Increasing free-air 0℃ isotherm height in Southwest China from 1960 to 2010

doi:10.1007/s11442-014-1123-1

Abstract

Abstract:

Based on the radiosonde data observed at 14 stations in Southwest China from 1960 to 2010, as well as the corresponding surface air temperature, the long-term change of free-air 0℃ isotherm height in Southwest China and the relationships between surface air temperature and 0℃ isotherm height are discussed. The results indicated that the spatial distribution of 0℃ isotherm height is generally related with latitude, but the huge massif or plateau may complicate the latitude pattern. The two main regimes influencing the spatial patterns of 0℃ isotherm height in Southwest China are latitude and huge massif. The annual 0℃ isotherm height has increased by 35 m per decade in the recent decades, which is statistically significant at the 0.001 level. Generally, the increasing trend can be examined for each seasonal series, especially in winter (53 m per decade). The diversity of trend magnitudes for annual and seasonal series can also be detected at a spatial view, but generally 0℃ isotherm height correlated well with surface air temperature.

Key words: Southwest China, 0℃ isotherm height, global warming, radiosonde data

Mingjun ZHANG, Lei DONG, Shengjie WANG, Aifang ZHAO, Fang QIANG, Meiping SUN, Qiong WANG. Increasing free-air 0℃ isotherm height in Southwest China from 1960 to 2010[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2014, 24(5): 833-844.

Figures/Tables 9

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Table 1

Figure 4

Table 2

Figure 5

Table 3

Figure 6

References 33

1	Bai L, Lin B, Tan J X, 2006. Study in forecasting methods of 0℃ isotherm Height in spring and summer over Ili river basin. Xinjiang Meteorology, 29(5): 5-7. (in Chinese)
2	Bradley R S, Keiming F T, Diaz H Fet al., 2009. Recent changes in freezing level heights in the Tropics with implications for the deglacierization of high mountain regions.Geophysical Research Letters, 36, L17701, doi: 10.1029/2009GL037712.
3	Chen Z S, Chen Y N, Li W H, 2012. Response of runoff to change of atmospheric 0℃ level height in summer in arid region of Northwest China.Science China: Earth Sciences, 55(9): 1533-1544.
4	Diaz H F, Graham N E, 1996. Recent changes in tropical freezing heights and the role of sea surface temperature.Nature, 383(6596): 152-155.
5	Huang X Y, Wang S J, Wang J Set al., 2013. Spatio-temporal changes in free-air freezing level heights in Northwest China, 1960-2012.Quaternary International, 313/314: 130-136.
6	Huang X Y, Zhang M J, Wang S Jet al., 2011. Variation of 0℃ isotherm height and ground temperature in summer in Northwest China during the past 50 years.Acta Geographica Sinica, 66(9): 1191-1199. (in Chinese)
7	Kendall M G, 1975. Rank Correlation Measures. London, UK: Griffin.
8	Li G C, Liu S X, Zhang C Jet al., 2006. Analysis on 0℃ level height change in summer over northeast side of Qilian Mountain. Arid Meteorology, 24(3): 31-34. (in Chinese)
9	Li Z X, He Y Q, Wang P Yet al., 2012a. Changes of daily climate extremes in southwestern China during 1961-2008.Global and Planetary Change, 80/81: 255-272.
10	Li Z X, He Y Q, Wilfred Het al., 2012b. Altitude dependency of trends of daily climate extremes in southwestern China, 1961-2008. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 22(3): 416-430.
11	Liu X C, Xu Z X, Yu Y H, 2011. Trend of climate variability in China during the past decades.Climatic Change, 109(3/4): 503-516.
12	Liu X M, Zheng H X, Zhang M Het al., 2011. Identification of dominant climate factor for pan evaporation trend in the Tibetan Plateau.Journal of Geographical Sciences, 21(4): 594-608.
13	Ma X N, Zhang M J, Wang S Jet al., 2011. Variation in summer 0℃level height and its relationships with temperature and precipitation over the Yellow River Basin.Resources Science, 33(12): 2302-2307. (in Chinese)
14	Mandeep J S, 2009. 0℃ isotherm height for satellite communication in Malaysia.Advances in Space Research, 43(6): 984-989.
15	Mann H B, 1945. Nonparametric tests against trend.Econometric, 13(3): 245-259.
16	Mao W Y, Wu J, Chen C Y, 2004. Relationship of 0℃ level height and summer flood of Aksu River, Xinjiang.Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 26(6): 697-704. (in Chinese)
17	Mondal N C, Sarkar S K, 2003. Rain height in relation to 0℃ isotherm height for satellite communication over the Indian Subcontinent.Theoretical and Applied Climatology, 76(1/2): 89-104.
18	Pan S K, Zhang M J, Wang S Jet al., 2012. Relationship between streamflow in summer at the headwaters of Urumqi River in the Tianshan Mountains and the 0℃ isotherm height. Resources Science, 34(8): 1565-1573. (in Chinese)
19	Sen P K.1968. Estimates of the regression coefficient based on Kendall’s tau.Journal of American Statistical Association, 63(324): 1379-1389.
20	Su B D, Gemmer M, Jiang T, 2008. Spatial and temporal variation of extreme precipitation over the Yangtze River Basin.Quaternary International, 186(1): 22-31.
21	Wang S J, Zhang M J, Sun M Pet al., 2013. Changes in precipitation extremes in alpine areas of the Chinese Tianshan Mountains, Central Asia, 1961-2011.Quaternary International, 311: 97-107.
22	Wang X L, Swail V R, Zwiers F Wet al., 2008a. Detection of external influence on trends of atmospheric storminess and northern oceans wave heights.Climate Dynamics, 32(2/3): 189-203.
23	Wang Y L, Yusup A, Ma H Wet al., 2008b. Response of summer average discharge in the Hotan River to changes in regional 0℃ level height.Advances in Climate Change Research, 4(3): 151-155. (in Chinese)
24	Vincent L A, Aguilar E, Saindou Met al., 2011. Observed trends in indices of daily and extreme temperature and precipitation for the countries of the western Indian Ocean, 1961-2008.Journal of Geophysical Research, 116, D10108, doi: 10.1029/2010JD015303.
25	Xu W, Li Q, Wang X Let al., 2013. Homogenization of Chinese daily surface air temperatures and analysis of trends in the extreme temperature indices.Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 118(17): 9708-9720.
26	Yue S, Pilon P, Cavadias G, 2002. Power of the Mann-Kendall and Spearman’s rho tests for detecting monotonic trends in hydrological series.Journal of Hydrology, 259(1-4): 254-271.
27	Zhang G X, Sun S F, Ma Y Fet al., 2010. The response of annual runoff to the height change of the summertime 0℃ level over Xinjiang.Journal of Geographical Sciences, 20(6): 833-847.
28	Zhang G X, Sun S F, Zhao Let al., 2009. The response of the Glacier No.1 to the height change of the 0℃ level in summer at the riverhead of the Urumqi River, Tianshan Mountains.Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 31(6): 1057-1062. (in Chinese)
29	Zhang G X, Yang L M, Yang Q, 2005. Changing trend and abrupt change of the 0℃ level height in summer in Xinjiang from 1960 to 2002. Journal of Glaciology and Geocryology, 27(3): 376-380. (in Chinese)
30	Zhang M J, He J Y, Wang B Let al., 2013. Climate characteristics of the extreme drought events in Southwest China during recent 50 years.Journal of Geographical Sciences, 23(1): 3-16.
31	Zhang M J, Wang S J, Li Z Qet al., 2012. Glacier area shrinkage in China and its climatic background during the past half century.Journal of Geographical Sciences, 22(1): 15-28.
32	Zhang Y S, Guo Y, 2011. Variability of atmospheric freezing-level height and its impact on the cryosphere in China.Annals of Glaciology, 52(58): 81-88.
33	Zhao L N, Ma Q Y, Yang G Met al., 2008. Disasters and its impact of a severe snow storm and freezing rain over southern China in January 2008.Climatic and Environmental Research, 13(4): 556-566. (in Chinese)

Decade	0℃ isotherm height anomalies (m)
	Spring			Summer			Autumn			Winter			Annual
	0:00	12:00	Ave.	0:00	12:00	Ave.	0:00	12:00	Ave.	0:00	12:00	Ave.	0:00	12:00	Ave.
1960-1969	-30	-31	-31	-48	-93	-70	-55	-70	-62	-108	-85	-94	-56	-66	-64
1970-1979	-13	-10	-11	-53	-51	-52	-70	-67	-68	-64	-40	-53	-48	-40	-43
1980-1989	-35	-30	-31	25	20	22	16	12	14	-3	4	1	-3	-2	-1
1990-1999	41	37	39	50	54	52	46	44	45	34	1	7	47	36	42
2000-2010	34	31	33	24	64	44	57	74	65	124	110	117	54	65	60

	Spring		Summer		Autumn		Winter		Annual
	Trend (m/a)	Sig.	Trend (m/a)	Sig.	Trend (m/a)	Sig.	Trend (m/a)	Sig.	Trend (m/a)	Sig.
0:00	2.1	<0.01	2.7	<0.001	3.3	<0.01	6.3	<0.01	3.3	<0.01
12:00	2.0	<0.01	4.2	<0.001	4.0	<0.001	4.7	<0.01	3.5	<0.001
Ave.	2.1	<0.01	3.5	<0.01	3.7	<0.001	5.3	<0.01	3.5	<0.001

	Trend magnitude (m/a)
	Spring			Summer			Autumn			Winter			Annual
	0:00	12:00	Ave	0:00	12:00	Ave	0:00	12:00	Ave	0:00	12:00	Ave	0:00	12:00	Ave
Garzê	-1.4	-2.9^**	-2.2^*	-0.6	-0.8	-0.5	-1.5	-2.5	-2.3	-1.9	-2.1	-1.6	-1.8	-2.2^**	-1.8^*
Dachuan	0.5	-1.5	-0.4	-0.3	0.0	-0.2	1.5	0.9	1.1	-1.8	8.4^**	3.6	-0.6	1.4	0.2
Shapingba	-0.2	0.7	0.2	0.3	1.4	0.9	1.51	2.7^*	2.1	10.4^**	8.2^**	9.5^**	2.0	2.6*	2.0^*
Yibin	-3.8^*	-0.4	-2.2	-5.0^***	5.7^***	0.5	-1.0	2.2^*	0.6	14.6^***	-3.0	6.2	0.4	0.4	0.3
Xichang	0.7	2.0^**	1.4	2.5^**	8.40^***	5.6^***	1.6	4.0^***	3.0^*	2.5	2.2	2.4	1.7	4.3^***	3.2^***
Weining	-0.1	0.3	0.3	0.6	1.2	1.0	1.6	1.7	1.6	7.1^*	6.0^*	6.4^*	1.8	2.2^*	2.0
Guiyang	-0.5	0.9	0.2	-0.5	2.8^***	1.1	1.0	2.6*	1.8	5.3^*	4.7^*	5.4^*	0.9	2.9^**	1.9^*
Guilin	-0.6	-2.5^**	-1.7	0.3	-2.3^***	-1.0	1.3	0.5	0.7	4.6^*	2.8	3.8	1.0	-0.7	0.7
Tengchong	3.4^**	7.3^***	5.4^***	2.0^**	13.0^***	7.5^***	3.5^**	11.2^***	7.3^***	6.4^***	5.0^***	5.8^***	3.9^***	9.1^***	6.6^***
Kunming	9.9^***	-0.9	4.7^***	12.3^***	0.2	6.3^***	9.1^***	0.6	4.8^***	6.4^***	1.9	4.0^*	9.6^***	0.2	5.0^***
Baise	2.8^***	6.7^***	4.8^***	4.4^***	9.7^***	7.1^***	4.3^***	8.9^***	6.6^***	4.5^*	7.6^***	6.0^**	3.9^***	8.3^***	6.0^***
Wuzhou	1.19	1.3	1.4	-0.2	1.6^*	0.7	2.5^*	3.3^***	2.8^**	4.9^*	4.7^*	4.7^*	1.7^*	2.6^***	2.1^**
Simao	12.9^***	6.0^***	9.3^***	13.9^***	3.2^***	8.6^***	15.2^***	5.5^***	10.4^***	16.0^***	9.5^***	12.8^***	14.1^***	5.8^***	9.7^***
Nanning	3.72^***	10.48^***	7.11^***	5.34^***	13.66^***	9.46^***	4.75^***	12.56^***	8.89^***	6.32^**	12.27^***	9.32^***	4.71^***	12.06^***	8.84^***

[1]	Jie ZHANG, Fubao SUN, Wenbin LIU, Jiahong LIU, Hong WANG. Spatio-temporal patterns of drought evolution over the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, China [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2019, 29(6): 863-876.
[2]	Qinqin DU, Mingjun ZHANG, Shengjie WANG, Cunwei CHE, Rong MA, Zhuanzhuan MA. Changes in air temperature over China in response to the recent global warming hiatus [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2019, 29(4): 496-516.
[3]	Wenxia ZHANG, , Qingrong FENG, Tianguang WANG, Tianqiang WANG. The spatiotemporal responses of Populus euphratica to global warming in Chinese oases between 1960 and 2015 [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2018, 28(5): 579-594.
[4]	ZHANG Mingjun, HE Jinyun, WANG Baolong, WANG Shengjie, LI Shanshan, LIU Wenli, MA Xuening. Extreme drought changes in Southwest China from 1960 to 2009 [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2013, 23(1): 3-16.
[5]	PANG Hongxi, LI Zongxing, Wilfred H. THEAKSTONE. Changes of the hydrological cycle in two typical Chinese monsoonal temperate glacier basins: A response to global warming? [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2012, 22(5): 771-780.
[6]	PAN Tao, WU Shaohong, HE Daming, DAI Erfu, LIU Yujie. Effects of longitudinal range-gorge terrain on the eco-geographical pattern in Southwest China [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2012, 22(5): 825-842.
[7]	ZHANG Mingjun, WANG Shengjie, LI Zhongqin, WANG Feiteng. Glacier area shrinkage in China and its climatic background during the past half century [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2012, 22(1): 15-28 .
[8]	JIANG Xingwen, LI Yueqing. Spatio-temporal variability of winter temperature and precipitation in Southwest China [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2011, 21(2): 250-262.
[9]	LAN Yongchao, ZHAO Guohui, ZHANG Yaonan, WEN Jun, HU Xinglin, LIU Jinqi, GU Minglin, CHANG Junjie, MA Jianhua. Response of runoff in the headwater region of the Yellow River to climate change and its sensitivity analysis [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2010, 20(6): 848-860.
[10]	ZHANG Zhiqiang, QU Jiansheng, ZENG Jingjing. A quantitative comparison and analysis on the assessment indicators of greenhouse gases emission [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2008, 18(4): 387-399.
[11]	JIANG Fengqing, HU Ruji, LI Zhen. Variations and trends of the freezing and thaw- ing index along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway for 1966?2004 [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2008, 18(1): 3-16.
[12]	LI Baolin, ZHANG Yichi, ZHOU Chenghu. Remote sensing detection of glacier changes in Tianshan Mountains for the past 40 years [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2004, 14(3): 296-302.
[13]	GONG Dao-yi, ZHU Jin-hong, WANG Shao-wu. Flooding 1990s along the Yangtze River, has it concern of global warming? [J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2001, 11(1): 43-52.