Assessment of Recent Glacier Changes and Its Controlling Factors from 1976 to 2011 in Baspa Basin, Western Himalaya

Mir, Riyaz Ahmad; Jain, Sanjay K.; Jain, Sharad K.; Thayyen, Renoj J.; Saraf, A. K.

doi:10.1657/aaar0015-070

Cited by 60 publications

(30 citation statements)

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“…This shows that both 560 temperature as well as precipitation influence the degeneration of the glaciers and in turn affects the supraglacial 561 debris cover. It is believed that winter precipitation has a prime control on accumulation of snow on the glaciers, 562 hence acts as an essential determinant of glacier health (Mir et al, 2017). Also, the negative correlation of 563 glacier area with precipitation in this study possibly indicate the major role of increased winter temperature and 564 precipitation, which might have decreased the accumulation of snow, thereby decreasing the overall glacier area.…”

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confidence: 73%

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Shukla¹,

Garg²,

Mehta³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Abstract. Updated knowledge about the glacier extent and characteristics in the Himalaya cannot be overemphasised. Availability of precise glacier inventories in the latitudinally diverse western Himalayan region is particularly crucial. In this study we have created an inventory of the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya for year 2017 using Landsat OLI data. Changes in glacier parameters have also been monitored from 1971 to 2017 using temporal satellite remote sensing data and limited field observations. Inventory data shows that the sub-basin has 252 glaciers covering 11 % of the basin, having an average slope of 25 ± 6° and dominantly north orientation. The average snow line altitude (SLA) of the basin is 5011 ± 54 masl with smaller (47 %) and cleaner (43 %) glaciers occupying the bulk area. Longterm climate data (1901–2017) shows an increase in the mean annual temperature (Tmin & Tmax) by 0.77 ºC (0.25 & 1.3 ºC) in the sub-basin, driving the overall glacier variability in the region. Temporal analysis reveals a glacier shrinkage of ~ 6 ± 0.02 %, an average retreat rate of 4.3 ± 1.02 ma−1, debris increase of 62 % and 22 ± 60 m SLA rise in past 46 years. This confirms their transitional response between the Karakoram and the Greater Himalayan Range (GHR) glaciers. Besides, glaciers in the sub-basin occupy two major ranges, i.e., GHR and Ladakh range (LR) and experience local climate variability, with the GHR glaciers exhibiting a warmer and wetter climate as compared to the LR glaciers. This variability manifestes itself in the varied response of GHR and LR glaciers. While the GHR glaciers exhibit an overall rise in SLA (GHR: 49 ± 69 m; LR: decrease by 18 ± 50 m), the LR glaciers have deglaciated more (LR: 7 %; GHR: 6 %) with an enhanced accumulation of debris cover (LR: 73 %; GHR: 59 %). Inferences from this study reveal prevalence of glacier disintegration and overall degeneration, transition of clean ice to partially debris covered glaciers, local climate variability and non-climatic (topographic and morphometric) factor induced heterogeinty in glacier response as the major processes operatives in this region. The dataset (Shukla et al., 2019) is accessible at https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.904131.

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confidence: 73%

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Shukla¹,

Garg²,

Mehta³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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“…Response 4:We have followed a 'hybrid approach', involving normalized difference snow index (NDSI) for delineation of snow-ice boundaries and manual digitization for mapping the debris cover (Page: 10; lines: 231-232 of the original manuscript). Similar mapping methodology has been followed by several researchers (Chand and Sharma, 2015;Mir et al, 2017;Molg et al, 2018). As aptly pointed out by the reviewer, we also agree that manual processing of the database necessitates uncertainty estimation.…”

Section: C8mentioning

confidence: 88%

“…Moreover, we have also taken assistance of thermal and slope maps for manual digitization of the debris cover boundaries. Similar mapping methodology has been followed by several researchers (Bolch et al, 2010;Chand and Sharma, 2015;Mir et al, 2017;Molg et al, 2018).…”

Section: C2mentioning

confidence: 88%

“…To accomplish our objectives, a hybrid methodology is adopted, in which the snow-ice boundaries are mapped using a semi-automatic technique of NDSI and debris coverage through manual digitization. Similar methods of glacier mapping have been employed in other glaciological studies (Bolch et al, 2010;Bhambri et al, 2011;Frey et al, 2012;Chand and Sharma, 2015;Mir et al, 2017;Murtaza and Romshoo, 2015;Molg et al, 2018). In addition, methods have also been employed for estimation of uncertainties which might have introduced from various sources (Hall et al, 2003;Granshaw and Fountain, 2006;Paul et al, 2013;17).…”

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confidence: 85%

“…Comment 3: Considering the large uncertainty involved in Landsat MSS data, it is important to mention the inherent uncertainties while interpreting the temporal variability. (Pandey and Venkatraman, 2013;Rai et al, 2013;Shangguan et al, 2014;Thakuri et al, 2014;Brahmbhatt et al, 2015;Shukla and Qadir, 2016;Mir et al, 2017). Moreover, we have also accounted for uncertainties using prevalent methods (area and length change uncertainty by Hall et al, 2003 and mapping uncertainty using buffer method by Granshaw and Fountain, 2006)) associated with glacier changes (area and length) using Landsat MSS data and also incorporated the same in the original manuscript (Table 2).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Response to the comments on "Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability" by Shukla et al., 2019

Shukla¹

2019

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Glacier changes and their impacts on the melt runoff in high and moderate elevation ranges of Himalayan Upper Ganges Basin

Singh

Jain

Nagale

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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The rise in temperatures over the Himalayan regions due to climate change have shown profound effects on the seasonality and long-term availability of snow melt runoff and glacier melt runoff. As per the sixth assessment report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Himalayan glaciers are retreating and the fraction of precipitation falling as snow is altering. This study analyses the effect of snow-glacier changes on the melt runoff (1986-2020) over the Upper Ganga river basin (up to Rishikesh) using a fully distributed model namely, Spatial Process in Hydrology (SPHY), which governs by Temperature Index Model approach with varying degree-day factors. This study performs the two-step calibration approach for model parameterization and to evaluate the snow and glacier melt runoff utilizing the observed discharge and real time satellite datasets. The SPHY derived snow cover was compared with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) derived snow covers. Results show that the SPHY modelled fractional snow covers found comparable to MODIS derived snow covers ($70%-90% correlation). The R 2 based comparison of SPHY modelled runoff (Q) and observed Q at two gauges namely, Maneri ($0.85) and Rishikesh ($0.80) found reasonable. For the assessment of glacier changes and corresponding melt runoff, temporal glacier maps (i.e., for

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Assessment of Recent Glacier Changes and Its Controlling Factors from 1976 to 2011 in Baspa Basin, Western Himalaya

Cited by 60 publications

References 102 publications

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Response to the comments on "Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability" by Shukla et al., 2019

Glacier changes and their impacts on the melt runoff in high and moderate elevation ranges of Himalayan Upper Ganges Basin

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Assessment of Recent Glacier Changes and Its Controlling Factors from 1976 to 2011 in Baspa Basin, Western Himalaya

Cited by 60 publications

References 102 publications

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability

Response to the comments on &quot;Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability&quot; by Shukla et al., 2019

Glacier changes and their impacts on the melt runoff in high and moderate elevation ranges of Himalayan Upper Ganges Basin

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Response to the comments on "Temporal inventory of glaciers in the Suru sub-basin, western Himalaya: Impacts of the regional climate variability" by Shukla et al., 2019