Articles | Volume 20, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-6021-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-20-6021-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
16 Oct 2026
Research article |
| 16 Oct 2026
| 16 Oct 2026
Evaluation of turbulent flux parameterizations over a continental glacier on the Tibetan Plateau
Yichan Xu
Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, 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
Daijiao Lin
Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
Lei Hui
Danghe River Basin Water Resources Administration Bureau, Dunhuang, Gansu, 736200, China
College of Surveying and Geo-Informatics, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, China
Huabiao Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Environment, and Resources (TPESER), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Fengying Zhang
Center for the Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
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Short summary
Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass, yet their turbulent heat exchange with the atmosphere remains uncertain. Using direct observations from the Dunde Glacier (May–October 2023), we analyzed turbulent flux variations at the glacier surface and evaluated five turbulent flux methods. We also showed that during a humid heatwave, turbulent heat input rose sharply and accelerated melt, highlighting the need to improve models under extreme conditions.
Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau are losing mass, yet their turbulent heat exchange with the...
