Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-12
21 Feb 2023
 | 21 Feb 2023
Status: this preprint is currently under review for the journal TC.

A conceptual model for glacial lake bathymetric distribution

Taigang Zhang, Weicai Wang, and Baosheng An

Abstract. The formation and expansion of glacial lakes worldwide due to global warming and glacier retreat have been well documented in the past few decades. Thousands of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) originating from moraine-dammed and ice-dammed lakes were reported, causing devastating impacts on downstream lives and properties. Detailed glacial lake bathymetry surveys are essential for accurate GLOF simulation and risk assessment. However, these bathymetry surveys are still scarce as glacial lakes located in remote and high-altitude environments hamper a comprehensive investigation. We developed a conceptual model for glacial lake bathymetric distribution using a semi-automatic simulation procedure. The basic idea is that the statistical glacial lake volume-area curves conform to a power-law relationship indicating that the idealized geometric shape of the glacial lake basin should be hemispheres or cones. First, by reviewing the evolution of various types of glacial lakes, we identified 10 standard conceptual models to describe the shape of lake basins. Second, we defined a general conceptual model to depict the continuum transitions between different standard conceptual models for those specific glacial lakes that lie between two standard conceptual models. Third, we nested the conceptual model into the actual glacial lake basin to construct the water depth contours and interpolate the glacial lake bathymetric distribution. We applied the conceptual model to simulate three typical glacial lakes in the Tibetan Plateau with in-situ bathymetric surveys to verify the algorithm's applicability. The results show a high consistency in the point-to-point comparisons of the measured and simulated water depths with a total volume difference of approximately ±10 %. The conceptual model has significant implications for understanding glacial lake evolution and modeling GLOFs in the future.

Taigang Zhang et al.

Status: final response (author comments only)

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • CC1: 'Comment on tc-2023-12', D. Fortier, 22 Feb 2023
    • CC2: 'Reply on CC1', Taigang Zhang, 24 Feb 2023
  • RC1: 'Comment on tc-2023-12', Anonymous Referee #1, 07 Apr 2023
  • RC2: 'Comment on tc-2023-12', Anonymous Referee #2, 06 May 2023
  • RC3: 'Comment on tc-2023-12', Adam Emmer, 17 May 2023

Taigang Zhang et al.

Taigang Zhang et al.

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Short summary
This study developed a algorithm for glacial lake bathymetric distribution modeling. We assumed the idealized geometry of a glacial lake basin as hemispherical or conical, for example, a semi-ellipsoidal body. A total of 10 such standard conceptual models were identified. We nested the most appropriate conceptual model into the actual glacial lake basin to construct the water depth contours and interpolate the glacial lake bathymetric distribution. The applicability of this method was verified.