Simulation and projection of glaciers and their runoff in Xinjiang based on TGSGS

Authors

• Zhongqin LI, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, ChinaFollow
• Yefei YANG, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
• Bowen LIU, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China
• Huilin LI, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
• Zexin ZHAN, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
• Feiteng WANG, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi 832003, China
• Chunhai XU, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China
• Weibo ZHAO, Xinjiang Tianshan Glacier National Field Observation and Research Station, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

Keywords

glacier, glacier mass balance, glacier dynamics, terrestrial three-dimensional laser scanning

Abstract

Glaciers are large flowing ice bodies formed from snowfall in cold regions. Due to the intrinsic physical properties of ice and the complexity of boundary conditions, physically based modelling of glacier change remains a global challenge. With support from the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ key science infrastructure program for the field station, the Tianshan Glaciological Station completed the Tianshan Glacier Station Glacier Simulator (TGSGS) in 2025. TGSGS features advanced representations of the physical mechanisms driving glacier change and multi-scale ensemble strategy, and is integrated with a reference glacier observation network based on terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), a low-temperature laboratory for simulating key glacier ablation processes, and the TGSGS database, thereby constituting a strategic national facility for glacier hydrological research. The change in Xinjiang’s glacier associated water security is closely linked to national western development and the Belt and Road Initiative. The primary goal of TGSGS is to support this significant and urgent scientific need. Based on TGSGS, the glacier and its runoff variations for Xinjiang’s five major drainage systems have been simulated and projected, including the Irtysh river basin, the Junggar inland drainage system, the Ili river, the Turpan–Hami inland drainage, and the Tarim river basin.

First page

829

Last Page

845

Language

Chinese

Publisher

Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

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Recommended Citation

LI, Zhongqin; YANG, Yefei; LIU, Bowen; LI, Huilin; ZHAN, Zexin; WANG, Feiteng; XU, Chunhai; and ZHAO, Weibo (2026) "Simulation and projection of glaciers and their runoff in Xinjiang based on TGSGS," Bulletin of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Version): Vol. 41 : Iss. 4 , Article 19.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3724/j.issn.1000-3045.20260402005
Available at: https://bulletinofcas.researchcommons.org/journal/vol41/iss4/19