Review of Research on Observed Meteorology and Energy Balance in the Glaciated Regions of the Tibetan Plateau

Glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau have rapid overall retreated exerting significant implications for water supply and the ecological environment in downstream areas. The snow and ice surface are characterized by high radiation, high water vapor, strong wind speeds, and intense variability, making it an essential component of plateau meteorology. However, due to the complex terrain and harsh climate, existing glacier meteorological monitoring is very sparse and lacks continuity, limiting our understanding of glacier meteorological change mechanisms, glacier energy exchange, and its hydrological impacts. This paper collects published meteorological observation data and scientific knowledge from the glacier regions of the Tibetan Plateau, and organizes the findings based on the variation patterns and spatial-temporal characteristics of glacier meteorological variables. A total of 22 glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding areas have released monitoring results, of which 18 have conducted glacier energy balance studies. Existing energy balance studies have shown that net radiation is the primary energy source for glaciers in the Tibetan Plateau, accounting for an average of 75%, while ablation heat is the primary energy expenditure, accounting for an average of 60%, followed by evaporation/sublimation heat expenditure, accounting for an average of 32%. However, due to limitations in the length of the data sequences and the different periods, it is still difficult to comprehensively and objectively reveal the spatiotemporal characteristics of glacier meteorology and energy balance in the Tibetan Plateau. In the future, it is still necessary to strengthen the existing meteorological monitoring network, develop remote sensing data assimilation techniques, and conduct synchronous energy balance studies on typical glaciers in different regions of the Tibetan Plateau to better understand the glacier energy balance and its response mechanism to climate change.