Variation in the permafrost active layer over the Tibetan Plateau during 1980–2020OA

The active layer,acting as an intermediary of water and heat exchange between permafrost and atmosphere,greatly influences biogeochemical cycles in permafrost areas and is notably sensitive to climate fluctuations.Utilizing the Chinese Meteorological Forcing Dataset to drive the Community Land Model,version 5.0,this study simulates the spatial and temporal characteristics of active layer thickness(ALT)on the Tibetan Plateau(TP)from 1980 to 2020.Results show that the ALT,primarily observed in the central and western parts of the TP where there are insufficient station observations,exhibits significant interdecadal changes after 2000.The average thickness on the TP decreases from 2.54 m during 1980–1999 to 2.28 m during 2000–2020.This change is mainly observed in the western permafrost region,displaying a sharp regional inconsistency compared to the eastern region.A persistent increasing trend of ALT is found in the eastern permafrost region,rather than an interdecadal change.The aforementioned changes in ALT are closely tied to the variations in the surrounding atmospheric environment,particularly air temperature.Additionally,the area of the active layer on the TP displays a profound interdecadal change around 2000,arising from the permafrost thawing and forming.It consistently decreases before 2000 but barely changes after 2000.The regional variation in the permafrost active layer over the TP revealed in this study indicates a complex response of the contemporary climate under global warming.