The multi-scale interaction between the atmosphere, cryosphere and extreme topography in High Mountain Asia

Abstract

Atmospheric processes control hydrological processes (e.g. precipitation), and cryospheric processes (e.g. the glacier surface energy balance), and are key to understanding our changing climate (e.g. weather extremes). However, atmospheric processes in high mountain environments are not well understood, as surface measurements are scarce due to the inaccessibility of the terrain, while models and remote sensing products have too coarse a resolution to resolve the complex topography. Atmospheric modelling therefore plays an important role in improving the understanding of the water cycle at high altitude and in complex terrain.

This thesis advances the knowledge of high-altitude climate dynamics, from micro to synoptic scales, with a special focus on high-altitude precipitation and the interaction between the atmosphere, the extreme topography and the cryosphere. This is done by analysing a variety of cases at different spatial resolutions with a variety of atmospheric model codes. This thesis shows that atmospheric modelling is a valuable tool to investigate the current state and future fate of cryospheric features in mountainous environments. Advances in atmospheric modelling are seen to play an important role in improving the understanding of the water cycle in high altitudes and complex terrain.