Zhang Yinsheng, Yao Tandong, Pu Jianchen
Continental-type glaciers are basic type glaciers developing in China and widely spread in Westren part of China, Which have characteristical ablation process. The evaporation(sublimation)takes an important role in the ablation on continental-type glaciers in China. In the melting season, amount of evaporation(sublimation)takes 12% of the ablation on Glacier No.1 in the Headwaters of Urumqi River, Tianshan Mts; it takes 26.1% of the ablation on Dongkemadi Glacier in the Tanggula Mountains, Tibetan Plateau. THe annual amount of evaporation(sublimation)takes 27.8% of the ablation on Dongkemadii Glacier; the condensation is few on these glaciers. The daily mean ablation is related well to climatic parameters baove the continental-type glacier. THe amount of ablation increases with air temperature; it decreases with vapour contant in the atmosphere. For the evaporation playing an important role in ablation, the wind speed works powerfully in the ablation process. The ratio of the energy for melting to that for evaporation(ME ratio)is a parameter of ablation on the continental-type glaciers. There is a very good relationship between the amount of ablation and Me ratio. According to the ME ration on the continental-type glaciers, the ablation can be classificated as follows: ME >5.5, melting type; 2.0> ME <5.5,transition type; ME<2.0, evaporation type. This classification could be spreaded to the maritiime type glaciers and polar type glaciers. The ablation of continental-type glaciers is different owing to different environment of theeir deveioping. Generally, the ME ratio on the continental-type glaciers increases with altitute; the percentage of evaporation in amount of ablation has the same variation tendency.