The Potential of UAV Based Remote Sensing for Monitoring Hindu Kush Himalayan Glaciers

2020 ◽  
pp. 301-314
Author(s):  
Aman Rai ◽  
Aayushi Pandey ◽  
Prabuddh Kumar Mishra ◽  
Kailash Chandra Tiwari
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Himalayan Glaciers ◽  
Hindu Kush

scholarly journals On the Interest of Optical Remote Sensing for Seasonal Snowmelt Parameterization, Applied to the Everest Region (Nepal)

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (22) ◽  
pp. 2598
Author(s):  
Benjamin Bouchard ◽  
Judith Eeckman ◽  
Jean-Pierre Dedieu ◽  
François Delclaux ◽  
Pierre Chevallier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Seasonal Dynamics ◽  
Seasonal Variability ◽  
Optical Remote Sensing ◽  
Snow Cover Area ◽  
Monsoon Period ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Snow Model ◽  
The One

In the central part of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region, snowmelt is one of the main inputs that ensures the availability of surface water outside the monsoon period. A common approach for snowpack modeling is based on the degree day factor (DDF) method to represent the snowmelt rate. However, the important seasonal variability of the snow processes is usually not represented when using a DDF method, which can lead to large uncertainties for snowpack simulation. The SPOT-VGT and the MODIS-Terra sensors provide valuable information for snow detection over several years. The aim of this work was to use those data to parametrize the seasonal variability of the snow processes in the hydrological distributed snow model (HDSM), based on a DDF method. The satellite products were corrected and combined in order to implement a database of 8 day snow cover area (SCA) maps over the northern part of the Dudh Koshi watershed (Nepal) for the period 1998–2017. A revisited version of the snow module of the HDSM model was implemented so as to split it into two parameterizations depending on the seasonality. Corrected 8 day SCA maps retrieved from MODIS-Terra were used to calibrate the seasonal parameterization, through a stochastic method, over the period of study (2013–2016). The results demonstrate that the seasonal parameterization reduces the error in the simulated SCA and increases the correlation with the MODIS SCA. The two-set version of the model improved the yearly RMSE from 5.9% to 7.7% depending on the basin, compared to the one-set version. The correlation between the model and MODIS passes from 0.73 to 0.79 in winter for the larger basin, Phakding. This study shows that the use of a remote sensing product can improve the parameterization of the seasonal dynamics of snow processes in a model based on a DDF method.

scholarly journals Determining the Events in a Glacial Disaster Chain at Badswat Glacier in the Karakoram Range Using Remote Sensing

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165
Author(s):  
Donghui Shangguan ◽  
Da Li ◽  
Yongjian Ding ◽  
Jun Liu ◽  
Muhammad Naveed Anjum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Debris Flow ◽  
Reanalysis Data ◽  
Mountain Range ◽  
Outburst Flood ◽  
Ice Flow ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Disaster Chain ◽  
Glacial Lake Outburst Flood

The Karakoram mountain range is prone to natural disasters such as glacial surging and glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) events. In this study, we aimed to document and reconstruct the sequence of events caused by glacial debris flows that dammed the Immit River in the Hindu Kush Karakoram Range on 17 July 2018. We used satellite remote sensing and field data to conduct the analyses. The order of the events in the disaster chain were determined as follows: glacial meltwater from the G2 glacier (ID: G074052E36491N) transported ice and debris that dammed the meltwater at the snout of the G1 glacier (ID: G074103E36480N), then the debris flow dammed the Immit River and caused Lake Badswat to expand. We surveyed the extent of these events using remote sensing imagery. We analyzed the glaciers’ responses to this event chain and found that the glacial debris flow induced G1 to exhibit accelerating ice flow in parts of the region from 25 July 2018 to 4 August 2018. According to the records from reanalysis data and data from the automatic weather station located 75 km from Lake Badswat, the occurrence of this disaster chain was related to high temperatures recorded after 15 July 2018. The chains of events caused by glacially related disasters makes such hazards more complex and dangerous. Therefore, this study is useful not only for understanding the formation of glacial disaster chains, but also for framing mitigation plans to reduce the risks for vulnerable downstream/upstream residents.

scholarly journals Understanding Dynamics of Himalayan Glaciers: Scope and Challenges of Remote Sensing

2014 ◽  
Vol XL-8 ◽  
pp. 1283-1289 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Bajracharya ◽  
S. B. Maharjan ◽  
F. Shrestha
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Remote Access ◽  
Glacier Change ◽  
Balance Study ◽  
Manual Intervention ◽  
Himalayan Glaciers ◽  
High Resolution Images ◽  
Geodetic Mass Balance ◽  
Mass Balance Study ◽  
Glacier Mapping

remote-sensing based consistent semi-automated glacier mapping methodology with minimum manual intervention has been developed at ICIMOD. Using this methodology the glaciers of Hindu Kush Himalayan region were mapped in 2011 and continuously used for glacier mapping and monitoring in the region. These data were freely available to download from ICIMOD portal and GLIMS database. These comprehensive glacier information are the only data which is being used for research and development projects for countries like Bhutan, Nepal and Pakistan. Recently decadal glacier change from 1980 to 2010 of Nepal and Bhutan were published to understand the glacier change in the Himalaya. The decadal change assessment will be continued in other basins of HKH region to understand the glacier change. Due to rugged terrain, remote access, and logistic hindrance field verification is a challenging task and can be limited only in selected glaciers. Geodetic mass balance study in the selected glaciers like in Yala of Langtang basin and Rikha Samba of Hidden valley are on progress complement to field validation. High resolution images, lack of hydro-meteorological stations near to the glacier and limited competent manpower are another hindrance in the study of glacier change of the HKH region.

scholarly journals Application of remote sensing and GIS in environmental monitoring in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 646-662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Finu Shrestha ◽  
◽  
Kabir Uddin ◽  
Sudan Bikash Maharjan ◽  
Samjwal Ratna Bajracharya
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Environmental Monitoring ◽  
Remote Sensing And Gis ◽  
Himalayan Region ◽  
Hindu Kush

Remote sensing based glacial lake inventory in the Hindu Kush-Himalaya region

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lizong Wu ◽  
Xin Li ◽  
Shiyin Liu ◽  
Pradeep Kumar Mool ◽  
Sharad Joshi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Glacial Lake ◽  
Hindu Kush

Estimation of Deglaciation through Remote Sensing Techniques in Chandra-Bhaga Basin, Western Himalaya

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-88
Author(s):  
Shruti Dutta ◽  
AL. Ramanathan
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Continuous Monitoring ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Western Himalaya ◽  
Western Himalayas ◽  
Hindu Kush ◽  
Micro Level ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Remote Sensing Techniques ◽  
Increasing Temperature

Glaciers act as natural indicators of climate response and natural buffers of the hydrological cycle. Hence, continuous monitoring of glaciers is very crucial for which remote sensing techniques have emerged as a powerful tool to understand the micro-level variation and dynamics of glaciers. Unfortunately, a database involving complete basin-level approach and an extensive temporal range is not available for the entire Chandra-Bhaga (CB) sub-basin. Thus, the present investigation attempts to account for the extent of deglaciation in the CB basin showing that 16.7 percent of the glaciated area has been lost during 1989-2019. Moreover, the last three decades have witnessed a rapid rate of loss for small and medium-sized glaciers as compared to larger glaciers. Adding to it, the basin has also shown an upwards shift of mean elevation in this period. Over the last decade, an increasing temperature in the western Himalayas and Hindu Kush regions, as asserted by previous studies, have led to spatio-temporal changes in the glaciated area. The extent of deglaciation alongwith the glacier-climate behaviour and response can also provide a link to measure the topographical parameters.

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