Heterogeneity of Surface Heat Exchange of Slopes and Potential Drivers of the Initiation of Thaw Slump,Qinghai‑Tibet Plateau

In the mountainous permafrost area,most thaw slumps are distributed in north or northeast-facing shady slope areas.It is commonly known that there is a heterogeneity in permafrost between diferent slope aspects,but there has been a lack of detailed measured data to quantitatively evaluate their relationships,and in-depth understandings on how the slope aspects are linked to the distribution of thaw slumps.This study examined the heterogenous thermal regime,soil moisture content,and surface radiation at two slope sites with opposing aspects in a warming permafrost region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(QTP).The results indicate that similar air temperatures(T_(a))were monitored on the two slopes,but there were signifcant diferences in ground temperature and moisture content in the active layer from 2016 to 2021.The sunny slope exhibited a higher mean annual ground surface temperature(T_(s)),and over the fve years the mean annual temperature at the top of permafrost was 1.3–1.4℃warmer on the sunny slope than the shady slope.On the contrary,the near-surface soil moisture content was about 10–13%lower on the sunny slope(~22–27%)than the shady slope(~35–38%)during the thawing season(June–September).Radiation data indicate that signifcantly higher shortwave downward radiation(DR)appeared at the sunny slope site.However,due to the greater surface albedo,the net radiation(Rn)was lower on the sunny slope.Slope aspect also afects the ground ice content due to its infuence on ground temperature,freeze-thaw cycles,and soil moisture.Shady slopes have a shallower burial of ice-rich permafrost compared to sunny slopes.The results highlight greatly diferent near-surface ground thermal conditions at the two slope sites with diferent aspects in a mountainous permafrost region.This helps identify the slope-related causes of increasing thaw slumps and provides a basis for predicting their future development.

STUDY ON CLIMATIC FEATURES OF SURFACE TURBULENT HEAT EXCHANGE COEFFICIENTS AND SURFACE THERMAL SOURCES OVER THE QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU

Using monthly mean of surface turbulent heat exchange coefficients calculated based on data from four automatic weather stations(AWS)for thermal equilibrium observation in July 1993— September 1996 and of surface conventional measurements,an empirical expression is established for such coefficients.With the expression,the heat exchange coefficients and the components of surface thermal source are computed in terms of 1961—1990 monthly mean conventional data from 148 stations over the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibetan)Plateau(QXP)and its adjoining areas,and the 1961—1990 climatic means are examined. Evidence suggests that the empirical expression is capable of showing the variation of the heat exchange coefficient in a climatic context.The monthly variation of the coefficients averaged over the QXP is in a range of 4×10^(-3)-5×10^(-3).The wintertime values are bigger in the mountains than in the valleys and reversal in summer.Surface effective radiation and sensible heat are the dominant factors of surface total heat.In spring surface sensible heat is enhanced quickly, resulting in two innegligible regions of sensible heat,one in the west QXP and the other in northern Tibet.with their maximums emerging in different months.In spring and summer sensible heat and surface effective radiation are higher in the west than in the east.The effective radiation peaks for the east in October—December and the whole QXP and in June and October for the west.The surface total heat of the plateau maximizes in May.minimizes in December and January,and shows seasonal variation more remarkable in the SW compared to the eastern part.In the SW plateau the total heat is much more intense than the eastern counterpart in all the seasons except winter.Under the effect of the sensible heat,the total heat on the SW plateau starts to considerably intensify in February,which leads to a predominant heating region in the west,with its center experiencing a noticeable westward migration early in summer and twice pronounced weakening in July and after October.However,the weakening courses are owing to different causes.The total heat over the north of QXP is greatly strengthened in March.thus generating another significant thermal region in the plateau.