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Summer heat wave in 2022 led to rapid warming of permafrost in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Earth Sciences

Summer heat wave in 2022 led to rapid warming of permafrost in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

X. Zhu, T. Wu, et al.

Discover how extreme summer heatwaves are reshaping the permafrost environment in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Research from Xiaofan Zhu and colleagues reveals that the summer of 2022 brought unprecedented changes, with active layer thickness soaring 20% above the average, highlighting the profound impacts of climate events on permafrost stability.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
Extreme events are significantly affecting the permafrost environment. Analysis of ERA5-Land reanalysis data revealed a summer heatwave in 2022 in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau's permafrost region. Four active layer sites showed maximum active layer thicknesses (ALT) in 2022, 20% higher than the 2000–2021 mean. The 2022 mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) was also the highest, exceeding the average by 10%. The heatwave's contribution to seasonal thaw depth, quantified using the Stefan model, ranged from 6.6% to 13.6%, with the maximum contribution in 2022. These findings enhance understanding of extreme event impacts on permafrost.
Publisher
npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
Published On
Sep 13, 2024
Authors
Xiaofan Zhu, Tonghua Wu, Jie Chen, Xiaodong Wu, Pengling Wang, Defu Zou, Guangyang Yue, Xuchun Yan, Xin Ma, Dong Wang, Peiqing Lou, Amin Wen, Chengpeng Shang, Weiying Liu
Tags
permafrost
heatwave
active layer thickness
ground temperature
climate change
Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
seasonal thaw depth
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