Environmental Characteristics of High Ice-Content Permafrost on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Xingwen Fan; Yanhe Wang; Fujun Niu; Wenjiao Li; Xuyang Wu; Zekun Ding; Wenlong Pang; Zhanju Lin

doi:10.3390/rs15184496

Remote Sensing (Sep 2023)

Environmental Characteristics of High Ice-Content Permafrost on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Xingwen Fan,
Yanhe Wang,
Fujun Niu,
Wenjiao Li,
Xuyang Wu,
Zekun Ding,
Wenlong Pang,
Zhanju Lin

Affiliations

Xingwen Fan: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yanhe Wang: Xining Integrated Natural Resources Survey Centre, China Geological Survey (CGS), Xining 810099, China
Fujun Niu: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Wenjiao Li: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Xuyang Wu: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Zekun Ding: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
Wenlong Pang: Xining Integrated Natural Resources Survey Centre, China Geological Survey (CGS), Xining 810099, China
Zhanju Lin: State Key Laboratory of Frozen Soil Engineering, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/rs15184496
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 18
p. 4496

Abstract

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Permafrost areas are sensitive to climate change and have a significant impact on energy and water cycles. Ground ice is a crucial component on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Understanding the environmental characteristics of ground ice is vital for accurately modeling its distribution and evolution. In this study, we analyzed 15 environmental characteristics of high ice-content permafrost sites. These attributes were extracted from 400 high ice-content permafrost datasets including 300 drilling boreholes and 100 thaw slumps collected throughout the entire plateau using large-scale remote sensing data and their products. The results are as follows: The mean annual air temperature in areas where high ice-content permafrost exists ranges from −5 to −3.5 °C, with an average warming rate of 0.08 °C/a. Additionally, there was an average increase in precipitation of about 25 mm/10a and an increase in soil moisture of about 4%/10a. Geomorphology strongly influences the occurrence of high ice content permafrost, with 85% of high ice-content permafrost development at altitudes between 4400 and 5100 m. Approximately 86% of high ice-content permafrost were developed in lowland or relatively flat areas, preferably in gently sloping and shady slope regions. Soils exhibit less variability in clay particles and more variability in silt and sand. Key indicators in the high ice content permafrost region include warming rate, active layer thickness, elevation, bulk density, soil thickness, clay content, precipitation, soil moisture, and NDVI. High ice-content permafrost is the result of a combination of environmental factors and is expected to undergo significant changes in the future. This study provides a foundation for comprehending the environmental changes in the high ice-content permafrost areas and modeling the distribution of ground ice. It underscores the urgent need to address the significant environmental changes faced by high ice-content permafrost regions.

Published in Remote Sensing

ISSN: 2072-4292 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/remotesensing/

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