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›› 2017, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 762-771.

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Temporal and spatial characteristics of atmospheric water vapor and its relationship with precipitation in Qilian Mountains during 1979-2016

GONG Ning-gang1, SUN Mei-ping1,2, YAN Lu-xia1, GONG Peng1, MA Xing-gang1, MOU Jian-xin1   

  1. 1. College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, China;
    2. Northwest institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, China
  • Received:2016-12-24 Revised:2017-03-10 Online:2017-07-25

Abstract: Qilian Mountains region is one of the most important water vapor cycle sites in arid and semi-arid areas of Northwest China,and the most important water vapor regulation area in Hexi Corridor. Based on the monthly reanalysis data of ECMWF 1.5°×1.5° during 1979-2016 and precipitation data of 37 meteorological stations in corresponding period,by adopting approaches of monadic linear regression method,accumulative anomaly,Kriging and IDW,the paper analyzed the spatial-temporal characteristics of atmospheric water vapor content, the spatial changing rule of precipitation conversion rate and the distribution law of wind field in Qilian Mountains,and the change trend of precipitation conversion rate in western China. Results show as follows:(1)The atmospheric water vapor showed an increasing trend in Qilian Mountains and the seasonal variation of atmospheric water vapor content showed a significant increase trend during 1979-2016. Summer had the most atmospheric water vapor in all layers,which was up to 329.24 mm,accounting for more than 48.1% of the annual average atmospheric water vapor content.(2)In recent 38 years,the atmospheric water vapor content in the Qilian Mountains region decreased from southeast to northwest; meanwhile,the water vapor content decreased gradually with the rising of altitude. Atmospheric water vapor of the whole layer mainly concentrated below 5 000 m,and from 875 hPa(about 1 253 m)to 550 hPa(about 5 000 m),the water vapor content accounted for 92.2% of the total water vapor content.(3)The precipitation conversion rate showed a decrease trend from the east to west in Qilian Mountains,with an average rate of 36.2%,a maximum rate of 76.2%,and a minimum rate of 3.8%,indicating that the development potential of the space cloud water resource enhanced gradually from east to west,the region-al difference of developing potential of cloud water resource was obvious. The water vapor carried by the monsoon had a high contribution to the precipitation in the region,while the water vapor carried by the westerly wind had a lower contribution.(4)The precipitation conversion rate showed a decrease trend in a centripetal direction in western China,and the precipitation conversion rates varied in different regions and among different periods.

Key words: Qilian Mountains, atmospheric water vapor content, temporal and spatial variation, precipitation conversion efficiency

CLC Number: 

  • P426