Influence of Anthropogenic Activities on Elevation‐Dependent Weakening of Annual Temperature Cycle Amplitude Over the Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

The annual cycle is the dominant component and the most prominent climate oscillation for the temperature variation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Identifying the relative contribution of anthropogenic and natural forcing to the changes in the annual cycle, namely, detection and attribution, is an important aspect for mountainous climate change research. The present study documents the elevation dependence of the trend in the annual temperature cycle (ATC) amplitude over the TP and detects the influence of anthropogenic activities on it. An elevation‐dependent weakening of the ATC amplitude occurs over the TP during the period 1961–2014. This variation with altitude can mainly be ascribed to the seasonal difference in warming. The influence of anthropogenic activities is detectable, with increased aerosols being the main contributor. Under aerosol‐only forcing, the larger decrease in snow‐related albedo at higher altitudes in winter can explain the amplified negative tendency of the ATC amplitude with elevation.