At the invitation of Prof. Peng Xiaoqing from the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Associate Professor Liu Lin from The Chinese University of Hong Kong visited our university for academic exchange and delivered a lecture on August 19, 2025.
Reporter: Associate Professor Liu Lin, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Title: Distribution and Kinematic Characteristics of Rock Glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau
Moderator: Prof. Peng Xiaoqing
Time: 10:30, August 19, 2025 (Tuesday)
Venue: Room 1408, Guanyun Building, Chengguan Campus, Lanzhou University
Reporter Profile:
Liu Lin, Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He obtained his Ph.D. in Geophysics from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2011 and served as a George Thompson Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University from 2011 to 2023. His research focuses on cryospheric geophysics, innovatively integrating multidisciplinary approaches—including geodesy, geophysics, remote sensing, and deep learning—to systematically investigate permafrost and polar ice sheets. In recognition of his pioneering contributions to cryospheric geodesy, he was awarded the AGU John Wahr Early Career Award in 2021. He has published over 90 papers in prestigious journals such as Nature, Nature Climate Change, Nature Communications, Reviews of Geophysics, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Environmental Research Letters, Remote Sensing of Environment, and The Cryosphere. He participated in China's 41st Antarctic Scientific Expedition.
Reporter Abstract：
Rock glaciers are mixtures of debris and ice formed through the creep of permafrost under gravitational force. Their distribution and kinematic characteristics are of great significance for understanding permafrost evolution, hydrological processes, and hazard assessment in high-altitude mountainous regions. This study integrated optical remote sensing, deep learning, and InSAR technologies to achieve systematic identification and dynamic monitoring of rock glaciers across the entire Tibetan Plateau. A comprehensive investigation of rock glaciers on the plateau was conducted, resulting in the establishment of the Tibetan Plateau Rock Glacier Inventory [TPRoGI v1.0], which delineates a total of 44,273 rock glaciers with a combined area of 6,000 km².Using a novel multi-geometry InSAR framework, we constructed a motion velocity field for these rock glaciers. The results indicate a median movement rate of 17 cm/year, with significant spatial variability: rock glaciers in the westerly-dominated region move approximately 30% faster than those in the monsoon-affected region. This study provides new observational data for research on mountain permafrost dynamics and associated hydrological impacts.
School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University
September 23, 2025
