The study shows the current state and past changes in the permafrost at Earth’s Third Pole

The Earth’s Third Pole, encompassing the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the Pamir Plateau, and the Tien Shan, includes the world’s largest mid- and low-latitude frozen region.

Frozen ground, including permafrost and seasonal frost, has an important effect on hydrological cycle and productivity of the ecosystem in this area, and even on the global climate.

Recently, researchers from the Northwest Institute of Environmental Environment and Resources of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the current state of permafrost and its changes throughout the Third Pole over the past 60 years by reviewing existing high-quality permafrost data products. or through data-driven modeling.

The corresponding results were published in Advances in Climate Change Research.

The researchers found that the current area of ​​permafrost (permafrost zone) is approximately 127×104 km.², which is approximately 28% of the Third Pole. The average annual ground temperature in the permafrost zone was about -1.51 °C, and the average regional thickness of the active layer was about 235 cm. The current area of ​​seasonal permafrost was about 259×104 km²which is approximately 55% of the Third Pole.

The average maximum freezing depth in the region was 92 cm. Both permafrost and seasonally frozen ground have significantly degraded (warmed and thawed) over the past 60 years. The permafrost warmed significantly at a rate of 0.17 °C per decade, and the thickness of the active layer increased at a rate of 4.42 cm per decade. The maximum freezing depth of seasonally frozen soils decreased at a rate of 2.34 cm per decade.