Xie et al. (2026) Topographic aspect shapes temperature lapse rates and land–atmosphere energy exchange in global mountains

Identification

• Journal: npj Climate and Atmospheric Science
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-10
• Authors: Xinyao Xie, Wei Zhao, Gaofei Yin, Jiujiang Wu
• DOI: 10.1038/s41612-026-01508-3

Research Groups

Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610213, China. Faculty of Geosciences and Environmental Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.

Short Summary

This study investigates the influence of topographic aspect on temperature lapse rates (LRT) in global mountain regions using high-resolution satellite-derived land surface temperature observations. The results reveal pronounced spatial, seasonal, and diurnal variations of LRT across global mountain regions, with aspect-induced LRT variability being most pronounced during summer daytime.

Objective

• Investigate the role of topographic aspect in modulating temperature lapse rates (LRT) in global mountain regions.
• Quantify the magnitude of aspect-induced LRT variability using high-resolution satellite-derived land surface temperature observations.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: 1 km resolution, with a spatial analysis framework adopted to divide global mountain regions into independent, non-overlapping 100 km × 100 km windows.
• Temporal Scale: Annual and seasonal timescales, with multi-year mean LST maps generated for each calendar month (i.e., January to December) for both daytime and nighttime.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Multiple linear regression framework, expressed as: LST = β0 + β1 × LAT + β2 × LON + β3 × ELE.
• Data sources: ESA Climate Change Initiative (CCI) dataset, covering the period from 1995 to 2020 at a spatial resolution of 0.01° (~ 1 km).

Main Results

• Pronounced spatial and temporal heterogeneity in aspect-induced LRT patterns across global mountain regions.
• Aspect-induced LRT variability is most pronounced during summer daytime, particularly in coastal and high-latitude mountain regions.
• Vegetation cover can moderate aspect-induced LRT variability, likely by buffering surface thermal contrasts associated with slope orientation.

Contributions

• This study provides a robust framework for quantifying the complex controls on mountain microclimates, supporting more accurate ecological predictions and conservation strategies under environmental change.
• The findings underscore the need to consider surface heterogeneity and slope orientation in future mountain climate research.

Funding

• This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41671016).
• The authors acknowledge the support from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) through the CAS Interdisciplinary Research Fund (Grant No. XDA19050204).

Citation

@article{Xie2026Topographic,
  author = {Xie, Xinyao and Zhao, Wei and Yin, Gaofei and Wu, Jiujiang},
  title = {Topographic aspect shapes temperature lapse rates and land–atmosphere energy exchange in global mountains},
  journal = {npj Climate and Atmospheric Science},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1038/s41612-026-01508-3},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-026-01508-3}
}