Carbon dioxide flux in the ablation area of Koxkar glacier, western Tien Shan, China

A study on Koxkar Glacier in the Western Tien Shan, China, reveals that melting glaciers may act as atmospheric CO₂ sinks. Researchers found net glacial CO₂ exchange rates of -0.05 and -0.07 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹ over exposed ice and supraglacial moraine, respectively, indicating CO₂ drawdown during ice melt due to H⁺ consumption in solutions. Using the gradient method over five months in 2012 and a degree-day model for ablation, they estimated a daily net exchange rate of -1.23 ± 0.17 μmol m⁻² d⁻¹. This work introduces a new approach to modeling CO₂ dynamics in melting glaciers, advancing understanding of atmospheric CO₂ exchange mechanisms.

Wang, J., Han, H., & Zhang, S. (2014). Carbon dioxide flux in the ablation area of Koxkar glacier, western Tien Shan, China. Annals of Glaciology, 55(66), 231–238. https://doi.org/10.3189/2014aog66a060