Post on 02-Jan-2016
2nd Third Pole Environment (TPE) Workshop
Kathmandu, Nepal, October 26-28, 2010
Importance of long term monitoring of climate data in the Khumbu Valley (Himalaya) and in Gilgit
Baltistan (Karakorum) as a contribution to the TPE's activities
Gianni Tartari*,+, Gianluca Lentini*, Roberta Toffolon* and Elisa Vuillermoz*
*Ev-K2-CNR Committee, Bergamo, Italy
+Water Research Institute, National research Council, Brugherio, Italy
However, since high altitude sites are so sensitive to the effects of climate change, the present density of stations over the high altitudes is not as high as it would be desirable.
Concepts
Illustrate the main characteristics and some results of the measuring stations in Khumbu Valley and Gilgit Baltistan, in the frame of the SHARE Project, underlying the possible role of long-term monitoring sites in the integrated approach of the Third Pole Environment (TPE)
Aims of this presentation
The Himalaya and Karakorum chains have been, in recent decades, better monitored as opposed to what happened in the past.
Ev-K2-CNR contributes to the collection of long-term climate data in the Khumbu Valley (Mount Everest) since 1994, where nine stations between the altitude of 2660 m to 7986 m (South Col) have been progressively installed.
Since 2001 six of these stations have been included in the CEOP (Coordinated Energy and Water Cycle Observations Project) as reference stations, a network created in the framework of the WCRP/GEWEX activities.
The longest record (17 years) is in the Khumbu Valley region, and the most recent collection began in 2010, at Changri Nup (5750 m a.s.l.).
All stations are operating in continuous, except the South Col station which carried out measurements for over a year despite the enormous management difficulties.
Himalaya stations
Karakorum stations
The Ev-K2-CNR monitoring activity in Gilgit Baltistan region (Mount K2) is more recent and started in 2004, with two AWSs at about 3000 m and 4000 m a.s.l., respectively. These stations are included in the CEOP activities as well.
Specific measurements
Parameters Unit
Snow level m
Soil Heat Flux W m-2
Soil Temperature °C
Permittivity %
USW Radiation W m-2
ULW Radiation W m-2
DSW Radiation W m-2
DLW Radiation W m-2
Nepal standard CEOP Stations
Pyramid & Lukla
Standard measurements
Parameters Unit
Temperature °C
Relative Humidity %
Atmospheric Pressure
hPa
Global radiation W m-2
Wind speed m s-1
Wind Direction °
Total Precipitation mm
HK AWSs
Lukla; Namche; Pheriche;Pyramid;
Kala Patthar; Changri Nup; South Col;
Askole; Urdukas
The SHARE Meteorological Monitoring Network
In Khumbu Valley, Mt. Everest, are operative 7
sites with a total of 9 SHARE stations and 1
DHM/UNI-Tsukuba station
Pyramid
(5,050 m)
Namche
(3,560 m)
Lukla
(2,660 m)
Periche
(3,560 m)
South Col
(7,986 m)
NCOP-P
(5,079 m)
Kala Patthar
(5,550 m)
Changri Nup
(5,750 m)
Syanboche
(3,900 m)
Altitude: 2660 - 7986 m a.s.l.Gradient: 5326 m
3015 m 3926 m
In the Baltoro glacier area since 2004 are installed 2 AWSs at Askole and Urdukas
Parameter
Instrument
Askole data availability
(%) in the period 01/10/2005 - 31/12/2007
Urdukas data availability
(%) in the period 01/06/2004 -31/12/2007
Air pressure at 2m CX115P Lsi-Lastem 84.9% 60.6%
Air temperature at 2 m DMA570 Lsi-Lastem 76.2% 60.6%
Dew point at 2 m Derived 76.2% 60.6%
Relative humidity at 2m DMA570 Lsi-Lastem 75.9% 60.6%
Specific humidity at 2m derived 75.9% 75.9%
Wind speed at 5 m DNA022 Lsi-Lastem 80.3% 56.7%
Wind direction at 5 m DNA022 Lsi-Lastem 80.3% 56.7%
U wind component at 5 m Derived 80.3% 56.7%
V wind component at 5 m Derived 80.3% 56.7%
Precipitation at 1.5 m DQA035 Lsi-Lastem 84.9% 35.6%
Incoming shortwave
radiation at 2 m
CM3 Kipp&Zonen
84.9% 60.4%
The main difficulties in the managing of high altitude stations is to ensure the data availability
-10,0
-8,0
-6,0
-4,0
-2,0
0,0
2,0
4,0
6,0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dic
°C
-10,0
-8,0
-6,0
-4,0
-2,0
0,0
2,0
4,0
6,0
Annual mean: -2.56 °CYears : 13
Mean monthly temperature evolution: 1994-2006
T = 0,0049 Month - 8,4252DT = 0.058 °C/y
-12,0
-8,0
-4,0
0,0
4,0
8,0
ge
n-9
4
ma
g-9
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set-
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ge
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g-9
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set-
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ge
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ma
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set-
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ma
g-9
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set-
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ge
n-9
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ma
g-9
8
set-
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ge
n-9
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ma
g-9
9
set-
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ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
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set-
00
ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
1
set-
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ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
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set-
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n-0
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ma
g-0
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set-
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ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
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set-
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ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
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set-
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ge
n-0
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ma
g-0
6
set-
06
°CPeriod: 1994-2006
T = 0,030 Yr - 62,226
T = 0,031 Yr - 64,807-4,5
-4,0
-3,5
-3,0
-2,5
-2,0
-1,5
1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007
°C
Annual mean
Moving average
Long-term monitoring at the Pyramid Laboratory
OCT 5
JUN 12
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
Ja
n 3
Ja
n 2
3
Fe
b 1
2
Mar
4
Mar
24
Ap
r 1
3
May 3
May 2
3
Ju
n 1
2
Ju
l 2
Ju
l 2
2
Au
g 1
1
Au
g 3
1
Se
p 2
0
Oct 1
0
Oct 3
0
No
v 1
9
De
c 9
De
c 2
9
Days
Pre
cip
ita
tio
n (
mm
)
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.0
Ra
iny D
ays
OCT 5JUN 12
5.06.07.08.09.0
10.011.012.013.0
Jan
3
Jan
23
Fe
b 1
2
Ma
r 4
Ma
r 2
4
Ap
r 1
3
Ma
y 3
Ma
y 2
3
Jun
12
Jul 2
Jul 2
2
Au
g 1
1
Au
g 3
1
Se
p 2
0
Oct
10
Oct
30
No
v 1
9
De
c 9
De
c 2
9
5.06.07.08.09.0
10.011.012.013.0
Jan
3
Jan
23
Feb
12
Ma
r 4
Ma
r 2
4
Ap
r 1
3
Ma
y 3
Ma
y 2
3
Jun
12
Jul 2
Jul 2
2
Au
g 1
1
Au
g 3
1
Se
p 2
0
Oct
10
Oct
30
No
v 1
9
De
c 9
De
c 2
9Te
mp
. Ra
ng
e (
°C)
Monsoon studies: mean onset and decay dates 1994-98
Bertolani, L., M. Bollasina & G. Tartari. 2000. Recent Biennial Variability Of Meteorological Features In Eastern Highland Himalayas. Geophysical Research Letters, 27: 2185-2188.
Research objectives in the first phase
Cross-section of hourly precipitations along the Khumbu Valley:31/03 - 27/09/03
Ueno, K., K. Toyotsu, L. Bertolani & G. Tartari. 2008. Stepwise Onset Of Monsoon Weather Observed In The Nepal Himalayas. Moon. Wea. Rev. 2057-2522.
Research objectives in the first phase
Nepal standard time is 5 hours and 45 minuets advancing to UTC
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1.00 2 4 6 8 10
12
14
16
18
20
22
UTC
mm
/h
PyramidPhericheNamche
Nepal standard time is 5 hours and 45 minuets advancing to UTC
AWS locations of Pheriche and QOMS
Comparative scatter of air temperature at Pheriche and QOMS
Periche = 1,08 Pyramid
r2 = 0,945
0
50
100
150
200
250
0 50 100 150 200 250
Lobuche (mm/month)
Py
ram
id (
mm
/mo
nth
)
Comparative studies in high altitude areas
Research objectives in the first phase
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
OC
Maximum
QOMS 2006
Minimum
Pheriche 2006
Average
Annual variations of air temperature and wind direction at Pheriche and QOMS
Comparative studies between QOMolangma and Pheriche AWSs
- 20
- 15
- 10
- 5
0
5
10
15
20
2000
2000
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2009
Pyramid
TE
MP
(°C
)
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- 5
0
5
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15
20
2000
2000
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2001
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2009
2009
2009
2009
Pheriche
TE
MP
(°C
)
Pyramid AWS,5050 m asl
Pheriche AWS4260 m asl
Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: temperature records
Research objectives in the second phase
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2000
2000
2001
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Lukla
PR
EC
(m
m/
day)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
2000
2000
2001
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2009
Namche
PR
EC
(m
m/
day)
Lukla AWS,2660 m asl
Namche AWS, 3570 m asl
Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: precipitation records
Research objectives in the second phase
0
10
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30
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Lukla
RH
(%
)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2000
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Namche
RH
(%
)
Lukla AWS,2660 m asl
Namche AWS, 3570 m asl
Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: humidity records
Research objectives in the second phase
590
595
600
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620
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Pheriche
PR
ES
(h
Pa)
540
542
544
546
548
550
552
554
556
558
560
2000
2000
2001
2001
2001
2001
2001
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2009
Pyramid
PR
ES
(h
Pa)
Pheriche AWS4260 m asl
Pyramid AWS,5050 m asl
Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: pressure records
Research objectives in the second phase
0
50
100
150
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300
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Pyramid
RA
D (
W m
^-2
)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
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2009
Pheriche
RA
D (
W m
^-2
)
Pheriche AWS4260 m asl
Pyramid AWS,5050 m asl
Analysis of the Khumbu valley stations: incoming radiation records
Research objectives in the second phase
LUKLA mean st.dev st.dev/mean
T 9.26 4.41 0.48
PREC 3.76 9.30 2.48
PRES 750.10 2.10 0.00
RAD 165.45 64.11 0.39
RH 85.25 14.96 0.18
WD 175.92 73.40 0.42
WS 1.11 0.61 0.55
NAMCHE mean st.dev st.dev/mean
T 4.86 4.94 1.02
PREC 3.47 10.37 2.98
PRES 664.23 2.45 0.00
RAD 196.73 68.05 0.35
RH 83.18 19.86 0.24
WD 184.78 45.74 0.25
WS 2.18 1.13 0.52
Khumbu Valley: basic statistical properties and stability
Research objectives in the second phase
PHERI CHE mean st.dev st.dev/mean
T 0.95 5.56 5.82
PREC 1.16 2.71 2.34
PRES 606.08 2.56 0.00
RAD 222.78 62.27 0.28
RH 79.07 19.97 0.25
WD 217.16 38.31 0.18
WS 2.96 0.71 0.24
PYRAMI D mean st.dev st.dev/mean
T -2.34 4.79 -2.05
PREC 1.06 2.74 2.58
PRES 551.72 2.52 0.00
RAD 225.38 63.07 0.28
RH 66.50 30.59 0.46
WD 163.41 38.81 0.24
WS 2.10 0.66 0.32
Δz (m) ΔT (°C) ΔP (hPa)
ΔT (°C)/ 1000
m
ΔP (hPa)/ 1000
m PYR-PHE 790 3.29 54.37 4.17 42.95 PHE-NAM 690 3.91 58.15 5.66 40.12
NAM-LUK 910 4.40 85.87 4.84 78.14
Vertical Temperature gradients is slightly lower than the average wet adiabatic tropospheric gradient of 6.5°C/1000m, as characteristic of subtropical, albeit high altitude, sites.
Khumbu Valley: vertical lapse rate
Research objectives in the second phase
At Urdukas (3926 m a.s.l.), katabatic winds coming down from the Baltoro glacier are evident during night and in the morning, when masses of cold, dense air drain down the higher elevation areas of the Baltoro. From late morning and early afternoon, this path is reversed, when masses of warmer, less dense air move upward (eastward). A few hours after sunset, the cycle restarts, quite sharply, around 8-9 PM.
Karakorum stations: Askole and Urdukas
Research objectives in the second phase
Wind Direction and Speed
The same general behaviour is discernible at Askole (3015 m a.s.l.), whose AWS, though at much lower height, is located in the same valley and it is subject to a similar daily cycle.
Karakorum stations: Askole and Urdukas
Research objectives in the second phase
Wind Direction and Speed
The Rwenzori AWS (4750 m asl, Uganda)
Rwenzori
0
45
90
135
180
225
270
315
360h
24 h 1
h 2
h 3
h 4
h 5
h 6
h 7
h 8
h 9
h 10
h 11
h 12 h1
3
h14
h 15
h 16
h 17
h 18
h 19
h 20
h 21
h 22
h 23
°N
0.0
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1.0
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4.0
WS
(m
/s)
Hourly Median Wind Direction Hourly Median Wind Speed
0.00
1.00
2.00
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9.00
10.00h
1h
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h 14
h 15
h 16
h 17
h 18
h 19
h 20
h 21
h 22
h 23
h 24
mm
Short Rains Winter Long Rains Summer
Trigger of daily precipitation by heat-pump convection
Ongoing work!