Permafrost characteristics and potential influencing factors in the lake regions of Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Research on permafrost around large alpine lakes in the Hoh Xil region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau reveals that these lakes have only a marginal thermal effect on surrounding permafrost, with cold permafrost extensively developed and ground temperatures below −1.0℃. The study found significant differences in ground temperature between boreholes within and outside lake basins, attributing this to high soil water content. Latent heat effects play a crucial role in buffering permafrost temperature increases under climate warming, while salinity weakens thermal erosion effects. The findings suggest that permafrost thermal regimes are influenced by both altitude and soil water content, providing insights into the interaction between frozen ground, lakes, and the atmosphere.

Zhang, Y., Zhao, L., Xie, C., Wu, T., Wu, X., Yang, G., Yang, S., Wang, W., Pang, Q., Liu, G., Zou, D., Hu, G., Wang, C., & Liu, S. (2023). Permafrost characteristics and potential influencing factors in the lake regions of Hoh Xil, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Geoderma, 437, 116572. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2023.116572