The snow cover over the Taurus Mountains affects water supply, agriculture, and hydropower generation in the region. In this study, we analyzed the monthly Snow Cover Extent(SCE) from November to April in the Central ...The snow cover over the Taurus Mountains affects water supply, agriculture, and hydropower generation in the region. In this study, we analyzed the monthly Snow Cover Extent(SCE) from November to April in the Central Taurus Mountains(Bolkar, Aladaglar, Tahtali and Binboga Mountains) from 1981 to 2021. Linear trends of snow cover season(November to April) over the last 41 years showed decreases in SCE primarily at lower elevations. The downward trend in SCE was found to be more pronounced and statistically significant for only November and March. SCE in the Central Taurus Mountains has declined about-6.3% per decade for 2500-3000 m in November and about-6.0% per decade for 1000-1500 m and 3000+ m in March over the last 41 years. The loss of SCE has become evident since the 2000s, and the lowest negative anomalies in SCE have been observed in 2014, 2001, and 2007 in the last 41 years, which are consistent with an increase in air temperature and decreased precipitation. SCE was correlated with both mean temperature and precipitation, with temperature having a greater relative importance at all elevated gradients. Results showed that there is a strong linear relationship between SCE and the mean air temperature(r =-0.80) and precipitation(r = 0.44) for all elevated gradients during the snow season. The Arctic Oscillation(AO), the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO), and the Mediterranean Oscillation(MO) winter indices were used to explain the year-to-year variability in SCE over the Central Taurus Mountains. The results showed that the inter-annual variability observed in the winter SCE on the Central Taurus Mountains was positively correlated with the phases of the winter AO, NAO and MO, especially below 2000 m elevation.展开更多
Ice and snow tourism in China has grown significantly since the country successfully hosted the Beijing Winter Olympics.Climatic conditions profoundly impact the development of ice and snow tourism;however,most studie...Ice and snow tourism in China has grown significantly since the country successfully hosted the Beijing Winter Olympics.Climatic conditions profoundly impact the development of ice and snow tourism;however,most studies have focused on constructing different climate suitability indicators for ice and snow tourism to evaluate individual regions,lacking horizontal comparative studies across multiple regions.This study aims to enrich the connotation of climate suitability for ice and snow sports,establish an evaluation model based on snowfall amount,temperature,and wind speed,and use daily meteorological data from 1991 to 2021 to horizontally compare the climate suitability for ice and snow sports in major ski tourism destinations in China.This study boasts four major findings:1)the average ice and snow sports climate index of each region decreases over time,and the overall suitability of the climate for ice and snow sports is reducing;2)northern Xinjiang exhibits the most evident regional differentiation from‘very suitable’to‘generally suitable’;3)the spatial zoning of climate suitability for ice and snow sports exhibits heterogeneity,as northern Xinjiang is divided into two‘suitable and above’zones with rotating empirical orthogonal function(REOF).Correspondingly,the four provinces of Hebei,Heilongjiang,Jilin,and Liaoning are divided into three‘generally suitable and above’zones;4)snowfall amount is the main factor affecting the climate suitability of ice and snow sports in the major ski tourist destinations in China.展开更多
The accumulation of snow and ice on PV modules can have a detrimental impact on power generation,leading to reduced efficiency for prolonged periods.Thus,it becomes imperative to develop an intelligent system capable ...The accumulation of snow and ice on PV modules can have a detrimental impact on power generation,leading to reduced efficiency for prolonged periods.Thus,it becomes imperative to develop an intelligent system capable of accurately assessing the extent of snow and ice coverage on PV modules.To address this issue,the article proposes an innovative ice and snow recognition algorithm that effectively segments the ice and snow areas within the collected images.Furthermore,the algorithm incorporates an analysis of the morphological characteristics of ice and snow coverage on PV modules,allowing for the establishment of a residual ice and snow recognition process.This process utilizes both the external ellipse method and the pixel statistical method to refine the identification process.The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated through extensive testing with isolated and continuous snow area pictures.The results demonstrate the algorithm’s accuracy and reliability in identifying and quantifying residual snow and ice on PV modules.In conclusion,this research presents a valuable method for accurately detecting and quantifying snow and ice coverage on PV modules.This breakthrough is of utmost significance for PV power plants,as it enables predictions of power generation efficiency and facilitates efficient PV maintenance during the challenging winter conditions characterized by snow and ice.By proactively managing snow and ice coverage,PV power plants can optimize energy production and minimize downtime,ensuring a sustainable and reliable renewable energy supply.展开更多
Based on field visit and interview,the current situation of snow village in China is summarized from four aspects:core scenic spots in snow village,skiing industry in snow village,film and television industry in snow ...Based on field visit and interview,the current situation of snow village in China is summarized from four aspects:core scenic spots in snow village,skiing industry in snow village,film and television industry in snow village,and ice and snow agritainment.The investigation found that there are still significant problems in homogenization,scenic area infrastructure,and government regulation in snow village.Targeted solutions are proposed from four aspects:tapping internal advantages,strengthening top-level design and infrastructure construction,promoting tourism industry upgrading,and collaborating to innovate the ice and snow tourism supply chain,in order to further promote the economic development of snow village.展开更多
Recent research has shown that snow cover induces extreme wintertime cooling and has detrimental impacts.Although the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice certainly has contributed to a more extreme climate,the mechanism c...Recent research has shown that snow cover induces extreme wintertime cooling and has detrimental impacts.Although the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice certainly has contributed to a more extreme climate,the mechanism connecting sea-ice loss to extensive snow cover is still up for debate.In this study,a significant relationship between sea ice concentration(SIC)in the Barents-Kara(B-K)seas in November and snow cover extent over Eurasia in winter(November-January)has been found based in observational datasets and through numerical experiments.The reduction in B-K sea ice gives rise to a negative phase of Arctic Oscillation(AO),a deepened East Asia trough,and a shallow trough over Europe.These circulation anomalies lead to colder-than-normal Eurasian mid-latitude temperatures,providing favorable conditions for snowfall.In addition,two prominent cyclonic anomalies near Europe and Lake Baikal affect moisture transport and its divergence,which results in increased precipitation due to moisture advection and wind convergence.Furthermore,anomalous E-P flux shows that amplified upward propagating waves associated with the low SIC could contribute to the weakening of the polar vortex and southward breakouts of cold air.This work may be helpful for further understanding and predicting the snowfall conditions in the middle latitudes.展开更多
The summer snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and their effects on climate variability are often overlooked,possibly due to the fact that some datasets cannot properly capture summer snow cover over high t...The summer snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and their effects on climate variability are often overlooked,possibly due to the fact that some datasets cannot properly capture summer snow cover over high terrain.The satellite-derived Equal-Area Scalable Earth grid (EASE-grid) dataset shows that snow still exists in summer in the western part and along the southem flank of the TP.Analysis demonstrates that the summer snow cover area proportion (SCAP) over the TP has a significant positive correlation with simultaneous precipitation over the mei-yu-baiu (MB) region on the interannual time scale.The close relationship between the summer SCAP and summer precipitation over the MB region could not be simply considered as a simultaneous response to the Silk Road pattern and the SST anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean and tropical central-eastern Pacific.The SCAP anomaly has an independent effect and may directly modulate the land surface heating and,consequently,vertical motion over the western TP,and concurrently induce anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean via a meridional vertical circulation.Through a zonal vertical circulation over the tropics and a Kelvin wave-type response,anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean may result in an anomalous high over the western North Pacific and modulate the convective activity in the western Pacific warm pool,which stimulates the East Asia-Pacific (EAP) pattern and eventually affects summer precipitation over the MB region.展开更多
The present reported study investigated the persistence of snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) from the preceding seasons to summer and the relationship between the previous snow cover anomaly and summer preci...The present reported study investigated the persistence of snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) from the preceding seasons to summer and the relationship between the previous snow cover anomaly and summer precipitation over East Asia. The results showed that, relative to other snow indices, such as the station observational snow depth(SOSD) index and the snow water equivalent(SWE) index, the snow cover area proportion(SCAP) index calculated from the SWE and the percentage of visible snow of the Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grids(EASE-grids) dataset has a higher persistence in interannual anomalies, particularly from May to summer. As such, the May SCAP index is significantly related to summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. The persistence of the SCAP index can partly explain the season-delayed effect of snow cover over the TP on summer rainfall over the Meiyu-Baiu region besides the contribution of the soil moisture bridge. The preceding SST anomaly in the tropical Indian Ocean and ENSO can persist through the summer and affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. However, the May SCAP index is mostly independent of the simultaneous SSTs in the tropical Indian Ocean and the preceding ENSO and may affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region independent of the effects of the SST anomalies. Therefore, the May SCAP over the TP could be regarded as an important supplementary factor in the forecasting of summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region.展开更多
Independent datasets consistently indicate a significant correlation between the sea ice variability in the Bering Sea during melt season and the summer rainfall variability in the Lake Baikal area and Northeastern Ch...Independent datasets consistently indicate a significant correlation between the sea ice variability in the Bering Sea during melt season and the summer rainfall variability in the Lake Baikal area and Northeastern China.In this study,four sea ice datasets(HadISST1,HadISST2.2,ERA-Interim and NOAA/NSIDC)and two global precipitation datasets(CRU V4.01 and GPCP V2.3)are used to investigate co-variations between melt season(March−April−May−June,MAMJ)Bering Sea ice cover(BSIC)and summer(June−July−August,JJA)East Asian precipitation.All datasets demonstrate a significant correlation between the MAMJ BSIC and the JJA rainfall in Lake Baikal−Northeastern China(Baikal−NEC).Based on the reanalysis datasets and the numerical sensitivity experiments performed in this study using Community Atmospheric Model version 5(CAM5),a mechanism to understand how the MAMJ BSIC influences the JJA Baikal−NEC rainfall is suggested.More MAMJ BSIC triggers a wave train and causes a positive sea level pressure(SLP)anomaly over the North Atlantic during MAMJ.The high SLP anomaly,associated with an anti-cyclonic wind stress circulation anomaly,favors the appearance of sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies in a zonal dipole-pattern in the North Atlantic during summer.The dipole SST anomaly drives a zonally orientated wave train,which causes a high anomaly geopotential height at 500 hPa over the Sea of Japan.As a result,the mean East Asian trough moves westward and a low geopotential height anomaly occurs over Baikal−NEC.This prevailing regional low pressure anomaly together with enhanced moisture transport from the western North Pacific and convergence over Baikal−NEC,positively influences the increased rainfall in summer.展开更多
The snow depth on sea ice is an extremely critical part of the cryosphere.Monitoring and understanding changes of snow depth on Antarctic sea ice is beneficial for research on sea ice and global climate change.The Mic...The snow depth on sea ice is an extremely critical part of the cryosphere.Monitoring and understanding changes of snow depth on Antarctic sea ice is beneficial for research on sea ice and global climate change.The Microwave Radiation Imager(MWRI)sensor aboard the Chinese FengYun-3D(FY-3D)satellite has great potential for obtaining information of the spatial and temporal distribution of snow depth on the sea ice.By comparing in-situ snow depth measurements during the 35th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-35),we took advantage of the combination of multiple gradient ratio(GR(36V,10V)and GR(36V,18V))derived from the measured brightness temperature of FY-3D MWRI to estimate the snow depth.This method could simultaneously introduce the advantages of high and low GR in the snow depth retrieval model and perform well in both deep and shallow snow layers.Based on this,we constructed a novel model to retrieve the FY-3D MWRI snow depth on Antarctic sea ice.The new model validated by the ship-based observational snow depth data from CHINARE-35 and the snow depth measured by snow buoys from the Alfred Wegener Institute(AWI)suggest that the model proposed in this study performs better than traditional models,with root mean square deviations(RMSDs)of 8.59 cm and 7.71 cm,respectively.A comparison with the snow depth measured from Operation IceBridge(OIB)project indicates that FY-3D MWRI snow depth was more accurate than the released snow depth product from the U.S.National Snow and Ice Data Center(NSIDC)and the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center(NTPDC).The spatial distribution of the snow depth from FY-3D MWRI agrees basically with that from ICESat-2;this demonstrates its reliability for estimating Antarctic snow depth,and thus has great potential for understanding snow depth variations on Antarctic sea ice in the context of global climate change.展开更多
The role of winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea as a precursor for precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America and Western Europe in the following spring is investigated. In general terms, as the sea ice in...The role of winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea as a precursor for precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America and Western Europe in the following spring is investigated. In general terms, as the sea ice increases, the precipitation also increases. In more detail, however, analyses indicate that both the winter sea-ice and the sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies related to increases in winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea can persist into the following spring. These features play a forcing role in the spring atmosphere, which may be the physical mechanism behind the observational relationship between the winter sea-ice and spring precipitation anomalies. The oceanic forcings in spring include Arctic sea-ice anomalies and SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific and high-latitude North Atlantic. Multi-model Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 and Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project simulation results show that the atmospheric circulation response to the combination of sea-ice and SST is similar to that observed, which suggests that the oceanic forcings are indeed the physical reason for the enhanced spring precipitation. Sensitivity experiments conducted using an atmospheric general circulation model indicate that the increases in precipitation over southeastern North America are mainly attributable to the effect of the SST anomalies, while the increases over Western Europe are mainly due to the sea-ice anomalies. Although model simulations reveal that the SST anomalies play the primary role in the precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America, the observational statistical analyses indicate that the area of sea-ice in the Labrador Sea seems to be the precursor that best predicts the spring precipitation anomaly.展开更多
The use of carbon-fiber heating cables(CFHC)to achieve effective melting of snow and ice deposited on roads is a method used worldwide.In this study,tensile and compressive tests have been conducted to analyze the mech...The use of carbon-fiber heating cables(CFHC)to achieve effective melting of snow and ice deposited on roads is a method used worldwide.In this study,tensile and compressive tests have been conducted to analyze the mechan-ical properties of the CFHC and assess whether the maximum tensile and compressive strengths can meet the pavement design specifications.In order to study the aging produced by multiple cycles of heating and cooling,in particular,the CFHC was repeatedly heated in a cold chamber with an ambient temperature ranging between-20℃ and+40℃.Moreover,to evaluate how the strength of the pavement is affected by its presence,the CFHC was embedded at different depths and concrete blocks with different curing ages were subjected to relevant com-pression and splitting tensile tests.Numerical simulations based on the ANSYS software have also been performed and compared with the outcomes of the static loading tests.The results show that the CFHC embedded in the concrete does not affect the compressive splitting tensile strengths of the pavement.Overall,the CFHC meets the conditions required for continued use in road ice melting applications.展开更多
The relationship between polar sea ice anomalies and the precipitation and temperature anomalies over China is investigated by performing singular value decomposition (SVD) analyses. The first three coupling modes hav...The relationship between polar sea ice anomalies and the precipitation and temperature anomalies over China is investigated by performing singular value decomposition (SVD) analyses. The first three coupling modes have been studied. Analyses show that there exist key areas of polar sea ice which are highly related with the precipitation and temperature anomalies over China. Different spatial anomaly patterns of these areas of polar sea ice are followed by different spatial anomaly patterns of the precipitation and temperature over China.展开更多
In this paper, a variation series of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer from 1965 to 2004 on the Tibetan Plateau has been established by using the observation data from meteorological stations. The sliding T-te...In this paper, a variation series of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer from 1965 to 2004 on the Tibetan Plateau has been established by using the observation data from meteorological stations. The sliding T-test, M-K test and B-G algorithm are used to verify abrupt changes of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer in the Tibetan plateau. The results show that the snow cover has not undergone an abrupt change, but the seasonal freeze-thaw layer obviously witnessed a rapid degradation in 1987, with the frozen soil depth being reduced by about 15 cm. It is also found that when there ~s less snow in the plateau region, precipitation in South China and Southwest China increases. But when the frozen soil is deep, precipitation in most of China apparently decreases. Both snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer on the plateau can be used to predict the summer precipitation in China. However, if the impacts of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer are used at the same time, the predictability of summer precipitation can be significantly improved. The significant correlation zone of snow is located in middle reaches of the Yangtze River covering the Hexi Corridor and northeastern Inner Mongolia, and the seasonal freeze-thaw layer exists in Mt. Nanling, northern Shannxi and northwestern part of North China. The significant correlation zone of simultaneous impacts of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer is larger than that of either snow cover or seasonal freeze-thaw layer. There are three significant correlation zones extending from north to south: the north zone spreads from Mr. Daxinganling to the Hexi Corridor, crossing northern Mt. Taihang and northern Shannxi; the central zone covers middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River; and the south zone extends from Mt. Wuyi to Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau through Mt. Nanling.展开更多
Seventy-two years of central western United States precipitation data have been analyzed for storms originating 1000 to 3000 km away from four ocean moisture sources: Arctic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Gulfs of...Seventy-two years of central western United States precipitation data have been analyzed for storms originating 1000 to 3000 km away from four ocean moisture sources: Arctic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Gulfs of California and Mexico. Precipitation trends were evaluated relative to precipitation phase, precipitation flux, storm track trajectory, and the sea surface temperature (SST) indices Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO. The lack of correlation between SST indices with precipitation flux was evaluated. The relationships of meteorological, hydrological and snow droughts were evaluated relative to each other, to the climate change-induced temporal shifts in the timing of mountain snowpack decay, and the timing when North Pacific storm tracks shift from crossing to circumventing the Sierra Nevada Range.展开更多
Two ensemble experiments were conducted using a general atmospheric circulation model. These experiments were used to investigate the impacts of initial snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) on China precipitati...Two ensemble experiments were conducted using a general atmospheric circulation model. These experiments were used to investigate the impacts of initial snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) on China precipitation prediction. In one of the experiments, the initial snow conditions over the TP were climatological values; while in the other experiment, the initial snow anomalies were snow depth estimates derived from the passive microwave remote-sensing data. In the current study, the difference between these two experiments was assessed to evaluate the impact of initial snow anomalies over the TP on simulated precipitation. The results indicated that the model simulation for precipitation over eastern China had certain improvements while applying a more realistic initial snow anomaly, especially for spring precipitation over Northeast China and North China and for summer precipitation over North China and Southeast China. The results suggest that seasonal prediction could be enhanced by using more realistic initial snow conditions over TP, and microwave remote-sensing snow data could be used to initialize climate models and improve the simulation of eastern China precipitation during spring and summer. Further analyses showed that higher snow anomalies over TP cooled the surface, resulting in lower near- surface air temperature over the TP in spring and summer. The surface cooling over TP weakened the Asian summer monsoon and brought more precipitation in South China in spring and more precipitation to Southeast China during summer.展开更多
Associations between autumn Arctic sea ice concentration(SIC) and early winter precipitation in China are studied using singular value decomposition analysis. The results show that a reduced SIC almost everywhere in...Associations between autumn Arctic sea ice concentration(SIC) and early winter precipitation in China are studied using singular value decomposition analysis. The results show that a reduced SIC almost everywhere in the Arctic Ocean, except the northern Greenland Sea and Canadian Basin, are accompanied by dry conditions over central China, extending northeast from the Tibetan Plateau toward the Japan Sea, the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, and wet conditions over South China and North China. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with SIC variability show two wave-train structures, which are persistent from autumn to winter, leading to the identified relationship between autumn Arctic SIC and early winter precipitation in China. Given that the decline in autumn SIC in the Arctic Ocean is expected to continue as the climate warms, this relationship provides a possible long-term outlook for early winter precipitation in China.展开更多
Potential links between the Arctic sea-ice concentration anomalies and extreme precipitation in China are explored. Associations behind these links can be explained by physical interpretations aided by visualisations ...Potential links between the Arctic sea-ice concentration anomalies and extreme precipitation in China are explored. Associations behind these links can be explained by physical interpretations aided by visualisations of temporarily lagged composites of variables such as atmospheric mean sea level pressure and sea surface temperature. This relatively simple approach is verified by collectively examining already known links between the Arctic sea ice and rainfall in China. For example, similarities in the extreme summer rainfall response to Arctic sea-ice concentration anomalies either in winter (DJF) or in spring (MAM) are highlighted. Furthermore, new links between the Arctic sea ice and the extreme weather in India and Eurasia are proposed. The methodology developed in this study can be further applied to identify other remote impacts of the Arctic sea ice variability.展开更多
Associations between the autumn Arctic sea ice concentrations (SICs) and North American winter precipitation were examined using singular value decomposition. The results show that a reduced SIC in the majority of the...Associations between the autumn Arctic sea ice concentrations (SICs) and North American winter precipitation were examined using singular value decomposition. The results show that a reduced SIC in the majority of the Arctic is accompanied by dry conditions over the Great Plains, the southern United States, Mexico, eastern Alaska, and southeastern Greenland, and by wet conditions over the majority of Canada, the northeastern United States, and the majority of Greenland. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the SIC variability show a wave train structure that is persistent from autumn to winter and is responsible for the covariability between the autumn Arctic SICs and North American winter precipitation. This relationship suggests a potential long-term outlook for the North American winter precipitation.展开更多
The role of phoretic forces in the identification of particles acting as ice nuclei in mixed phase cloud is discussed. A method used to identify the effective ice nucleating particles is to sample ice crystals, which ...The role of phoretic forces in the identification of particles acting as ice nuclei in mixed phase cloud is discussed. A method used to identify the effective ice nucleating particles is to sample ice crystals, which are afterwards sublimated, and to examine the particles remaining after evaporation. The procedure takes into account only crystal with a maximum diameter of 20 μm, by assuming that small crystals do not scavenge aerosol during growth, and therefore that crystals contain only the effective nucleating particles. This assumption is questionable, however, as experiments have shown that even small ice crystals can scavenge aerosol. Another approach has been to compare the number and elemental composition of residual particles in small ice crystals and of aerosol near the cloud. By considering as example soot and black carbon aerosol, contradictory conclusions on their importance in the processes of ice nucleation have been reported in the literature. We suggest that, in addition to physico-chemical properties of soot/carbon aerosol particles, even the microphysical and environmental parameters involved in the transition of aerosol from gas phase to ice crystals in cloud should be considered. The contribution of phoretic forces should also be considered. After initial growth ice crystals can continue to grow by water vapour diffusion. Laboratory experiments confirm the contribution of diffusiophoresis with Stefan flow in the scavenging by snow crystals up to 3 mm in diameter. The particle scavenging efficiency of snow crystals is related to crystalline shape and depends on air relative humidity and temperature.展开更多
The distribution of winter-spring snow cover over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its relationship with summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River Valley (MLYRV) during 2003-2013 have been ...The distribution of winter-spring snow cover over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its relationship with summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River Valley (MLYRV) during 2003-2013 have been investigated with the moderate-resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS) Terra data (MOD10A2) and precipitation observations. Results show that snow cover percentage (SCP) remains approximately 20% in winter and spring then tails off to below 5% with warmer temperature and snow melt in summer. The lower and highest percentages present a declining tendency while the middle SCP exhibits an opposite variation. The maximum value appears from the middle of October to March and the minimum emerges from July to August. The annual and winter-spring SCPs present a decreasing tendency. Snow cover is mainly situated in the periphery of the plateau and mountainous regions, and less snow in the interior of the plateau, basin and valley areas in view of snow cover frequency (SCF) over the TP. Whatever annual or winter-spring snow cover, they all have remarkable declining tendency during 2003-2013, and annual snow cover presents a decreasing trend in the interior of the TP and increasing trend in the periphery of the TP. Hie multi-year averaged eight-day SCP is negatively related to mean precipitation in the MLYRV. Spring SCP is negatively related to summer precipitation while winter SCP is positively related to summer precipitation in most parts of the MLYRV. Hence, the influence of winter snow cover on precipitation is much more significant than that in spring on the basis of correlation analysis. The oscillation of SCF from southeast to northwest over the TP corresponds well to the beginning,development and cessation of the rain belt in eastern China.展开更多
文摘The snow cover over the Taurus Mountains affects water supply, agriculture, and hydropower generation in the region. In this study, we analyzed the monthly Snow Cover Extent(SCE) from November to April in the Central Taurus Mountains(Bolkar, Aladaglar, Tahtali and Binboga Mountains) from 1981 to 2021. Linear trends of snow cover season(November to April) over the last 41 years showed decreases in SCE primarily at lower elevations. The downward trend in SCE was found to be more pronounced and statistically significant for only November and March. SCE in the Central Taurus Mountains has declined about-6.3% per decade for 2500-3000 m in November and about-6.0% per decade for 1000-1500 m and 3000+ m in March over the last 41 years. The loss of SCE has become evident since the 2000s, and the lowest negative anomalies in SCE have been observed in 2014, 2001, and 2007 in the last 41 years, which are consistent with an increase in air temperature and decreased precipitation. SCE was correlated with both mean temperature and precipitation, with temperature having a greater relative importance at all elevated gradients. Results showed that there is a strong linear relationship between SCE and the mean air temperature(r =-0.80) and precipitation(r = 0.44) for all elevated gradients during the snow season. The Arctic Oscillation(AO), the North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO), and the Mediterranean Oscillation(MO) winter indices were used to explain the year-to-year variability in SCE over the Central Taurus Mountains. The results showed that the inter-annual variability observed in the winter SCE on the Central Taurus Mountains was positively correlated with the phases of the winter AO, NAO and MO, especially below 2000 m elevation.
基金Under the auspices of the Natural Science Foundation of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(No.2022D01C372)National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42261041)+1 种基金Major Key Programs of Philosophy and Social Sciences in Xinjiang University(No.22APY016)Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Federation of Social Sciences Project Key Project(No.2023ZJFLW10)。
文摘Ice and snow tourism in China has grown significantly since the country successfully hosted the Beijing Winter Olympics.Climatic conditions profoundly impact the development of ice and snow tourism;however,most studies have focused on constructing different climate suitability indicators for ice and snow tourism to evaluate individual regions,lacking horizontal comparative studies across multiple regions.This study aims to enrich the connotation of climate suitability for ice and snow sports,establish an evaluation model based on snowfall amount,temperature,and wind speed,and use daily meteorological data from 1991 to 2021 to horizontally compare the climate suitability for ice and snow sports in major ski tourism destinations in China.This study boasts four major findings:1)the average ice and snow sports climate index of each region decreases over time,and the overall suitability of the climate for ice and snow sports is reducing;2)northern Xinjiang exhibits the most evident regional differentiation from‘very suitable’to‘generally suitable’;3)the spatial zoning of climate suitability for ice and snow sports exhibits heterogeneity,as northern Xinjiang is divided into two‘suitable and above’zones with rotating empirical orthogonal function(REOF).Correspondingly,the four provinces of Hebei,Heilongjiang,Jilin,and Liaoning are divided into three‘generally suitable and above’zones;4)snowfall amount is the main factor affecting the climate suitability of ice and snow sports in the major ski tourist destinations in China.
基金supported by the Key Research and Development Projects in Shaanxi Province(Program No.2021GY-306)the Innovation Capability Support Program of Shaanxi(Program No.2022KJXX-41)the Key Scientific and Technological Projects of Xi’an(Program No.2022JH-RGZN-0005).
文摘The accumulation of snow and ice on PV modules can have a detrimental impact on power generation,leading to reduced efficiency for prolonged periods.Thus,it becomes imperative to develop an intelligent system capable of accurately assessing the extent of snow and ice coverage on PV modules.To address this issue,the article proposes an innovative ice and snow recognition algorithm that effectively segments the ice and snow areas within the collected images.Furthermore,the algorithm incorporates an analysis of the morphological characteristics of ice and snow coverage on PV modules,allowing for the establishment of a residual ice and snow recognition process.This process utilizes both the external ellipse method and the pixel statistical method to refine the identification process.The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is validated through extensive testing with isolated and continuous snow area pictures.The results demonstrate the algorithm’s accuracy and reliability in identifying and quantifying residual snow and ice on PV modules.In conclusion,this research presents a valuable method for accurately detecting and quantifying snow and ice coverage on PV modules.This breakthrough is of utmost significance for PV power plants,as it enables predictions of power generation efficiency and facilitates efficient PV maintenance during the challenging winter conditions characterized by snow and ice.By proactively managing snow and ice coverage,PV power plants can optimize energy production and minimize downtime,ensuring a sustainable and reliable renewable energy supply.
文摘Based on field visit and interview,the current situation of snow village in China is summarized from four aspects:core scenic spots in snow village,skiing industry in snow village,film and television industry in snow village,and ice and snow agritainment.The investigation found that there are still significant problems in homogenization,scenic area infrastructure,and government regulation in snow village.Targeted solutions are proposed from four aspects:tapping internal advantages,strengthening top-level design and infrastructure construction,promoting tourism industry upgrading,and collaborating to innovate the ice and snow tourism supply chain,in order to further promote the economic development of snow village.
基金financially supported by the International Partnership Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. 131B62KYSB20180003)the Frontier Science Key Project of CAS (Grant No. QYZDY-SSW-DQC021)the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Science (Grant No. SKLCSZZ-2022)
文摘Recent research has shown that snow cover induces extreme wintertime cooling and has detrimental impacts.Although the dramatic loss of Arctic sea ice certainly has contributed to a more extreme climate,the mechanism connecting sea-ice loss to extensive snow cover is still up for debate.In this study,a significant relationship between sea ice concentration(SIC)in the Barents-Kara(B-K)seas in November and snow cover extent over Eurasia in winter(November-January)has been found based in observational datasets and through numerical experiments.The reduction in B-K sea ice gives rise to a negative phase of Arctic Oscillation(AO),a deepened East Asia trough,and a shallow trough over Europe.These circulation anomalies lead to colder-than-normal Eurasian mid-latitude temperatures,providing favorable conditions for snowfall.In addition,two prominent cyclonic anomalies near Europe and Lake Baikal affect moisture transport and its divergence,which results in increased precipitation due to moisture advection and wind convergence.Furthermore,anomalous E-P flux shows that amplified upward propagating waves associated with the low SIC could contribute to the weakening of the polar vortex and southward breakouts of cold air.This work may be helpful for further understanding and predicting the snowfall conditions in the middle latitudes.
基金the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41271434)the National Key Technologies R&D Program in the 12th Five Year Plan of China (Grant No. 2012BAH32B03)+6 种基金the Hong Kong GRF (Grant No. CUHK 457212)the ITF (Grant No. GHP/002/11GD)the support of the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (Grant No. CUHK 403612)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41275081 and 41228006)the support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41375090 and 41221064)the Special Project of the National International Science and Technology Cooperation of China (Grant No. 2011DFG23450)the Basic Research Fund of CAMS (Grant No. 2013Z002)
文摘The summer snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and their effects on climate variability are often overlooked,possibly due to the fact that some datasets cannot properly capture summer snow cover over high terrain.The satellite-derived Equal-Area Scalable Earth grid (EASE-grid) dataset shows that snow still exists in summer in the western part and along the southem flank of the TP.Analysis demonstrates that the summer snow cover area proportion (SCAP) over the TP has a significant positive correlation with simultaneous precipitation over the mei-yu-baiu (MB) region on the interannual time scale.The close relationship between the summer SCAP and summer precipitation over the MB region could not be simply considered as a simultaneous response to the Silk Road pattern and the SST anomalies in the tropical Indian Ocean and tropical central-eastern Pacific.The SCAP anomaly has an independent effect and may directly modulate the land surface heating and,consequently,vertical motion over the western TP,and concurrently induce anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean via a meridional vertical circulation.Through a zonal vertical circulation over the tropics and a Kelvin wave-type response,anomalous vertical motion over the North Indian Ocean may result in an anomalous high over the western North Pacific and modulate the convective activity in the western Pacific warm pool,which stimulates the East Asia-Pacific (EAP) pattern and eventually affects summer precipitation over the MB region.
基金support of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41271434 and 41375090)the Hong Kong Research Grants Council (Grant No. CUHK403612)the Basic Research Fund of Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (Grant No. 2013Z002)
文摘The present reported study investigated the persistence of snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) from the preceding seasons to summer and the relationship between the previous snow cover anomaly and summer precipitation over East Asia. The results showed that, relative to other snow indices, such as the station observational snow depth(SOSD) index and the snow water equivalent(SWE) index, the snow cover area proportion(SCAP) index calculated from the SWE and the percentage of visible snow of the Equal-Area Scalable Earth Grids(EASE-grids) dataset has a higher persistence in interannual anomalies, particularly from May to summer. As such, the May SCAP index is significantly related to summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. The persistence of the SCAP index can partly explain the season-delayed effect of snow cover over the TP on summer rainfall over the Meiyu-Baiu region besides the contribution of the soil moisture bridge. The preceding SST anomaly in the tropical Indian Ocean and ENSO can persist through the summer and affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region. However, the May SCAP index is mostly independent of the simultaneous SSTs in the tropical Indian Ocean and the preceding ENSO and may affect the summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region independent of the effects of the SST anomalies. Therefore, the May SCAP over the TP could be regarded as an important supplementary factor in the forecasting of summer precipitation over the Meiyu-Baiu region.
基金the National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFE0111800 and 2017YFA0603802)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41790472)the EU H2020 Blue-Action project(Grant No.727852).
文摘Independent datasets consistently indicate a significant correlation between the sea ice variability in the Bering Sea during melt season and the summer rainfall variability in the Lake Baikal area and Northeastern China.In this study,four sea ice datasets(HadISST1,HadISST2.2,ERA-Interim and NOAA/NSIDC)and two global precipitation datasets(CRU V4.01 and GPCP V2.3)are used to investigate co-variations between melt season(March−April−May−June,MAMJ)Bering Sea ice cover(BSIC)and summer(June−July−August,JJA)East Asian precipitation.All datasets demonstrate a significant correlation between the MAMJ BSIC and the JJA rainfall in Lake Baikal−Northeastern China(Baikal−NEC).Based on the reanalysis datasets and the numerical sensitivity experiments performed in this study using Community Atmospheric Model version 5(CAM5),a mechanism to understand how the MAMJ BSIC influences the JJA Baikal−NEC rainfall is suggested.More MAMJ BSIC triggers a wave train and causes a positive sea level pressure(SLP)anomaly over the North Atlantic during MAMJ.The high SLP anomaly,associated with an anti-cyclonic wind stress circulation anomaly,favors the appearance of sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies in a zonal dipole-pattern in the North Atlantic during summer.The dipole SST anomaly drives a zonally orientated wave train,which causes a high anomaly geopotential height at 500 hPa over the Sea of Japan.As a result,the mean East Asian trough moves westward and a low geopotential height anomaly occurs over Baikal−NEC.This prevailing regional low pressure anomaly together with enhanced moisture transport from the western North Pacific and convergence over Baikal−NEC,positively influences the increased rainfall in summer.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.42076235the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities under contract No.2042022kf0018.
文摘The snow depth on sea ice is an extremely critical part of the cryosphere.Monitoring and understanding changes of snow depth on Antarctic sea ice is beneficial for research on sea ice and global climate change.The Microwave Radiation Imager(MWRI)sensor aboard the Chinese FengYun-3D(FY-3D)satellite has great potential for obtaining information of the spatial and temporal distribution of snow depth on the sea ice.By comparing in-situ snow depth measurements during the 35th Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-35),we took advantage of the combination of multiple gradient ratio(GR(36V,10V)and GR(36V,18V))derived from the measured brightness temperature of FY-3D MWRI to estimate the snow depth.This method could simultaneously introduce the advantages of high and low GR in the snow depth retrieval model and perform well in both deep and shallow snow layers.Based on this,we constructed a novel model to retrieve the FY-3D MWRI snow depth on Antarctic sea ice.The new model validated by the ship-based observational snow depth data from CHINARE-35 and the snow depth measured by snow buoys from the Alfred Wegener Institute(AWI)suggest that the model proposed in this study performs better than traditional models,with root mean square deviations(RMSDs)of 8.59 cm and 7.71 cm,respectively.A comparison with the snow depth measured from Operation IceBridge(OIB)project indicates that FY-3D MWRI snow depth was more accurate than the released snow depth product from the U.S.National Snow and Ice Data Center(NSIDC)and the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center(NTPDC).The spatial distribution of the snow depth from FY-3D MWRI agrees basically with that from ICESat-2;this demonstrates its reliability for estimating Antarctic snow depth,and thus has great potential for understanding snow depth variations on Antarctic sea ice in the context of global climate change.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.41305064 and 41375085)a strategic project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No.XDA11010401)the China Scholarship Council
文摘The role of winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea as a precursor for precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America and Western Europe in the following spring is investigated. In general terms, as the sea ice increases, the precipitation also increases. In more detail, however, analyses indicate that both the winter sea-ice and the sea surface temperature(SST)anomalies related to increases in winter sea-ice in the Labrador Sea can persist into the following spring. These features play a forcing role in the spring atmosphere, which may be the physical mechanism behind the observational relationship between the winter sea-ice and spring precipitation anomalies. The oceanic forcings in spring include Arctic sea-ice anomalies and SST anomalies in the tropical Pacific and high-latitude North Atlantic. Multi-model Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 and Atmospheric Model Intercomparison Project simulation results show that the atmospheric circulation response to the combination of sea-ice and SST is similar to that observed, which suggests that the oceanic forcings are indeed the physical reason for the enhanced spring precipitation. Sensitivity experiments conducted using an atmospheric general circulation model indicate that the increases in precipitation over southeastern North America are mainly attributable to the effect of the SST anomalies, while the increases over Western Europe are mainly due to the sea-ice anomalies. Although model simulations reveal that the SST anomalies play the primary role in the precipitation anomalies over southeastern North America, the observational statistical analyses indicate that the area of sea-ice in the Labrador Sea seems to be the precursor that best predicts the spring precipitation anomaly.
基金The authors have received financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.52078194)the Key Research and Development Program of Hubei Province(No.2021BGD015)the Knowledge Innovation Project of Wuhan(No.2022010801010259).
文摘The use of carbon-fiber heating cables(CFHC)to achieve effective melting of snow and ice deposited on roads is a method used worldwide.In this study,tensile and compressive tests have been conducted to analyze the mechan-ical properties of the CFHC and assess whether the maximum tensile and compressive strengths can meet the pavement design specifications.In order to study the aging produced by multiple cycles of heating and cooling,in particular,the CFHC was repeatedly heated in a cold chamber with an ambient temperature ranging between-20℃ and+40℃.Moreover,to evaluate how the strength of the pavement is affected by its presence,the CFHC was embedded at different depths and concrete blocks with different curing ages were subjected to relevant com-pression and splitting tensile tests.Numerical simulations based on the ANSYS software have also been performed and compared with the outcomes of the static loading tests.The results show that the CFHC embedded in the concrete does not affect the compressive splitting tensile strengths of the pavement.Overall,the CFHC meets the conditions required for continued use in road ice melting applications.
文摘The relationship between polar sea ice anomalies and the precipitation and temperature anomalies over China is investigated by performing singular value decomposition (SVD) analyses. The first three coupling modes have been studied. Analyses show that there exist key areas of polar sea ice which are highly related with the precipitation and temperature anomalies over China. Different spatial anomaly patterns of these areas of polar sea ice are followed by different spatial anomaly patterns of the precipitation and temperature over China.
基金by the National Key Basic Research Program(2007CB411505)S&T Support Project(2007BAC29B06)National Natural Science Foundation(40705031)
文摘In this paper, a variation series of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer from 1965 to 2004 on the Tibetan Plateau has been established by using the observation data from meteorological stations. The sliding T-test, M-K test and B-G algorithm are used to verify abrupt changes of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer in the Tibetan plateau. The results show that the snow cover has not undergone an abrupt change, but the seasonal freeze-thaw layer obviously witnessed a rapid degradation in 1987, with the frozen soil depth being reduced by about 15 cm. It is also found that when there ~s less snow in the plateau region, precipitation in South China and Southwest China increases. But when the frozen soil is deep, precipitation in most of China apparently decreases. Both snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer on the plateau can be used to predict the summer precipitation in China. However, if the impacts of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer are used at the same time, the predictability of summer precipitation can be significantly improved. The significant correlation zone of snow is located in middle reaches of the Yangtze River covering the Hexi Corridor and northeastern Inner Mongolia, and the seasonal freeze-thaw layer exists in Mt. Nanling, northern Shannxi and northwestern part of North China. The significant correlation zone of simultaneous impacts of snow cover and seasonal freeze-thaw layer is larger than that of either snow cover or seasonal freeze-thaw layer. There are three significant correlation zones extending from north to south: the north zone spreads from Mr. Daxinganling to the Hexi Corridor, crossing northern Mt. Taihang and northern Shannxi; the central zone covers middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River; and the south zone extends from Mt. Wuyi to Yunnan and Guizhou Plateau through Mt. Nanling.
文摘Seventy-two years of central western United States precipitation data have been analyzed for storms originating 1000 to 3000 km away from four ocean moisture sources: Arctic, North Pacific, South Pacific, and Gulfs of California and Mexico. Precipitation trends were evaluated relative to precipitation phase, precipitation flux, storm track trajectory, and the sea surface temperature (SST) indices Oceanic Niño Index (ONI), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO. The lack of correlation between SST indices with precipitation flux was evaluated. The relationships of meteorological, hydrological and snow droughts were evaluated relative to each other, to the climate change-induced temporal shifts in the timing of mountain snowpack decay, and the timing when North Pacific storm tracks shift from crossing to circumventing the Sierra Nevada Range.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2009CB421407)the Special Fund for Public Welfare (Meteorology) (Grant No. GYHY200906018)+1 种基金"Strategic Priority Research Program-Climate Change: Carbon Budget and Related Issues" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA05110201)the National Key Technologies R&D Program of China (Grant No. 2007BAC29B03)
文摘Two ensemble experiments were conducted using a general atmospheric circulation model. These experiments were used to investigate the impacts of initial snow anomalies over the Tibetan Plateau(TP) on China precipitation prediction. In one of the experiments, the initial snow conditions over the TP were climatological values; while in the other experiment, the initial snow anomalies were snow depth estimates derived from the passive microwave remote-sensing data. In the current study, the difference between these two experiments was assessed to evaluate the impact of initial snow anomalies over the TP on simulated precipitation. The results indicated that the model simulation for precipitation over eastern China had certain improvements while applying a more realistic initial snow anomaly, especially for spring precipitation over Northeast China and North China and for summer precipitation over North China and Southeast China. The results suggest that seasonal prediction could be enhanced by using more realistic initial snow conditions over TP, and microwave remote-sensing snow data could be used to initialize climate models and improve the simulation of eastern China precipitation during spring and summer. Further analyses showed that higher snow anomalies over TP cooled the surface, resulting in lower near- surface air temperature over the TP in spring and summer. The surface cooling over TP weakened the Asian summer monsoon and brought more precipitation in South China in spring and more precipitation to Southeast China during summer.
基金The Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programmes,State Oceanic Administration under contact Nos CHINARE2014-03-01 and CHINARE2014-04-03the Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean under contact No.201205007the Basic Research Operating Funds of the First Institute of Oceanography,State Oceanic Administration under contact Nos 2014T02 and 2014G02
文摘Associations between autumn Arctic sea ice concentration(SIC) and early winter precipitation in China are studied using singular value decomposition analysis. The results show that a reduced SIC almost everywhere in the Arctic Ocean, except the northern Greenland Sea and Canadian Basin, are accompanied by dry conditions over central China, extending northeast from the Tibetan Plateau toward the Japan Sea, the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea, and wet conditions over South China and North China. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with SIC variability show two wave-train structures, which are persistent from autumn to winter, leading to the identified relationship between autumn Arctic SIC and early winter precipitation in China. Given that the decline in autumn SIC in the Arctic Ocean is expected to continue as the climate warms, this relationship provides a possible long-term outlook for early winter precipitation in China.
基金supported by the Academy of Finland (contract 259537)
文摘Potential links between the Arctic sea-ice concentration anomalies and extreme precipitation in China are explored. Associations behind these links can be explained by physical interpretations aided by visualisations of temporarily lagged composites of variables such as atmospheric mean sea level pressure and sea surface temperature. This relatively simple approach is verified by collectively examining already known links between the Arctic sea ice and rainfall in China. For example, similarities in the extreme summer rainfall response to Arctic sea-ice concentration anomalies either in winter (DJF) or in spring (MAM) are highlighted. Furthermore, new links between the Arctic sea ice and the extreme weather in India and Eurasia are proposed. The methodology developed in this study can be further applied to identify other remote impacts of the Arctic sea ice variability.
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2011CB30970)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41176169 and 40930848)
文摘Associations between the autumn Arctic sea ice concentrations (SICs) and North American winter precipitation were examined using singular value decomposition. The results show that a reduced SIC in the majority of the Arctic is accompanied by dry conditions over the Great Plains, the southern United States, Mexico, eastern Alaska, and southeastern Greenland, and by wet conditions over the majority of Canada, the northeastern United States, and the majority of Greenland. Atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the SIC variability show a wave train structure that is persistent from autumn to winter and is responsible for the covariability between the autumn Arctic SICs and North American winter precipitation. This relationship suggests a potential long-term outlook for the North American winter precipitation.
文摘The role of phoretic forces in the identification of particles acting as ice nuclei in mixed phase cloud is discussed. A method used to identify the effective ice nucleating particles is to sample ice crystals, which are afterwards sublimated, and to examine the particles remaining after evaporation. The procedure takes into account only crystal with a maximum diameter of 20 μm, by assuming that small crystals do not scavenge aerosol during growth, and therefore that crystals contain only the effective nucleating particles. This assumption is questionable, however, as experiments have shown that even small ice crystals can scavenge aerosol. Another approach has been to compare the number and elemental composition of residual particles in small ice crystals and of aerosol near the cloud. By considering as example soot and black carbon aerosol, contradictory conclusions on their importance in the processes of ice nucleation have been reported in the literature. We suggest that, in addition to physico-chemical properties of soot/carbon aerosol particles, even the microphysical and environmental parameters involved in the transition of aerosol from gas phase to ice crystals in cloud should be considered. The contribution of phoretic forces should also be considered. After initial growth ice crystals can continue to grow by water vapour diffusion. Laboratory experiments confirm the contribution of diffusiophoresis with Stefan flow in the scavenging by snow crystals up to 3 mm in diameter. The particle scavenging efficiency of snow crystals is related to crystalline shape and depends on air relative humidity and temperature.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41130960)the Project of the China Meteorological Administration(Grant Nos.CCSF201515 and CMAGJ2013M51)
文摘The distribution of winter-spring snow cover over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and its relationship with summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River Valley (MLYRV) during 2003-2013 have been investigated with the moderate-resolution imaging spectrometer (MODIS) Terra data (MOD10A2) and precipitation observations. Results show that snow cover percentage (SCP) remains approximately 20% in winter and spring then tails off to below 5% with warmer temperature and snow melt in summer. The lower and highest percentages present a declining tendency while the middle SCP exhibits an opposite variation. The maximum value appears from the middle of October to March and the minimum emerges from July to August. The annual and winter-spring SCPs present a decreasing tendency. Snow cover is mainly situated in the periphery of the plateau and mountainous regions, and less snow in the interior of the plateau, basin and valley areas in view of snow cover frequency (SCF) over the TP. Whatever annual or winter-spring snow cover, they all have remarkable declining tendency during 2003-2013, and annual snow cover presents a decreasing trend in the interior of the TP and increasing trend in the periphery of the TP. Hie multi-year averaged eight-day SCP is negatively related to mean precipitation in the MLYRV. Spring SCP is negatively related to summer precipitation while winter SCP is positively related to summer precipitation in most parts of the MLYRV. Hence, the influence of winter snow cover on precipitation is much more significant than that in spring on the basis of correlation analysis. The oscillation of SCF from southeast to northwest over the TP corresponds well to the beginning,development and cessation of the rain belt in eastern China.