COORDINATES: 43° 05' N / 86° 49' E
Author and date of Photo not reported.
COORDINATES: 43° 05' N / 86° 49' E
Author and date of Photo not reported.
The Glacier No. 1 in the headwaters of Urumqi River in the Chinese Tian Shan is a small valley-type glacier with a total surface area of 1.84 km2 and consisting of two branches, both exposed to the NE. The highest and lowest points of the glacier are at 4,486 and 3,740 m a.s.l. Annual mean air temperature at the equilibrium line of the glacier (4,024 m a.s.l. for balanced years) is estimated at -12.3°C according to the Daxigou meteorological station and using an environmental lapse rate of 0.65°C/100 m elevation change. The predominantly cold glacier is surrounded by continuous permafrost but reaches melting temperatures over wide areas of the bed. Average annual precipitation measured at the nearby meteorological station at 3539 m a.s.l. is 400 to 500 mm and 600 to 700 mm at the glacier. Mass gain and ablation both take place primarily during the warm season and the formation of superimposed ice on this continental-type glacier is important. The eastern and western branches of the glacier tend to become completely separated.
Taken together, the two reported balance years 1993/94 (-378 mm) and 1994/95 (-228 mm) were clearly negative by roughly 300 mm, indicating a distinct mass loss after several years with more or less equlibrated balances.
