Seasonally, daytime PBLH peaks in spring and reaches its minimum in winter, except for a distinct June low attributable to enhanced monsoon-related clouds and moisture. Comparisons of monthly daytime biases show that ERA5 consistently underestimates PBLH, whereas MERRA-2 and the operational lidar algorithm overestimate it throughout the year. This two-year PBLH record from a high-altitude site on the north of Mount Everest establishes a valuable benchmark for evaluating and improving boundary-layer parameterizations over extreme mountain terrain, despite limitations in nocturnal validation and occasional data gaps during adverse weather conditions.
How to cite: Zhou, X., Ma, Y., Sun, F., and Wang, B.: Planetary Boundary Layer Height on the Northern Mount Everest Region Retrieved from Wind Lidar Observations, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-2398, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-2398, 2026.
Lakes are extensively distributed across the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and have experienced notable expansions under the background of climate change. This study investigates how large TP lakes influence local precipitation patterns. Our results show that local precipitation rates are higher in the warm season than in the cold season. These seasonal variations are attributed to differences in the thermal and moisture states of TP and the predominant weather processes, such as convection and cyclonic systems. More substantial increases in nighttime precipitation over lakes are also observed compared to daytime precipitation. These diurnal variations may be linked to differences in near-surface atmospheric dynamics (e.g., wind speed is lower at night than during the day). These findings provide important insights into the hydroclimatic role of TP lakes and call for deliberately incorporating observational evidence into simulating the lake-atmosphere interactions by climate models.
How to cite: Yang, Z. and Yang, K.: Variations in the Impacts of Large Lakes on Local Precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-15757, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-15757, 2026.
The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has substantial dynamic and thermal effects on regional and global climate, with plateau vortices (TPVs) playing a key role in summer precipitation. However, current land surface models often overlook the influence of gravel on soil hydrology and thermodynamics, which may influence vortex evolution. In this study, we incorporated the influence of gravel on soil properties into the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to explore its effect on TPV dynamics. Two simulations were conducted: one without gravel parameterization (WRF-Ctl) and one with gravel (WRF-Gravel). Results showed that WRF-Gravel produced a faster-moving vortex, with its track and structural characteristics more closely aligned with observational data in terms of position and scale. Sensitivity experiments with gravel content set to 0%, 50%, and 100% indicate that increased gravel content enhances soil permeability, reduces soil moisture, and decreases surface latent heat flux. This reduction in surface energy weakens atmospheric instability and convective potential, ultimately resulting in reduced precipitation and weaker vortex intensity, as indicated by lower central vorticity. While these results provide preliminary insights into the potential role of gravel in modulating TPV thermodynamic and dynamic processes, further multi-case and long-term studies are needed to validate these findings and assess their broader applicability.
How to cite: Xu, Y., Ma, Y., and Hu, W.: Refinement of Gravel Parameterization and Its Impacts on Weather, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-6237, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-6237, 2026.
Posters virtual: Thu, 7 May, 14:00–18:00 | vPoster spot A
EGU26-8717 | Posters virtual | VPS10
Analysis of Heavy Precipitation and its Typical Weather Patterns over the Upper Reaches of the Yellow RiverThu, 07 May, 14:48–14:51 (CEST) vPoster spot A
The frequency of disasters induced by heavy precipitation (HP) in the upper reaches of the Yellow River Basin (URYR) has increased notably. This study had further elucidated the structure and interactions of synoptic systems across different pressure levels and quantitatively characterized the anomalous driving factors. Four weather types had been identified: Xinjiang Trough (Type1, constituting 35% of HP), Mongolian Trough (Type2, 14%), Westward–Extension Western Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH) (Type3, 43%), and Cut–Off Cyclone (Type4, 8%). Influenced by the troughs, the moisture anomalies are transported by the southwesterly jet originating from Bay of Bengal low-pressure systems. In Type3, the WPSH and South Asian High demonstrate the greatest zonal expansion and central intensity (reaching 12610 gpm); this type distinguished by maximal moisture and energy, exhibits the most pronounced extreme properties. The most notable characteristic of Type4 is its stability and persistence presented the most favorable dynamic conditions, despite occurring with the lowest frequency. Due to the anomalous evolution of atmospheric circulation, the anomalies in potential vorticity, column-integrated precipitable water, and convective available potential energy increase; negative anomalies in vertical velocity and moisture flux divergence decline dramatically within 12 to 6 hours preceding HP, signaling anomalous moisture convergence coupled with ascending motion. Low-level moisture is impeded and diverted by the TP topography, generating northerly flow along its eastern flank and forming a distinct “moisture corridor”. Orographic uplift introduces pronounced vertical component to the moisture flux vectors and intensifies local circulations, thereby promoting the initiation and organization of mesoscale systems. The vertical moisture advection serves as dominant mechanism driving HP, while zonal or meridional moist enthalpy predominantly contributes to the physical processes driving the ascending motion under different patterns. These findings may offer a scientific basis for the prediction of HP events in the region.
How to cite: Tan, C., Ma, Y., Chen, X., Li, W., and Zhang, Q.: Analysis of Heavy Precipitation and its Typical Weather Patterns over the Upper Reaches of the Yellow River, EGU General Assembly 2026, Vienna, Austria, 3–8 May 2026, EGU26-8717, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu26-8717, 2026.
