A Study on Temperature Lapse Rate on the Northern and Southern Slopes of the Central Himalayas
Temperature lapse rate (TLR) plays an important role in runoff modeling in the Himalayan regions where meteorological and hydrological data sets are severely scarce.Based on temperature data from 6 weather stations on both northern and southern slopes of the central Himalayas,seasonal characteristics of TLR were analyzed.Results show that monthly and diurnal TLR varied largely on both slopes,which was caused by both humidity and mountain valley breeze.As for northern slope of the central Himalayas,when Indian monsoon prevailed TLR was smaller at a range of elevations between 4 001 and 4 301 m due to humidity increasing.While at the range of elevations between 4 301 and 5 750 m,TLR was relatively higher in this period,followed by its decrease induced by mountain valley breeze after Indian monsoon prevailed.As for southern slope of the central Himalayas,humidity increased when Indian monsoon prevailed which resulted in TLR decreasing when elevations ranged from 1337 to 3 811 m.This study improved understandings of the TLR in various altitude intervals and TLR must be more carefully selected when the runoff simulation in Himalayas was conducted.
Himalayastemperature lapse rateMt.Qomolangmaclimate change