Objective glacio-climate zonation of High Mountain Asia glaciers for improved mass balance prediction
Abstract
High Mountain Asia (HMA) is often referred to as the "Third Pole," as it contains the most significant volume of ice mass outside polar regions. The future of these glaciers has critical implications for water resources for downstream communities, with millions relying on them for some portion of their water supply. HMA glaciers show diverse and variable responses over recent decades, with some regions experiencing drastic ice losses and others showing relative stability and even mass increases over the same period. These mass changes are the product of both climatic changes and the climate sensitivities of individual glaciers, with many questions remaining as to the type and magnitude of the impact for different climate/glacier features. Glaciers in HMA span an extensive range of climatic zones, elevations, atmospheric influences, moisture provenance, and geomorphic characteristics, further complicating investigations of relationships with glacier mass balance. Regional divisions of these glaciers typically use arbitrary geopolitical boundaries or similarly subjective and ad hoc methods, limiting the usefulness of these zonations. We propose a data-driven methodology based on a hierarchical clustering of climate variables and glacier characteristics to group glaciers into more homogeneous glacio-climatic zones with similar characteristics. We also investigate the improved prediction potential of glacier mass loss when using these more objective glacio-climatic zones. These advances provide more precise predictions of HMA-wide mass changes and an improved understanding of the myriad factors influencing those mass changes.
- Publication:
-
AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021AGUFM.C54C..03K