Climate and Remotely Sensed Markers of Glacier Changes in the Himalaya

Abstract. Mass loss of Himalayan glaciers has wide-ranging consequences such as declining water resources, sea level rise and an increasing risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The assessment of the regional and global impact of glacier changes in the Himalaya is, however, hampered by a lack of mass balance data for most of the range. Multi-temporal digital terrain models (DTMs) allow glacier mass balance to be calculated since the availability of stereo imagery. Here we present the longest time series of mass changes in the Himalaya and show the high value of early stereo spy imagery such as Corona (years 1962 and 1970) aerial images and recent high resolution satellite data (Cartosat-1) to calculate a time series of glacier changes south of Mt. Everest, Nepal. We reveal that the glaciers are significantly losing mass with an increasing rate since at least ~1970, despite thick debris cover. The specific mass loss is 0.32 ± 0.08 m w.e. a−1, however, not higher than the global average. The spatial patterns of surface lowering can be explained by variations in debris-cover thickness, glacier velocity, and ice melt due to exposed ice cliffs and ponds.

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Volume-area scaling for debris-covered glaciers

Journal of Glaciology ◽

10.1017/jog.2020.69 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 66 (259) ◽

pp. 880-886

Author(s):

Argha Banerjee

Keyword(s):

Global Scale ◽

Scaling Relations ◽

Scaling Exponent ◽

Scaling Relation ◽

Model Simulations ◽

Ice Volume ◽

Himalayan Glaciers ◽

Glacier Changes ◽

Best Fit ◽

The Himalaya

AbstractA volume-area scaling relation is commonly used to estimate glacier volume or its future changes on a global scale. The presence of an insulating supraglacial debris cover alters the mass-balance profile of a glacier, potentially modifying the scaling relation. Here, the nature of scaling relations for extensively debris-covered glaciers is investigated. Theoretical arguments suggest that the volume-area scaling exponent for these glaciers is ~7% smaller than that for clean glaciers. This is consistent with the results from flowline-model simulations of idealised glaciers, and the available data from the Himalaya. The best-fit scale factor for debris-covered Himalayan glaciers is ~60% larger compared to that for the clean ones, implying a significantly larger stored ice volume in a debris-covered glacier compared to a clean one having the same area. These results may help improve scaling-based estimates of glacier volume and future glacier changes in regions where debris-covered glaciers are abundant.

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Monitoring Glacier Changes of Recent 50 Years in the Upper Reaches of Heihe River Basin Based on Remotely-Sensed Data

IOP Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science ◽

10.1088/1755-1315/17/1/012138 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 ◽

pp. 012138 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bie Qiang ◽

He Lei ◽

Zhao Chuan-yan

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Remotely Sensed ◽

Heihe River Basin ◽

Heihe River ◽

Remotely Sensed Data ◽

Glacier Changes

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Glacier changes in the Tien Shan as determined from topographic and remotely sensed data

Global and Planetary Change ◽

10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.07.016 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 56 (3-4) ◽

pp. 328-340 ◽

Cited By ~ 112

Author(s):

Vladimir B. Aizen ◽

Valeriy A. Kuzmichenok ◽

Arzhan B. Surazakov ◽

Elena M. Aizen

Keyword(s):

Remotely Sensed ◽

Tien Shan ◽

Remotely Sensed Data ◽

Glacier Changes

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Remotely Sensed Rain and Snowfall in the Himalaya

Himalayan Weather and Climate and their Impact on the Environment ◽

10.1007/978-3-030-29684-1_8 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 119-139

Author(s):

Taylor Smith ◽

Bodo Bookhagen

Keyword(s):

Remotely Sensed ◽

The Himalaya

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Glacier changes in the Koshi River basin, central Himalaya, from 1976 to 2009, derived from remote-sensing imagery

Annals of Glaciology ◽

10.3189/2014aog66a057 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 55 (66) ◽

pp. 61-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Donghui Shangguan ◽

Shiyin Liu ◽

Yongjian Ding ◽

Lizong Wu ◽

Wei Deng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Remote Sensing ◽

River Basin ◽

Temperature Increase ◽

Central Himalaya ◽

Glacier Area ◽

Area Loss ◽

Glacier Changes ◽

Precipitation Decrease ◽

Koshi River Basin ◽

The Himalaya

AbstractWe use remote-sensing and GIS technologies to monitor glacier changes in the Koshi River basin, central Himalaya. The results indicate that in 2009 there were 2061 glaciers in this region, with a total area of 3225 ±90.3 km2. This glacier population is divided into 1290 glaciers, with a total area of 1961 ±54.9 km2, on the north side of the Himalaya (NSH), and 771 glaciers, with a total area of 1264 ± 35.4 km2, on the south side of the Himalaya (SSH). From 1976 to 2009, glacier area in the basin decreased by about 19±5.6% (0.59±0.17%a–1). Glacier reduction was slightly faster on SSH (20.3 ±5.6%) than on NSH (18.8±5.6%). The maximum contribution to glacier area loss came from glaciers within the 1-5 km2 area interval, which accounted for 32% of total area loss between 1976 and 2009. The number of glaciers in the Koshi River catchment decreased by 145 between 1976 and 2009. Glacier area on SSH decreased at a rate of 6.2 ±3.2% (0.68 ±0.36% a–1), faster than on NSH, where the rate was 2.5 ±3.2% (0.27±0.36% a–1) during 2000-09. Based on records from Tingri weather station, we infer that temperature increase and precipitation decrease were the main causes of glacier thinning and retreat during the 1976-2000 period. Glacier retreat during the 2000-09 period appears to be controlled by temperature increase, since precipitation increase over this period did not offset ice losses to surface melting.

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Glacier Changes between 1976 and 2015 in the Source Area of the Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy) River, Myanmar

Water ◽

10.3390/w10121850 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1850 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Linda Taft ◽

Laila Kühle

Keyword(s):

River Flow ◽

Source Area ◽

Glacier Changes ◽

Monsoonal Precipitation ◽

Lower Extent ◽

Hydrological System ◽

Local Warming ◽

Global And Local ◽

The Himalaya ◽

Area And Volume

The Ayeyarwady River in Myanmar is one of the largest rivers in Southeast Asia. It is predominantly fed by monsoonal precipitation and, to a lower extent, by meltwater from glaciers located in the Himalaya mountains. Information about the glaciers in its headwater region and glacier changes is scarce. Glaciers, in general, are highly important for the hydrological system and are contributing to river flow, therefore playing a key role in water availability, especially in catchments with (semi-) arid downstream areas as is in parts of Myanmar. This study investigated 130 glaciers in the Ayeyarwady headwaters by analyzing satellite images from Landsat missions between 1976 and 2015. The results of the glacier area and volume change analyses indicate that the glaciers are experiencing unprecedented losses. Over the 39 years, the glaciers lost up to 54.3 ± 7.64% of their area and 60.09 ± 1.56% of their mass and volume. The highest losses occurred in the period 2002–2015, which corresponds to increasing global and local warming. This development will probably have a strong influence on the glaciers’ storage function and will affect the local river runoff in the headwater region.

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