China invests in climate sensors for Tibetan Plateau

Nature : The Tibetan Plateau is 2.5 million km² in area and has an average elevation of more than 4 km. However, because of its remote location, its effect on local weather and global climate is poorly understood. Now, the China Meteorological Administration and the National Natural Science Foundation of China are working together to install a variety of sensors to monitor local weather conditions throughout the plateau. The $49 million project includes soil temperature and moisture detectors, 32-m-tall towers to measure cloud properties, weather balloons, and remote-controlled drones. The plateau is the site of the third largest concentration of ice after the poles but also has a diverse mix of landscapes, including deserts, forests, grasslands, and farmland. Because of its altitude, it receives more sunlight and heats up more than similar expanses of land at lower levels. The resulting heating effect is believed to amplify the strength of monsoons in southern Asia.