A high-resolution 2000-year methane record has been constructed from an ice core recovered at 7200 m a.s.l. on the Dasuopu Glacier in the central Himalayas. This sub-tropical methane record reveals an increasing trend...A high-resolution 2000-year methane record has been constructed from an ice core recovered at 7200 m a.s.l. on the Dasuopu Glacier in the central Himalayas. This sub-tropical methane record reveals an increasing trend in the concentration of methane during the industrial era that is similar to observations from polar regions. However, we also observed the differences in the atmospheric methane mixing ratio between this monsoon record and those from polar regions during pre-industrial times. In the time interval 0-1850 A.D., the average methane concentration in the Dasuopu ice core was 782±40 ppbv and the maximum temporal variation exceeded 200 ppbv. The difference gradient of methane concentration in Dasuopu ice core with Greenland and Antarctica cores are 66±40 ppbv and 107±40 ppbv, respectively. This suggests that the tropical latitudes might have acted as a major global methane source in pre- industrial times. In addition, the temporal fluctuation of the pre-industrial methane records suggests that monsoon evolution incorporated with high methane emission from south Asia might be responsible for the relatively high methane concentration observed in the Dasuopu ice core around A.D. 800 and A.D. 1600. These results provide a rough understanding of the contribution of tropical methane source to the global methane budget and also the relationship between atmospheric methane and climate change.展开更多
To better understand ultra-high-altitude climate characteristics and their changes, an automatic weather station was installed on August 4, 2005 on the Mt. Xixiabangma Dasuopu glacier (28°23.04′N, 85°43.72...To better understand ultra-high-altitude climate characteristics and their changes, an automatic weather station was installed on August 4, 2005 on the Mt. Xixiabangma Dasuopu glacier (28°23.04′N, 85°43.72′E, 6900 m a.s.l.) in the middle of the Himalayas. Mountain weather conditions were observed continuously and automatically. This paper is the first to publish meteorological data for a whole year for a high-elevation region, and analyze wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure and humidity. Analysis of the observation data reveals that this region was strongly influenced by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and by the Indian monsoon from May to September. The seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements. In winter, influenced by the westerly jet, the wind speed in the study region was very high and fluctuated violently, gale days were frequent, temperature and air pressure fluctuated dramatically, the diurnal range of temperature decreased and the diurnal range of air pressure increased, relative humidity and specific humidity declined sharply, and air was dry. In summer, influenced by the Indian monsoon, the relative humidity and specific humidity were high. In addition, we analyzed reanalysis data for the location of the automatic weather station. The results confirmed that this region was strongly affected by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and the observations that the seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40671044)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2005CB422004)
文摘A high-resolution 2000-year methane record has been constructed from an ice core recovered at 7200 m a.s.l. on the Dasuopu Glacier in the central Himalayas. This sub-tropical methane record reveals an increasing trend in the concentration of methane during the industrial era that is similar to observations from polar regions. However, we also observed the differences in the atmospheric methane mixing ratio between this monsoon record and those from polar regions during pre-industrial times. In the time interval 0-1850 A.D., the average methane concentration in the Dasuopu ice core was 782±40 ppbv and the maximum temporal variation exceeded 200 ppbv. The difference gradient of methane concentration in Dasuopu ice core with Greenland and Antarctica cores are 66±40 ppbv and 107±40 ppbv, respectively. This suggests that the tropical latitudes might have acted as a major global methane source in pre- industrial times. In addition, the temporal fluctuation of the pre-industrial methane records suggests that monsoon evolution incorporated with high methane emission from south Asia might be responsible for the relatively high methane concentration observed in the Dasuopu ice core around A.D. 800 and A.D. 1600. These results provide a rough understanding of the contribution of tropical methane source to the global methane budget and also the relationship between atmospheric methane and climate change.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40830638)Projects of International Cooperation (40810019001)+1 种基金the Third Pole Environment Program (GJHZ0906)the CAS/SAFEA International Partnership Program for Creative Research Teams
文摘To better understand ultra-high-altitude climate characteristics and their changes, an automatic weather station was installed on August 4, 2005 on the Mt. Xixiabangma Dasuopu glacier (28°23.04′N, 85°43.72′E, 6900 m a.s.l.) in the middle of the Himalayas. Mountain weather conditions were observed continuously and automatically. This paper is the first to publish meteorological data for a whole year for a high-elevation region, and analyze wind direction, wind speed, air temperature, air pressure and humidity. Analysis of the observation data reveals that this region was strongly influenced by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and by the Indian monsoon from May to September. The seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements. In winter, influenced by the westerly jet, the wind speed in the study region was very high and fluctuated violently, gale days were frequent, temperature and air pressure fluctuated dramatically, the diurnal range of temperature decreased and the diurnal range of air pressure increased, relative humidity and specific humidity declined sharply, and air was dry. In summer, influenced by the Indian monsoon, the relative humidity and specific humidity were high. In addition, we analyzed reanalysis data for the location of the automatic weather station. The results confirmed that this region was strongly affected by the westerly jet from October 10, 2005 to April 21, 2006 and the observations that the seasonal transitions of the westerly jet were characterized by changes in meteorological elements.
