THE CHARACTERISTICS AND VERTICAL ZONE SPECTRUM OF NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE TIANSHAN MOUNTAINS, XINJIANG

Key words: 
• natural disaster /
• vertical zone spectrum /
• Tianshan Mountains

Abstract: With the mountain elevation increasing and climate condition change, the laws of formation, distribution and development of the various natural disasters, which are caused by the climate, change correspondingly and the vertical zone spectrum of special mountain natural disasters is formed. This research is helpful to finding effective measures to prevent disasters, avoiding and reducing the harm of natural disasters to industrial and agricultural production. There are 12 disasters in Tianshan Mountains, which can be divided into three zones. (1) Base zone (torrential rain collapse zone): types of the various disasters in this zone are caused by suddenly rain in the low middle mountain of the arid area. The disasters occur mainly from May to August, thus, the frequent periods of their bursts are simultaneous with the maximum period of precipitation in every year. (2) Middle zone (snowmelt water icing zone): most disasters, which happen in the middle high mountain area, have close relation with variation of temperature. (3) Upper zone (snow drift avalanche zone): the movement of snow mantle creates disaster in this zone. The slope direction and height of mountain greatly influence the frequency of hazards and the formation of vertical zone spectrum of natural disasters. Due to the regional diversities of temperature and precipitation, the vertical zone spectrum of natural disasters in mountains are different in different latitude and longitude zones.