A Comprehensive Climate and Environment Observation Network over the Central Tibetan Plateau

Abstract The central Tibetan Plateau is the highest plateau in the world with an average elevation surpassing 4500 m. Its unique geographical location makes it a key area of land surface thermodynamic forcing on the atmosphere, as well as the transition zone between the Asian monsoon systems and the midlatitude westerlies. Observations from this region are important and critical, but they are severely lacking due to its challenging, harsh environment. To address this critical observational gap, the Nagqu Observational Network for Plateau Climate and Environment (NPCE), established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences with continuous operations since 1997, has made significant progress over 27 years of concerted effort. Consisting of five sites with various underlying surface conditions, this network has been continuously providing high-accuracy, multiparameter in situ measurements. To date, NPCE has produced a 27-yr in situ dataset for weather and climate research. NPCE focuses on investigation of surface-layer micrometeorology, surface energy budget and soil hydrothermal processes, clarification of boundary layer structure and variability, and development of regional coupled climate and hydrological models. This article introduces the network’s construction, scientific objectives, key research findings, and future development framework. Data collected by NPCE will benefit the science community for research and climate monitoring, including weather forecasts, climate change, ecosystem services, and water resources management. Significance Statement Due to the extremely harsh environment of the central Tibetan Plateau (CTP), field observations over the CTP have been rare during the last century, which has seriously limited our understanding of the CTP and its climate impacts. To address this critical gap, the Chinese Academy of Sciences initiated the development of the Nagqu Observational Network for Plateau Climate and Environment (NPCE) in 1997, which has now accumulated 27 years of continuous, high-accuracy, multiparameter in situ meteorological and hydrological data. The NPCE focuses on multiple scientific objectives: land–atmosphere interaction and atmospheric circulation anomalies, land surface processes and climate change, boundary layer structure, and the energy–water cycle. The establishment of the NPCE has filled the gap in meteorological observation over the CTP. Data collected by NPCE will provide significant benefits for research and development in the region and beyond.