Go to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to see Thousand Mistakes.

This article is written by

The second Qinghai-Tibet expedition

Co-produced with the Planetary Institute.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a vast territory.

White snowy mountains, grayish yellow land and green pastures.

Made up most of the colors here.

But there is another color.

Although it only accounts for 2% of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

But it has brought different agility to this vast land.

it is

blue

The reason for these blues is that

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

lake

Compared with ...

Many lakes in eastern China are green.

This blue is very unique.

No matter in the mountains and valleys.

Or in the flat hinterland

You can see these blue numbers.

they

It is called the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

"blue manufacturing machine"

Please watch it on the horizontal screen. The distribution of lakes in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is pointed out. The blue color of the lake on the map is an icon, not the real color of the lake. Cartography @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

result

What created these blues?

In our lifetime

Will they always exist?

0 1

Blue | Because of purity

Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The mountains stretch and there are many peaks.

The entry of water vapor is greatly hindered.

Most plateau land

Both indicate drought.

(Sketch map of dryness distribution of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in 20 10, drawing @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

But mountains are an obstacle.

But its towering posture

It also causes water vapor to form solid precipitation such as snow in high places.

Glaciers are formed by accumulation and compaction.

Thus becoming a huge Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Solid reservoir

More than 47,000 square kilometers of glacier area.

And more than 4300 cubic kilometers of ice reserves.

It makes the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau an Asian water tower.

When glaciers melt,

Melted water collection and precipitation, etc. Then go down the mountain.

In low-lying areas of the earth's surface

Another important form of gathering in Asian water towers

lake

Widely distributed glaciers

Let most lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Not far from the water source

How short is the current flowing into the lake?

Therefore, it carries less debris particles.

add

The temperature is low and the lake is salty.

The growth of microorganisms in the lake is inhibited.

How clear and clean this lake is.

Rare turbid state

When the sun shines into the lake

Visible light with equal wavelength of yellow light can easily penetrate into the lake and be absorbed.

Short-wave visible light such as blue light is easy to scatter.

So as to be caught by our eyes.

Blue manufacturing machine

It started from the whole plateau.

Qianhu time

The color of the lake is mostly light blue.

And it will superimpose the color of the bottom of the lake.

Sichuan daocheng milk hai

Because the milky bottom of the lake

And the color of the lake is relatively light.

When the lake is deep.

The bottom of the lake is hard to see.

The lake color is the extreme deep blue.

Haizi group in the upper reaches of Nuorilang Waterfall in Jiuzhaigou.

Deep in the lake

It's blue.

Represents pure blue.

It also gives the lake a sacred feeling.

This may be many lakes.

One of the reasons why it is regarded as a holy lake.

Three holy lakes in Tibet

Namco, Mabian Yongcuo and Yang Zhuoyongcuo

The lake is very wide.

Have the holy blue of the sea.

Sichuan Daocheng Yading Sansheng Lake

Milk sea, five-color sea, pearl sea

Although the lake is small and shallow.

But it doesn't diminish the sense of holiness in those days.

besides

Baishan

Often accompanied by the holy lake

rare birds and animals

Often gather by the lake.

Manidui stands for blessing

Also often appear on the shore of the lake.

all of these

It shows the sacredness and greatness of the holy lake.

therefore

Different shades of blue

Represents purity

Show holiness

Shining on this plateau land

But these blues

Except for the different tones.

They are also different in size and shape.

What kind of laws exist in this?

02

Blue | Various postures

Judging from the size of the lake.

Most of the Great Lakes

Located outside the rugged mountains.

In the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau or intermountain basin.

The largest lake in China.

Qinghai Lake

This is a super big lake.

Like a giant sapphire.

Embedded in the northeast corner of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

The lakes around Qinghai Lake are not dense.

In the northeast of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

This is the norm in many Great Lakes.

But the southwest is different.

Especially in the northern part of Gangdise-Nyainqentanglha Mountain.

Southern Qiangtang Plateau

East-west lake dense zone

It crosses nearly half of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Because this lake is called wrong in Tibetan.

This multi-lake area is therefore called

"repeat one's mistakes"

(Please watch it on the horizontal screen, indicating the distribution of "one mistake makes another mistake", drawing @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

More than 100 million years ago

This is still a piece of Wang Yang.

As the Indian Ocean plate continues to rush toward the Eurasian plate

The area of this ocean is gradually being compressed.

And gradually disappeared in the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Leaving a relatively low-lying area and many large and small basins.

After storing water, "repeat one's mistakes" was born.

therefore

The Great Lakes converge here.

Ten Great Lakes in Tibet

There are eight here.

With other scattered lakes.

Like a wonderful flower on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Sapphire necklace

The three largest lakes.

It's this necklace.

Three sapphire main stones

respectively are

2273.95 square kilometers is the largest lake in Tibet.

Serincu

The second largest lake in Tibet is 2024.55 square kilometers.

Namtso

10 14.5438+0 square kilometers, the third largest lake in Tibet.

Zhari nanmucuo

The three of them

It is unique in this region and Tibet.

Extra large lake

The rest of the larger ones

For example, you provoke Yongcuo, Ang La Rencuo, Taroko and so on.

Most of them are larger than 100 square kilometers.

But less than 1000 square kilometers.

Large and medium-sized lakes

Along with other places on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Bangongcuo, Yang Zhuo Yongcuo, Eling Lake, etc.

More than 200 large and medium-sized lakes

It accounts for 65% of the lake area in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

This is for the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Blue main force

They are full of various postures.

It gives thousands of forms of blue to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

But its shape is basically irregular.

but

Located in the vast mountainous area of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Wan Qian Xiao Hu

But this is different.

Just like in the Hengduan Mountains.

Lisuo Sea not far from Gongga Mountain

And many sacred lakes in Daocheng Aden.

They are all round like pearls.

On the high mountains in the northern part of the western Sichuan Plateau

Degemucuo, Zede, Yu Bao, in.

There are also some lakes in Lianbaoye Ze.

Its shape is approximately oval.

The basins of these lakes are formed by glaciers.

Therefore, collectively referred to as

glacier lake

Glacier range in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

It was wider than it is now.

The last ice age about 20,000 years ago.

The glacier area on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is about 7.5 times as large as it is now.

(Comparison between the last glacial maximum on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the current glacier range, mapping @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

Flowing glaciers erode mountains.

Leaving various depressions on its surface.

After the ice age, the climate became warmer.

Glaciers contract and retreat in large areas.

These depressions are revealed.

And form various types of glacial lakes after water storage.

On the high mountain

Glaciers accumulate and erode the surrounding rocks.

Forming a roughly circular and semi-circular ice bucket.

After storage, the lake will also be round and semi-circular.

This is for Ice Bucket Lake.

In the valley

The glacier keeps flowing downwards.

Most long depressions are eroded along the valley.

Most lakes after impoundment are oval.

This is for glacial lake.

(Schematic diagram of main glacial lake types, drawing @ Sui Chen/Planetary Institute)

Glaciers erode mountains.

This also makes a lot of debris flow with the glacier.

And form a natural dam on both sides and ends of the glacier.

After the glaciers receded,

Running water is intercepted here.

A moraine lake formed by storing water.

(moraine, meaning sand)

Its shape and length are variable.

When the lake is scarce

Short as under Qiang Yong Glacier in Shannan, Tibet

Guns are brave and wrong.

Shaped like a warm jade card

This lake is very long

A u-shaped valley as slender as Linzhi glacier in Tibet

Basongcuo

Shaped like a wide river.

Because of the water retaining function of the natural dam at the bottom of the lake

The moraine lake is also called the moraine dammed lake.

However, natural dams with similar functions

Glaciers are not the only ones that can be created.

Sudden landslides, mudslides, etc.

Let mud lie in the valley

Upstream water will accumulate.

It can also form a dammed lake

(Schematic diagram of the causes of some dammed lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, drawing @ Sui Chen/Planetary Institute)

They are often due to the wildness of sand and gravel.

Shape into various interesting shapes.

Such as the Five Flowers Sea in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan.

It is shaped like a swimming tadpole.

so far

The blue manufacturing machine has been fully started.

All kinds of blue.

Scattered on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

But unfortunately,

as time goes on

Blue is not eternal.

Change followed.

03

Blue | There is no eternity

first

light green

May change due to seasonal changes.

In the season of scarce rainfall or cold climate.

The water in Ranwu Lake

It can be pure blue.

But when the rainy season comes,

Rich in debris such as sediments and rock fragments.

Will be carried into the lake by running water.

The lake often turns cloudy yellow.

But occasionally when the crumb content is just right,

But Wuhu can also show.

turquoise

besides

In the cold winter.

Due to the low temperature, the surfaces of some lakes are frozen.

Put on a new white dress.

Sometimes artistic conception is like

Her face Shimada Hanzo is behind the pipa in her arms.

Sometimes it blends in with the surrounding ice and snow.

It's hard to tell each other apart.

Sometimes the thickness of the ice

You can easily carry the rushing sheep.

However, these changes are only temporary.

Accumulation of salt substances

It will make blue change for a long time.

For example, calcium ions can easily combine with carbon dioxide to precipitate.

Form travertine

Even in freshwater lakes with low ion concentration.

It can also lay a white carpet on the bottom of the lake.

The color of the lake has become lighter.

Most salt wants to achieve a similar effect.

A higher concentration is needed.

Most lakes in the hinterland of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Are relatively closed inner lakes.

Salt substances flowing into the lake cannot leak out.

After a long period of accumulation

The salinity of lakes is getting higher and higher.

Gradually turned into a salt lake.

Salt substances precipitate due to saturation.

The bottom of the lake is also white.

You can even grow colorful ones.

White salt flower

Add a different style to the lake.

The changes brought by salt substances are not limited to this.

High concentrations of iron ions and copper ions in lake water.

It will also change the color of the lake.

If there are a large number of halophilic microorganisms in the lake

Its body is rich in beta-carotene and astaxanthin.

Make its body color bright.

The lake will also be dyed more colorful.

Under the complementary action of the two.

The color of the lake will change dramatically.

Red as blood.

Yellow as honey.

emerald green

When the salt lake is further dried up due to drought

Only a thin layer of thick salt water is left.

The lake is therefore calm.

Like a mirror of the earth.

Snow-capped mountains in the distance, gorgeous glow and brilliant galaxy.

Has become its color.

If the salt lake dries up further,

What is left is a hard white salt shell.

The lake is hidden in cracks in the salt layer.

It only comes out occasionally when it rains, melts snow and other water is replenished.

This is for dry salt lake.

This is the dying state of these lakes.

When the drought occurs further,

Their lives have come to an end.

Blue in the Great Lakes Period

The glory of the salt lake era

Even the white of dry salt lake.

In the future, it will be buried by the wind, the sun and the dust.

No longer exists

by this token

Under the overall arid climate environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Drying up seems to be the cause of most lakes here.

Final fate

future

The vast blue of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Will it really disappear like this?

Review their changes in recent decades.

We may be able to find some answers.

04

Blue | Future

Since the end of the 20th century

The process of global warming has begun to accelerate.

This has profoundly affected

Many lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

A rise in temperature

Let the frozen soil for many years gradually melt.

The surface sank and the water became a lake.

To melt lakes and marshes.

They often appear in fragments.

As dense as the stars in the night sky

On 20 18

The number of hot-melt lakes and ponds in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

It has reached an alarming level.

65438+200,000 yuan

By 2020,

This number has risen to

65438+600,000

In just two years,

It has increased by more than 30%

The growth rate is extremely fast.

(Distribution of permafrost and hot-melt lakes and ponds in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, mapping @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

A rise in temperature

It has also become an important inducing factor for climate anomalies.

Rainfall has increased in most parts of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

In addition, the meltwater of glaciers has also increased.

Many lakes began to get bigger.

Ruslinko

From 1975 to 1622 square kilometers.

It will reach 2428 square kilometers in 2020.

In 45 years, the area has increased by nearly 50%.

Even surpass Namco in technology.

Become the largest lake in Tibet.

(Schematic diagram of Selin fault range change, drawing @ Chen Jingyi/Planetary Institute)

Namco, who was surpassed.

Although the growth rate is not so exaggerated

And in the past 20 years,

An increase of about 50 square kilometers.

It is equivalent to the area of Kanas Lake in Xinjiang.

future

If the growth trend of lakes remains unchanged

Many lakeside roads will be flooded.

Many small lakes around will be swallowed up by big lakes.

An increase in the amount of lake water

This will also reduce the salinity of the lake.

The salt crust at the bottom of the salt lake will be dissolved.

The halophilic microorganisms inside will leave.

Bright colors will also disappear.

The blue color of some lakes may reappear.

thus it can be seen that

The blue color of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau seems to be increasing.

But is this really the case?

global warming

In fact, this has also accelerated the disappearance of some lakes.

As the temperature rises, the rainfall increases.

Will lead to faster glacier flow.

Glaciers break more easily.

Let the front glacier tongue slide into the moraine lake.

Coupled with rainfall, the amount of water entering the lake has increased.

Many moraine lakes may burst their banks because of this.

Disappear from sight

Other dammed lakes formed by landslides and mudslides.

Often because of the increase in the amount of water entering the lake.

Increased the risk of dam disappearance.

And climate anomalies caused by global warming.

It also led to a decrease in rainfall in parts of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Coupled with the increase in evaporation caused by temperature rise.

The lakes in these areas are gradually shrinking.

Even facing disappearance.

besides

Climate warming will also lead to accelerated melting of glaciers.

Fragments originally enclosed in the interior and bottom of glaciers.

Will be brought out by melting ice and snow.

The increase of rainfall and rainfall frequency

Also let the running water take away more sundries.

The water flowing into the lake will become more and more turbid.

Coupled with the rising temperature

The growing environment of the lake has been improved.

Therefore, the reproduction of many microorganisms is accelerated.

These factors will form many lakes.

Lose the original purity

The blue has disappeared.

The most vulnerable

It is a thousand small lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

But the Great Lakes are not safe.

In the past 20 years,

The area is over 50 square kilometers.

152 Qinghai-Tibet plateau lakes

Although its transparency has generally increased.

But there are still 18 lakes that are transparent.

There has been a significant decline.

Qinghai Lake and Celinchuo are among them.

future

Many lakes on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Will continue to be deeply affected by global warming.

And it's hard for us to predict accurately.

Future Changes of Blue in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

But one thing is certain.

Sensitive and changeable.

It's hard to be what we know.

And their beauty now.

This will also be a wonderful memory for us in the future.

The expert support team in this article

The second Qinghai-Tibet expedition

The creative team of this article

This paper mainly refers to the literature.