Chinese scientists unveil new insights into glacier melting in Central Asia

BEIJING -- Chinese scientists have accurately reconstructed a complete record of glacier melt from 2000 to 2023 in the Muz Taw Glacier of the Sawur Mountains in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, providing crucial scientific evidence for understanding glacier response mechanisms under climate change.

The study, led by Wang Puyu's team from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has been published in the international journal Advances in Climate Change Research.

The research team employed a fully distributed energy balance model to simulate and reconstruct the annual series of mass balance from 2000 to 2023. Through error assessment and uncertainty analysis, the reliability of the research findings was confirmed.

The study reveals that over the past 24 years, the cumulative mass loss of the Muz Taw Glacier reached 18.55 meters water equivalent.

Energy balance analysis indicates that net radiation is the primary driver of glacier melting, contributing 71 percent during the ablation period and 63 percent annually.

The study has not only revealed the melting mechanisms of the Sawur Mountain glaciers but also established reliable predictive models, providing a scientific basis for assessing regional water resource changes, Wang said.