Cryohydrology

This book is devoted to the study of cryohydrology in hydrological research in cold regions through theoretical aspects, field observations, remote sensing and GIS, hydrological model, and impacts on regional and global scales. Understanding cryohydrology is a prerequisite to the hydrological processes in cold regions. The book aims to serve as a guide for understanding and developing cryohydrology by observation and modeling. It is motivated by recent rapid advances in cryospheric science including the discipline trees, in addition to the impact of cryospheric changes on different scales. Chapters are carefully developed to cover (1)development of cryohydrology, (2) research methods, (3) ablation, runoff generation and routing, (4) meltwater runoff, (5) hydrochemistry, (6) river sediment, (7) roles in watershed, and (8) impact on global water cycle. It addresses the above issues with a holistic and systematic approach that utilizes observation to simulation. The book is written for scholars working in hydrological research fields as well as stakeholders engaging in environmental sustainability in cold regions.

Introduction.- Research Methods of Cryospheric Hydrology.- Cryosphere Ablation and Runoff Generation and Flow Routing Processes.- Cryospheric meltwater runoff.- Cryospheric river sediment.- Meltwater Hydrochemistry for Snow Glaciers and Permafrost.- Effects of Watershed Hydrology in the Cryosphere.- Global cryospheric water cycle.

Yongjian Ding is a professor works at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned a M. D. in physical geography (Chinese Academy of Sciences) in 1987. He was a principal investigator for National Major Scientific Research Program (Class A) and “973” projects at the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. His research focuses on cryohydrology and climate change. His main accomplishments include Chinese Academy of Sciences Outstanding Achievement Award, National Excellent Textbook Special Award, and Gansu Province Natural Science First Prize (2 items). He is a member of the Expert Committee of the National Committee for Disaster Reduction, a member of the Expert Group of the National Major Scientific Research Plan for Global Change Research of the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the chairman of the China Society of Cryospheric Science.

Dr. Shiqiang Zhang is a professor works at Northwest University, and he is the chief scientist at the Shanxi Remote Sensing and GIS engineering center, Northwest University. He earned a Ph. D. in Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (Wuhan University) in 2003. He was a principal investigator for projects “Research and development of rain-snow-ice meltwater mixed flood generating model” at the Northwest University during 2020–2023. He has won the first prize of the Gansu Provincial Natural Science Award (2015). His research focuses on the observation and modeling hydrological process in alpine areas in northwest China. He is the vice president of International Commission on Snow and Ice Hydrology, IAHS from 2023. 

Dr. Rensheng Chen is a professor works at Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences. He earned a Ph.D. in physical geography (Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences). He was a principal investigator for the National Key Research and Development Project of “Research and demonstration of key technologies for monitoring, forecasting, and prevention of snowmelt flood disasters in arid areas” during 2020–2023. His research focuses on the cryospheric hydrology. He has won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award (2014) and the first prize of the Gansu Provincial Natural Science Award (2015). He is the vice president of China National Committee for International  Association of Cryospheric Sciences  (CNC-IACS; 2024-2028) and the China Society of Cryospheric Science (CSCS; 2025-2029).