Abstract: Current glacier recession under the global warming has aroused world-wide attention. Initiated from 1958, the observations of Urumqi Glacier No. 1 at the headwaters of Urumqi River in eastern Tianshan promise the best datasets of the glacier and the climate changes in China. Taking Urumqi Glacier No. 1 as an example, we analyzed the response of the glacier to the climate change. The results show that over the past 50 years, the glacier has changed remarkably in the aspects of snow-firn stratigraphy, ice formation zone, ice temperature, area and terminus position, etc. These changes are apparently the results of temperature rise in this area. The glacier recession continued throughout the entire observed time period, and showed an accelerated tendency since 1985. Meltwater runoff also increased 84.2% over the last 20 years.

Key words: glacier melting, climate warming, Tianshan, Urumqi Glacier No. 1