Substantial glacier mass loss in the Tien Shan over the past 50 years

D. Farinotti et al

Published in: 2015

Publisher: Nature Climate Change

Region / Country: Central Asia

Topics: Glaciers / Environment / Water / Hydrology / Climate change / etc.
Abstract:

Populations in Central Asia are heavily dependent on snow and glacier melt for their water supplies. Changes to the glaciers in the main mountain range in this region, the Tien Shan, have been reported over the past decade. However, reconstructions over longer, multi-decadal timescales and the mechanisms underlying these variations—both required for reliable future projections—are not well constrained. Here we use three ensembles of independent approaches based on satellite gravimetry, laser altimetry, and glaciological modelling to estimate the total glacier mass change in the Tien Shan.

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