Levoglucosan evidence for biomass burning records over Tibetan glaciers

Intense biomass burning (BB) events are widespread in tropical and subtropical Asia. However, the impact of BB aerosols on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially on Tibetan glaciers, is poorly understood. In this study, BB signals are revealed using the specific molecular tracer levoglucosan in snow and ice samples from different Tibetan glaciers. Tibetan glaciers mainly act as receptors of BB emissions from surrounding regions. Significant differences in levoglucosan concentrations in glacier samples collected from two slopes on the same mountain range indicate that high mountains can act as natural barriers to block the transport of smoke aerosols to the TP. Levoglucosan concentrations show a decreasing trend from west to east on glaciers impacted by the Indian summer monsoon on the southern edge of the TP, while the opposite pattern was observed on glaciers under the prevailing westerlies along the northern edge. The emission sources, the controlling climate system, as well as deposition and degradation during transport determined the spatial distribution regimes of levoglucosan concentration on Tibetan glaciers. - Highlights: • Tibetan glaciers act as receptors of biomass burning emissions. • Variations of levoglucosan concentrations on Tibetan glaciers. • New perspective for understanding atmospheric pollutions on Tibetan glaciers. - This study describes the spatial distribution of the biomass burning tracer levoglucosan in snow and ice samples from different Tibetan glaciers.