Spatiotemporal characteristics of alpine snow and ice melt under a changing regional climate: A case study in Northwest China

The Recursive Digital Filter (RDF) and Isotopic Hydrogeochemical Method (IHM) were coupled to separate the monthly snow and ice melt (SIM) in the alpines of the northwest China. A multiple linear regression expression (MLRE) between the separated SIM and alpine air temperature and precipitation was used to analyze the alpine SIM characteristics to assess potential impacts of regional climate change on SIM. The results showed an overall increasing SIM rate of 0.48 mm/10 y in the study area from 1981 to 2010. The maximum increasing rate of 0.69 mm/10 y was found in the altitudinal zone between 3900 m and 4700 m, reflecting a distinct spatial pattern of the SIM under the alpine climate.