The Chinese Glacier inventory of Xinjiang in 2020 (CGI-XJ2020): Compilation, features and primary results

Based on China's high-resolution satellite imagery series (2 m resolution), the Chinese Glacier Inventory of Xinjiang 2020 (CGI-XJ2020) was compiled, with 2020 as the baseline year. CGI-XJ2020 has five key features: 1) improved accuracy in glacier boundary delineation and optimized inventory attributes through high-resolution satellite imagery and field validation of 38 glaciers; 2) established an area-volume formula for Xinjiang glaciers using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) thickness data from 23 glaciers in the study region; 3) The use of high-resolution satellite imagery has reduced the minimum glacier area threshold, enabling the identification of more small glaciers; 4) enhanced accuracy in delineating supraglacial debris coverage; 5) upgraded administrative division from prefecture-level (CGI-2) to county-level. According to CGI-XJ2020 data, Xinjiang contains 24,202 glaciers in 2020, covering 23,629.28 km 2 with an average size of 0.98 km 2 per glacier and a total ice volume of 1,608.94 km 3 . Among these, 1,611 debris-covered glaciers occupy 1,135.57 km 2 (4.8% of the total glacierized area). Glaciers larger than 10 km 2 (296 in total) cover 9,881.69 km 2 with a volume of 1,053.17 km 3 , accounting for 41.82% of total area and 65.46% of total ice volume, respectively. The Kunlun Mountains host the most glaciers, followed by the Tianshan Mountains. The Tarim river basin contains the largest concentration (15,860 glaciers, 18,594.24 km 2 , 1,347.17 km 3 ). The Hotan Prefecture has the highest glacier density.