Temporal and spatial distributions of the equilibrium line altitudes of the monitoring glaciers in High Asia

In this paper, the temporal and spatial distributions of the equilibrium line altitudes (ELAs) of glaciers in High Asia are studied based on the data of glaciers monitoring. The study shows that: 1) spatially, the ELAs of the monitoring glaciers in High Asia follow the latitudinal zonation, longitudinal zonation and regional zonation. 2) temporally, the ELAs of the monitoring glaciers in High Asia have increased to variously extent. During 1960-2013, the ELAs of Urumqi Glacier No.1 and Ts.Tuyuksuyskiy Glacier in the Tianshan Mountains had risen about 116 m and 80 m, respectively. Compared with the Urumqi Glacier No.1, Ts.Tuyuksuyskiy Glacier was more sensitive to climate change. During 1983-2007, the variations of the ELAs of the No.125 (Vodopadnity), the Maily Aktru and the Leviy Aktru Glaciers were similar, as a whole, they were risen. Among them, the ELA of the Maily Aktru Glacier had risen about 142 m, ranking at the first. During 1962-2008, the ELAs of the monitoring glaciers in High Asia had risen as a