Due to the complexity of topography and geomorphology, the worldwide research focus is now on the surface processes of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas. The High-cold Region Observation and Research Network for Land Surface Processes & Environment of China (HORN) has gradually formed. It integrates 17 stations of Chinese Academy of Sciences, for long term observations and researches of the land surface processes, including glaciers, permafrost, lakes, alpine ecosystem in the high-cold regions of China. Through the construction of the standard observation index system, the coordination of the observation instruments, the integration and the sharing of the observation data, the HORN has significantly promoted the station-level observation abilities, and played important supporting roles in the studies of the earth system, the resources and the environment sciences on the Tibetan Plateau. Some scientific results of international level have been achieved based upon the station observation data, e.g., it was found that the precipitation of the Tibetan Plateau has 3 modes, the westerly wind, the monsoon and their transition zone. These data has also provided reliable scientific basis for the decision-making of the regional economic and social development. In the future, the field observation station will co-ordinate the long-term observation and the limited objectives, and construct the alpine network of scientific data platform to better serve and support the country's major scientific and technological tasks and strategic needs.

Tibetan Plateau  /  land surface processes  /  field station  /  observation network