Extreme Lake Level Changes on the Tibetan Plateau Associated With the 2015/2016 El Niño

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 5889-5898 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanbin Lei ◽  
Yali Zhu ◽  
Bin Wang ◽  
Tandong Yao ◽  
Kun Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
El Niño ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
El Nino ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lake Level Changes

Summer Cooling Driven by Large Volcanic Eruptions over the Tibetan Plateau

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (24) ◽  
pp. 9869-9879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianping Duan ◽  
Lun Li ◽  
Zhuguo Ma ◽  
Jan Esper ◽  
Ulf Büntgen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Temperature Deviation ◽  
El Niño Event ◽  
El Niño Events ◽  
Large Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
El Nino Events

Large volcanic eruptions may cause abrupt summer cooling over large parts of the globe. However, no comparable imprint has been found on the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Here, we introduce a 400-yr-long temperature-sensitive network of 17 tree-ring maximum latewood density sites from the TP that demonstrates that the effects of tropical eruptions on the TP are generally greater than those of extratropical eruptions. Moreover, we found that large tropical eruptions accompanied by subsequent El Niño events caused less summer cooling than those that occurred without El Niño association. Superposed epoch analysis (SEA) based on 27 events, including 14 tropical eruptions and 13 extratropical eruptions, shows that the summer cooling driven by extratropical eruptions is insignificant on the TP, while significant summer temperature decreases occur subsequent to tropical eruptions. Further analysis of the TP August–September temperature responses reveals a significant postvolcanic cooling only when no El Niño event occurred. However, there is no such cooling for all other situations, that is, tropical eruptions together with a subsequent El Niño event, as well as extratropical eruptions regardless of the occurrence of an El Niño event. The averaged August–September temperature deviation ( Tdev) following 10 large tropical eruptions without a subsequent El Niño event is up to −0.48° ± 0.19°C (with respect to the preceding 5-yr mean), whereas the temperature deviation following 4 large tropical eruptions with an El Niño association is approximately 0.23° ± 0.16°C. These results indicate a mitigation effect of El Niño events on the TP temperature response to large tropical eruptions. The possible mechanism is that El Niño events can weaken the Indian summer monsoon with a subsequent decrease in rainfall and cooling effect, which may lead to a relatively high temperature on the TP, one of the regions affected by the Indian summer monsoon.

Integration of Tibetan Plateau ice-core temperature records and the influence of atmospheric circulation on isotopic signals in the past century

2014 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 520-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxin Yang ◽  
Tandong Yao ◽  
Daniel Joswiak ◽  
Ping Yao
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Past Century ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
The Past ◽  
Increasing Trends

AbstractTemperature signals in ice-core δ18O on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), particularly in the central and southern parts, continue to be debated because of the large scale of atmospheric circulation. This study presents ten ice-core δ18O records at an annual resolution, with four (Malan, Muztagata, Guliya, and Dunde) in the northern, three (Puruogangri, Geladaindong, Tanggula) in the central and three (Noijin Kangsang, Dasuopu, East Rongbuk) in the southern TP. Integration shows commonly increasing trends in δ18O in the past century, featuring the largest one in the northern, a moderate one in the central and the smallest one in the southern TP, which are all consistent with ground-based measurements of temperature. The influence of atmospheric circulation on isotopic signals in the past century was discussed through the analysis of El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and of possible connections between sea surface temperature (SST) and the different increasing trends in both ice-core δ18O and temperature. Particularly, El Niño and the corresponding warm Bay of Bengal (BOB) SST enhance the TP ice-core isotopic enrichment, while La Niña, or corresponding cold BOB SST, causes depletion. This thus suggests a potential for reconstructing the ENSO history from the TP ice-core δ18O.

Monitoring lake level changes on the Tibetan Plateau using ICESat altimetry data (2003–2009)

2011 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 1733-1742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guoqing Zhang ◽  
Hongjie Xie ◽  
Shichang Kang ◽  
Donghui Yi ◽  
Stephen F. Ackley
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Altimetry Data ◽  
Lake Level Changes

Potential forcing mechanisms of Holocene lake-level changes at Nam Co, Tibetan Plateau: Inferred from the stable isotopic composition of shells of the gastropod Radix

The Holocene ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 594-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Chen ◽  
Jin-Liang Feng ◽  
Hai-Ping Hu ◽  
Ji-Feng Zhang ◽  
Shao-Peng Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
Late Holocene ◽  
Causal Mechanism ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
The South ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Nam Co ◽  
Lake Level Changes ◽  
South Central

The timing of lake-level fluctuations on the Tibetan Plateau and their relationship with climatic changes is still under debate, and the main reason for this is the lack of suitable archives for reconstructing the paleohydrology and paleoclimatology of the lakes. Here, we present the results of analyses of the shell geochemistry of Radix sp. from an exposed terrace of Nam Co lake on the south-central Tibetan Plateau. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating reveals that deep-water lacustrine sediments formed between ca. 4.4 and 2.2 ka, suggesting a high and stable lake level significantly above the present. The results of Sr/Ca, δ13C and δ18O analyses of the fossil shells of Radix sp. indicate that during the mid- to late-Holocene, lake-level variations in Nam Co were mainly controlled by variations in the Indian Summer Monsoon. A trend of decreasing evaporation also played an important role. Comparison with other results suggests a consistent pattern of mid- to late-Holocene lake-level changes across a large area of the Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions to the south, which had a similar causal mechanism. Finally, our results indicate that fossil shells of the gastropod Radix sp. of the lakes on the Tibetan Plateau are a valuable archive for reconstructing the regional paleohydrology and paleoclimatology.

scholarly journals Reconciling the Discrepancy of Post-Volcanic Cooling Estimated from Tree-Ring Reconstructions and Model Simulations over the Tibetan Plateau

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 738
Author(s):  
Jianping Duan ◽  
Peili Wu ◽  
Zhuguo Ma
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Climate Variability ◽  
Tree Ring ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Model Simulations ◽  
Internal Climate Variability

Volcanic eruptions are a major factor influencing global climate variability, usually with a cooling effect. The magnitudes of post-volcanic cooling from historical eruptions estimated by tree-ring reconstructions differ considerably with the current climate model simulations. It remains controversial on what is behind such a discrepancy. This study investigates the role of internal climate variability (i.e., El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) warm phase) with a regional focus on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), using tree-ring density records and long historical climate simulations from the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparsion Project (CMIP5). We found that El Niño plays an important role behind the inconsistencies between model simulations and reconstructions. Without associated El Niño events, model simulations agree well with tree-ring records. Divergence appears when large tropical eruptions are followed by an El Niño event. Model simulations, on average, tend to overestimate post-volcanic cooling during those periods as the occurrence of El Niño is random as part of internal climate variability.

scholarly journals Spatiotemporal Variation in Rainfall Erosivity and Correlation with the ENSO on the Tibetan Plateau since 1971

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (21) ◽  
pp. 11054
Author(s):  
Bohao Cui ◽  
Yili Zhang ◽  
Linshan Liu ◽  
Zehua Xu ◽  
Zhaofeng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
La Niña ◽  
Rainfall Erosivity ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
La Nina ◽  
Increasing Trend

Soil erosion is a serious ecological problem in the fragile ecological environment of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Rainfall erosivity is one of the most important factors controlling soil erosion and is associated with the El Niño southern oscillation (ENSO). However, there is a lack of studies related to the spatial distribution and temporal trends of rainfall erosivity on the TP as a whole. Additionally, the understanding of the general influence of ENSO on rainfall erosivity across the TP remains to be developed. In this study, long-term (1971–2020) daily precipitation data from 91 meteorological stations were selected to calculate rainfall erosivity. The analysis combines co-kriging interpolation, Sen’s slope estimator, and the Mann–Kendall trend test to investigate the spatiotemporal patten of rainfall erosivity across the TP. The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) and multivariate ENSO Index (MEI) were chosen as ENSO phenomenon characterization indices, and the relationship between ENSO and rainfall erosivity was explored by employing a continuous wavelet transform. The results showed that an increasing trend in annual rainfall erosivity was detected on the TP from 1971 to 2020. The seasonal and monthly rainfall erosivity was highly uneven, with the summer erosivity accounting for 60.36%. The heterogeneous spatial distribution of rainfall erosivity was observed with an increasing trend from southeast to northwest. At the regional level, rainfall erosivity in the southeastern TP was mainly featured by a slow increase, while in the northwest was more destabilizing and mostly showed no significant trend. The rainfall erosivity on the whole TP was relatively high during non-ENSO periods and relatively low during El Niño/La Niña periods. It is worth noting that rainfall erosivity in the northwest TP appears to be more serious during the La Niña event. Furthermore, there were obvious resonance cycles between the rainfall erosivity and ENSO in different regions of the plateau, but the cycles had pronounced discrepancies in the occurrence time, direction of action and intensity. These findings contribute to providing references for soil erosion control on the TP and the formulation of future soil conservation strategies.

scholarly journals Lake level changes in the Tibetan Plateau from Cryosat-2, SARAL, ICESat, and Jason-2 altimeters

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheinway Hwang ◽  
Yung-Sheng Cheng ◽  
Wan-Hsin Yang ◽  
Guoqing Zhang ◽  
Yong-Ruei Huang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lake Level ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Lake Level Changes

scholarly journals Remote Effects of IOD and ENSO on Motivating the Atmospheric Pattern Favorable for Snowfall Over the Tibetan Plateau in Early Winter

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongyan Shen ◽  
Zhiqiang Gong ◽  
Boqi Liu ◽  
Yipeng Guo ◽  
Xiaoli Feng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Early Winter ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Community Atmosphere Model

The interannual variation of snowfall over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in early winter (November–December) and its related atmospheric attribution are clarified. Meanwhile, the influence of tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) on TP snowfall is investigated by diagnostic analyses and Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5) simulations. The leading mode of TP snowfall in early winter features a spatially uniform pattern with remarkable interannual variability. It is found that the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) are main external forcing factors for TP snowfall. Positive IOD with positive ENSO and positive IOD with neutral ENSO cases both have remote impact on motivating Southern Eurasia (SEA) pattern, which can induce an anomalous cyclone around the TP. The corresponding anomalous ascending motion and cold air in the mid-upper troposphere provide the dynamical and thermal conditions for heavy snowfall. The low-level southwesterly winds are enhanced over the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, bringing abundant water vapor into the TP for excessive snowfall. Furthermore, CAM5 simulation experiments forced by IOD- and ENSO-related SST anomalies are performed to verify their combined and independent effects on TP snowfall in early winter. It is confirmed that either positive IOD or El Niño has certain impacts on motivating circulation anomalies favorable for snowfall over the TP. However, IOD plays a leading role in producing the excessive snowfall-related atmospheric conditions, and there is an asymmetric influence of ENSO and IOD on the TP snowfall.

scholarly journals Investigating the Role of the Tibetan Plateau in ENSO Variability

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (11) ◽  
pp. 4835-4852
Author(s):  
Qin Wen ◽  
Kristofer Döös ◽  
Zhengyao Lu ◽  
Zixuan Han ◽  
Haijun Yang
Keyword(s):  
Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Mixed Layer ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Equatorial Pacific ◽  
The Tibetan Plateau ◽  
Atmospheric Convection ◽  
Enso Variability ◽  
Eastern Equatorial Pacific

ABSTRACTThe role of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) in El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variability is investigated using coupled model experiments with different topography setups. Removing the TP results in weakened trade winds in the tropical Pacific, an eastward shift of atmospheric convection center, a shallower mixed layer in the equatorial Pacific, and a flattened equatorial thermocline, which leads to an El Niño–like sea surface temperature (SST) response. In association with these mean climate changes in the tropical atmosphere–ocean system, the ENSO variability exhibits a much stronger amplitude in the world without the TP. Detailed diagnoses reveal that in the absence of the TP, both thermocline feedback in the eastern equatorial Pacific and Ekman pumping feedback in the central-eastern equatorial Pacific are enhanced substantially, leading to stronger ENSO variability. The changes of these two feedbacks are caused by the eastward shift of the atmospheric convection center and enhanced ocean sensitivity; the latter is due to the shallower mixed layer and flattened thermocline. This study suggests that the presence of the TP may be of fundamental importance for modern-day tropical climate variability; namely, the TP may have played a role in suppressing ENSO variability.

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