STUDY ON CLIMATIC FEATURES OF SURFACE TURBULENT HEAT EXCHANGE COEFFICIENTS AND SURFACE THERMAL SOURCES OVER THE QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU

Using monthly mean of surface turbulent heat exchange coefficients calculated based on datafrom four automatic weather stations(AWS)for thermal equilibrium observation in July 1993-September 1996 and of surface conventional measurements,an empirical expression is establishedfor such coefficients.With the expression,the heat exchange coefficients and the components ofsurface thermal source are computed in terms of 1961-1990 monthly mean conventional data from148 stations over the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibetan)Plateau(QXP)and its adjoining areas,and the1961-1990 climatic means are examined.Evidence suggests that the empirical expression is capable of showing the variation of the heatexchange coefficient in a climatic context.The monthly variation of the coefficients averaged overthe QXP is in a range of 4×10-3-5×10-3.The wintertime values are bigger in the mountainsthan in the valleys and reversal in summer.Surface effective radiation and sensible heat are thedominant factors of surface total heat.In spring surface sensible heat is enhanced quickly,resulting in two innegligible regions of sensible heat,one in the west QXP and the other innorthern Tibet.with their maximums emerging in different months.In spring and summersensible heat and surface effective radiation are higher in the west than in the east.The effectiveradiation peaks for the east in October-December and the whole QXP and in June and October forthe west.The surface total heat of the plateau maximizes in May.minimizes in December andJanuary,and shows seasonal variation more remarkable in the SW compared to the eastern part.Inthe SW plateau the total heat is much more intense than the eastern counterpart in all the seasonsexcept winter.Under the effect of the sensible heat,the total heat on the SW plateau starts toconsiderably intensify in February,which leads to a predominant heating region in the west,withits center experiencing a noticeable westward migration early in summer and twice pronouncedweakening in July and after October.However,the weakening courses are owing to differentcauses.The total heat over the north of QXP is greatly strengthened in March.thus generatinganother significant thermal region in the plateau.