Spatial-Temporal Distribution and Variation of Land Surface Albedo over the Tibetan Plateau during 2000-2016

To accurately describe the spatial-temporal distribution and variation of land surface albedo over the Tibetan Plateau (TP), the spatial-temporal distribution and variation of land surface albedo over the TP from 2000 to 2016 are statistically analyzed in the present study based on MODIS (MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) surface albedo data MCD43C3, natural geographic zones data of the TP, and data of snow cover fraction and vegetation index. The main results are as follows:1) There exists large spatial variation of land surface albedo, which is low over the southeastern plateau and high over the northwestern plateau due to influences of topography and surface cover. 2) The spatial distribution of land surface albedo changes obviously with season. High-elevation mountain ranges and alpine shrub meadows are sensitive areas for annual and interannual variations of land surface albedo over the TP. 3) Land surface albedo over the TP varies between 0.19-0.26 annually, and partly shows a double peak and single valley pattern, which is closely related to seasonal changes of land cover types. 4) In general, during the past 17 years, the interannual variation of land surface albedo indicates that the annually averaged albedo over the TP decreases gradually with an average rate of -0.4×10^-3 a^-1 that covers 66% of the entire plateau. Land surface albedo decreases most obviously with a rate of more than 1.0×10^-2 a^-1 in the southwestern of coniferous forest belt which is in western Sichuan and eastern TP. 5) Seasonal snow loss and glacier ablation are closely related to the decrease of land surface albedo over the TP, and the improvement of vegetation cover is also an important reason.