Revisiting Recent Elevation‐Dependent Warming on the Tibetan Plateau Using Satellite‐Based Data Sets

Abstract

Satellite data, characterized by extensive regional coverage and relatively high spatial resolution, have a distinct advantage for examining elevation-dependent warming (EDW) across rugged topography in mountain regions where there are sparse in situ observations. Based on recent (2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008)(2009)(2010)(2011)(2012)(2013)(2014)(2015) comprehensive satellite-based data sets (2 m air temperature, land surface temperature, snow cover, and daytime and nighttime cloud), this study finds that annual mean 2 m air temperature warming rates show rapid decrease above 4,500 m despite increasing from 2,000 to 4,500 m. This indicates a reversal in EDW at the highest elevations on the Tibetan Plateau, which is somehow different from the EDW derived from short-term land surface temperature presented in earlier research. The decrease of warming rate above 4,500 m coincides with the elevation at which most of the current solid water resources reside. Thus, their decline may be less rapid than previously thought. Trends in nighttime cloud and snow cover are both correlated with patterns of EDW on the Tibetan Plateau, but the leading factor varies on an annual and seasonal basis. These results provide important evidence for understanding EDW and its controlling mechanisms in an extreme high-elevation context. Key Points:• The warming rate of satellite-based 2 m air temperatures rapidly decreases above 4,500 m despite an increase from 2,000 to 4,500 m over the Tibetan Plateau • The decrease of warming rate above 4,500 m is conducive to less rapid decline of 83% of the current plateau solid water resources • Changes in nighttime cloud cover and snow cover have a strong control on EDW patterns on the plateau

Satellite data reveal southwestern Tibetan plateau cooling since 2001 due to snow‐albedo feedback

“…Guo et al . () used SBAT to reveal a reversal in elevation dependent warming above 4,500 m on the TP in recent years. Pepin et al .…”

“…Gao et al (2018a) used model simulations to examine future (21st century) patterns of elevation-dependent warming, and projected peak warming around 5,000 m associated with snowalbedo feedback, and a decrease above this elevation. Guo et al (2019) used SBAT to reveal a reversal in elevation dependent warming above 4,500 m on the TP in recent years. Pepin et al (2019) corrected MODIS LST data to more closely represent air temperature, and analysed patterns of warming in three mountain ranges across the plateau for 2002-2017.…”

“…Accurate quantification of temperature change on the TP is essential for effective evaluation of current and future sustainability of the solid water resource. Much research has concentrated on climate warming with respect to the amplitude or rate of warming (Liu and Chen, 2000;You et al, 2008;Yan and Liu, 2014), spatial patterns (Yang et al, 2014), seasonality (Guo and Wang, 2012) and elevationdependent warming (Rangwala and Miller, 2012;Pepin et al, 2015;Cai et al, 2017;Guo et al, 2019). However, all such observation-based studies are plagued by the scarcity of observations.…”

Does elevation dependent warming exist in high mountain Asia?

“…Liu et al (2009) suggested that the elevation dependency was most probably caused by the combined effects of cloud-radiation with snow-albedo feedbacks among various influencing factors in the Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings from 1961 to 2006. Guo et al (2019a) found that trends in nighttime cloud and snow cover were correlated with patterns of EDW on the Tibetan Plateau from 2001 to 2015.…”

Progress and Challenges in Studying Regional Permafrost in the Tibetan Plateau Using Satellite Remote Sensing and Models

“…Previous studies further indicated such warming trend is elevation-dependent. Specifically, the warming rate increases with elevation for lower altitude regions (<∼4,500-5,000 m) and this phenomenon is more obvious during autumn and winter (Yan and Liu, 2014), while this warming trend is absent or lower at higher elevations (>∼5,000 m) based on satellite-based temperature datasets (Guo et al, 2019;Pepin et al, 2019). Other changes include slight increases in precipitation, wind speed weakening, solar radiation declining and mixed trends of relative humidity (Yang et al, 2014;Bibi et al, 2018).…”