Xiaofan Zhu

Numerical Modeling of the Active Layer Thickness and Permafrost Thermal State Across Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau

The dynamics of permafrost (including the permafrost thermal state and active layer thicknesses (ALT)) across the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) have not been well understood on a large scale. Here, we simulate the ALT and permafrost thermal state using the Geophysical Institute Permafrost Lab Version 2 (GIPL2) model across the QTP. Based on the single-point simulations, the model is upscaled to the entire QTP. The upscaled model is validated with five investigated regions (IRs), including Wenquan (WQIR), Gaize (GZIR), Aerjin (AEJIR), Xikunlun (XKLIR) and Qinghai-Tibetan highway (G109IR). The results show that the modified GIPL2 model improves the accuracy of the permafrost thermal state simulations. Due to our simulated results on the QTP, the average ALT is of 2.30 m (2.21 - 2.40 m). The ALT decreases with an increase in the altitude and decreases from the southeast to the northwest. The ALT is thin in the central QTP, but it is thick in the high-elevation mountain areas and some areas surrounding glaciers and lakes. The largest ALT is found in the border areas between permafrost and seasonally frozen ground regions. The simulated results of the MAGT (the mean annual ground temperature) indicate that most of the permafrost is sub-stable, which is sensitive to climate warming. The simulated results would be of great significance on assessing the impacts of permafrost dynamics on local hydrology, ecology, and engineering construction.

Spatiotemporal Changes of Reference Evapotranspiration in Mongolia during 1980–2006

Reference evapotranspiration (RET) plays an important role in the terrestrial hydrological cycle. Applying the Penman-Monteith method, the RET over Mongolia was estimated from 1980 to 2006. The changing trends and magnitude of RET were detected by the Mann-Kendall test and Theil-Sen’s slope methods. Meanwhile, aridity indices were estimated using two different indices. The impacts of meteorological variables on RET were assessed through sensitive analysis by comparing the resulting RETs from artificially disturbed meteorological variables. The results indicated that the RET for 16 stations in Mongolia showed an increasing trend, particularly in the center and south. The calculated RET was higher than precipitation, which means severe droughts in Mongolia. The spatial patterns of RET are significantly influenced by climatic conditions as well as characteristics of the underlying surface (e.g., elevation and vegetation). The mean annual RET decreased from the south to the north, owing to sparse vegetation in the south of Mongolia. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the changes of RET were strongly affected by air temperature and relative humidity.

Hydrochemical characteristics of ground ice in permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Ground ice is a distinctive feature of permafrost terrain. The vertical distribution and factors controlling the hydrochemistry of ground ice are important for studying soil moisture and salt migration during the freeze-thaw process in soil. These factors are also important components of hydrological cycles in cold regions. The hydrochemical characteristics of ground ice on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) are not well known. We examined the characteristics of ground ice hydrochemistry using data from 9 soil profiles in permafrost regions of the central QTP. The isotopes and anion concentrations of subsurface water on the QTP were higher than those in Arctic polygonal ground regions. The spatial distribution of anions was complex. Well-developed hydrochemical depth gradients occurred within the soil profile. Isotopes decreased and anions increased with depth, suggesting general vertical patterns of soil hydrochemistry across different permafrost regions. Cl- and SO42- concentrations in soil water increased with depth, while NO3- concentration did not change with depth. Freeze-out fractionation, self-purification, and desalination greatly impact soil hydrochemistry. The major factors controlling variation of soil water chemistry were soil moisture, air temperature, and active layer thickness. The results could provide a framework for understanding ground ice origins and the moisture and salt migration pathways in the context of permafrost changes. This information could be useful in developing process-based permafrost hydrologic models.

Soil infiltration processes of different underlying surfaces in the permafrost region on the Tibetan Plateau

ABSTRACT Soil infiltration processes were evaluated under field conditions by double-ring infiltrometers with different underlying surfaces in permafrost regions of the Tibetan Plateau. The results show that initial infiltration rates, stable soil infiltration rates and cumulative soil infiltration are strongly dependent on the underlying surface types, with the highest initial and stable soil infiltration rates in the alpine desert steppe, and the lowest in alpine meadow. The effects of soil moisture and texture on infiltration processes were also assessed. Within the same underlying surfaces, the values of infiltration parameters increased with the amount of vegetation cover, while soil moisture and soil infiltration rates displayed opposing trends, with fitting slopes of −0.03 and −0.01 for the initial and stable soil infiltration rates, respectively. The accuracies of the five models in simulating soil infiltration rates and seven models in predicting cumulative infiltration rates were evaluated against data generated from field experiments at four sites. Based on a comparative analysis, the Horton model provided the most complete understanding of the underlying surface effects on soil infiltration processes. Altogether, these findings show that different underlying surfaces can alter soil infiltration processes. This study provides a useful reference for understanding the parameterization of land surface processes for simulating changes in hydrological processes under global warming conditions in the permafrost region on the Tibetan Plateau.

Assessment of reanalysis soil moisture products in the permafrost regions of the central of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

The long-term and large-scale soil moisture (SM) record is important for understanding land atmosphere interactions and their impacts on the weather, climate, and regional ecosystem. SM products are one of the parameters used in some earth system models, but these records require evaluation before use. The water resources on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) are important to the water security of billions of people in Asia. Therefore, it is necessary to know the SM conditions on the QTP. In this study, the evaluation metrics of multilayer (0 - 10, 10 - 40 and 40 - 100 cm) SM in different reanalysis datasets of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts interim reanalysis (ERA), National Centers for Environmental Prediction Climate Forecast System and the Climate Forecast System version 2 (CFSv2), and China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS) are compared with in situ observations at five observation sites, which represent alpine meadow, alpine swamp meadow, alpine grassy meadow, alpine desert steppe, and alpine steppe environments during the thawing season from 1 Jan 2011 to 31 Dec 2013 on the QTP. The ERA SM remains constant at approximately 0.2 m3⋅m-3 at all observation sites during the entire thawing season. The CLDAS and CFSv2 SM products show similar patterns with those of the in situ SM observations during the thawing season. The CLDAS SM product performs better than the CFSv2 and ERA for all vegetation types except the alpine swamp meadow. The results indicate that the soil texture and land cover types play a more important role than the precipitation to increase the biases of the CLDAS SM product on the QTP.