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Arid Land Geography ›› 1999, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (3): 17-22.doi: 10.13826/j.cnki.cn65-1103/x.1999.03.003

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RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN ACTIVITIES AND THE RETREATING OF MODERN GLACIERS IN THE TIANSHAN MOUNTAINS

Hu Ruji1, Jiang Fengqing1, Ma Hong1, Osamu ABE2   

  1. 1. Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China;
    2. Shinjo Branch of Snow and Ice Studies, National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention
  • Received:1999-03-06 Published:2025-12-19

Abstract: The environment change of glaciers can be shown by the fluctations of glacier mass balance,the long-term observation of glacier mass balance is therefore of significant scientific and practical values.In this paper,after the systematic analysis of datum from two glaciers in the Tianshan Mountains in Central Asian(Urumqi No. 1 Glacier at the headwater of Urumqi River and Tuyuksu Glacier near the Alna-Ata City of Kazakhstan),it is found that two glaciers retreated more significantly during the period of 1970~ 1990 as compared with the period from 1930 to 1970.In recent 20 or more years,the rapid retreating and disintegration of glaciers in the Tianshan Mountians are considered to be the result of increased atmosphere pollution.Besides the air pollution from industrial wastes release,salinity dusts from the dry- up inland lakes,abandon cultivate land and salinity soil were among the sources of atmosphere pollution, and has a even more direct and significant role in contributing to atmosphere pollution in Central Asian. The consequences of human activities changed the circulation system in the inland areas in Central Asian, and the increased air pollution accelerated the velocity:of retreating of modern glaciers.Water is the life source,and also is the basic condition for human existence and development in arid region,more attentions should be paid to the problems of modern glaciers in the Tianshan Mountains in Central Asian.

Key words: Human activities, Modern glaciers, Tianshan mountains

CLC Number: 

  • P931.4