Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 1. Regional averaged monthly
Q
1
(W/m
2
) over the QTP in 1961-2001 (the solid
line with open circles on for
Q
1
, the full line with solid circles upon for the local term,
full line with open squares on for the advection term, and the full line with solid squares
upon for the vertical transport term).
December (about
,theyearlythermal
regime displayed a longer period of it as a heat source (on the order of
7 months), with the value much higher (250% as strong in absolute value)
compared to the cold source (214 vs
−
84 W/m
2
). It follows that for
Q
1
−
84 W/m
2
), exhibiting asymmetry of
the annual cycle.
Comparing the three terms of
, we found that the vertical transport
term makes the greatest contribution to
Q
1
.
The QTP is responsible for noticeably lifting the heat source in the
troposphere because of its great elevation. What does the height-varying
heating profile look like over the Plateau? Figure 2 presents the height-
evolving monthly mean
Q
1
Q
1
and its components in 1961-2001 over the QTP
at an elevation of 3000 m.
The height-varying
Q
1
is featured mainly by the opposite trend of
intensity of the heat to cold source, and the whole process can be described
as a “cylinder stator” of an engine in operation, with the piston representing
source transition that divides the heat and cold source in vertical, as shown
in the “steam chests” of the engine. As time goes on, the volume (thickness)
is changing constantly for both. As the heat source expands its volume,
i.e. the piston goes up, the thickness of the cold source diminishes and
