Articles | Volume 17, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3895-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3895-2023
© Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
12 Sep 2023
Research article |
| 12 Sep 2023
| 12 Sep 2023
Thinning and surface mass balance patterns of two neighbouring debris-covered glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau
Chuanxi Zhao
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University,
Lanzhou, 730000, China
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and
Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
Wei Yang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and
Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
Evan Miles
High Mountain Glaciers and Hydrology Group, Swiss Federal Institute,
WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
Matthew Westoby
Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria
University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
Marin Kneib
High Mountain Glaciers and Hydrology Group, Swiss Federal Institute,
WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
Institute of Environmental Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8093,
Switzerland
Yongjie Wang
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and
Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
Zhen He
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment and
Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy
of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
Francesca Pellicciotti
High Mountain Glaciers and Hydrology Group, Swiss Federal Institute,
WSL, Birmensdorf, 8903, Switzerland
Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria
University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Shear behaviors of freeze–thaw interface in moraine soil: Experimental and theoretical approaches X. Wei et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2026.01.012
- Modelling seasonal fluctuations and aspect characteristics of ice-cliff melt on the debris-covered Trakarding Glacier, Rolwaling Valley, Nepal Himalaya Y. Sato et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.17
- Contrasting Changes of Debris-Free Glacier and Debris-Covered Glacier in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau C. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16050918
- Thickness Measurement for Mountain Glaciers With Water-Rich Ice Based on VHF GPR and PSO-CTM-CFAR Detector Y. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3603270
- Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier M. Kneib et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5965-2024
- Deriving seasonal and annual surface mass balance for debris-covered glaciers from flow-corrected satellite stereo DEM time series S. Bhushan et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2024.57
- Assessing the impact of artificial geotextile covers on glacier mass balance and energy fluxes Y. Xie et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2024.10.007
- DebDaB: a database of supraglacial debris thickness and physical properties A. Fontrodona-Bach et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-4213-2025
- Thinning and dynamics of the glacier terminus at the Pasterze Glacier (Austria), 2016–2021 G. Seier et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104198
- Mass loss of Bayi Glacier in the Heihe River Basin revealed by ground-penetration radar measurements from 2006 to 2023 X. Pang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102255
- High-resolution TLS surveys reveal limitations of stake networks on Dongkemadi Glacier (2017–2023) Y. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2026.05.007
- Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff evolution and survival on debris-covered glaciers E. Petersen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-727-2024
- Palaeo-Glacier Reconstruction and Surface Dynamics Analysis of Nef Glacier (Chile) Using Automated Open-Source Tools Based on Sentinel-1 Imagery and Digital Elevation Models A. Ruiz & N. Campos https://doi.org/10.1007/s41976-026-00300-4
- Evolution of mass loss at Alamkouh Glacier in Iran using multi-temporal high-resolution DEMs between 2010 and 2023 N. Karimi & S. Sheshangosht https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14442-3
- An evaluation of TLS-based glacier change assessment in the central Tibetan plateau Y. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2024.2375527
- Reconstructing multi-temporal Glacier area changes to improve mass balance estimates in the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau (2000–2025) Z. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2026.2747433
- Supraglacial geomorphology of Companion Glacier, central Himalaya: evolution, controls and consequences P. Garg et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1219755
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology for Glaciology Research in the Third Pole C. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9040254
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Shear behaviors of freeze–thaw interface in moraine soil: Experimental and theoretical approaches X. Wei et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrmge.2026.01.012
- Modelling seasonal fluctuations and aspect characteristics of ice-cliff melt on the debris-covered Trakarding Glacier, Rolwaling Valley, Nepal Himalaya Y. Sato et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2025.17
- Contrasting Changes of Debris-Free Glacier and Debris-Covered Glacier in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau C. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16050918
- Thickness Measurement for Mountain Glaciers With Water-Rich Ice Based on VHF GPR and PSO-CTM-CFAR Detector Y. Wu et al. https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2025.3603270
- Distributed surface mass balance of an avalanche-fed glacier M. Kneib et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5965-2024
- Deriving seasonal and annual surface mass balance for debris-covered glaciers from flow-corrected satellite stereo DEM time series S. Bhushan et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2024.57
- Assessing the impact of artificial geotextile covers on glacier mass balance and energy fluxes Y. Xie et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2024.10.007
- DebDaB: a database of supraglacial debris thickness and physical properties A. Fontrodona-Bach et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-4213-2025
- Thinning and dynamics of the glacier terminus at the Pasterze Glacier (Austria), 2016–2021 G. Seier et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2024.104198
- Mass loss of Bayi Glacier in the Heihe River Basin revealed by ground-penetration radar measurements from 2006 to 2023 X. Pang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102255
- High-resolution TLS surveys reveal limitations of stake networks on Dongkemadi Glacier (2017–2023) Y. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2026.05.007
- Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff evolution and survival on debris-covered glaciers E. Petersen et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-727-2024
- Palaeo-Glacier Reconstruction and Surface Dynamics Analysis of Nef Glacier (Chile) Using Automated Open-Source Tools Based on Sentinel-1 Imagery and Digital Elevation Models A. Ruiz & N. Campos https://doi.org/10.1007/s41976-026-00300-4
- Evolution of mass loss at Alamkouh Glacier in Iran using multi-temporal high-resolution DEMs between 2010 and 2023 N. Karimi & S. Sheshangosht https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-025-14442-3
- An evaluation of TLS-based glacier change assessment in the central Tibetan plateau Y. Xue et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2024.2375527
- Reconstructing multi-temporal Glacier area changes to improve mass balance estimates in the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau (2000–2025) Z. Li et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15481603.2026.2747433
- Supraglacial geomorphology of Companion Glacier, central Himalaya: evolution, controls and consequences P. Garg et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1219755
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technology for Glaciology Research in the Third Pole C. Zhao et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/drones9040254
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 14 Nov 2026
Short summary
This paper quantifies the thinning and surface mass balance of two neighbouring debris-covered glaciers in the southeastern Tibetan Plateau during different seasons, based on high spatio-temporal resolution UAV-derived (unpiloted aerial
vehicle) data and in situ observations. Through a comparison approach and high-precision results, we identify that the glacier dynamic and debris thickness are strongly related to the future fate of the debris-covered glaciers in this region.
This paper quantifies the thinning and surface mass balance of two neighbouring debris-covered...
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