Late Quaternary Palaeoclimate and Contemporary Moisture Source to Extreme NW India: A Review on Present Understanding and Future Perspectives

Sharma, Anupam; Phartiyal, Binita

doi:10.3389/feart.2018.00150

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 91 publications

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“…The semi-arid to arid high altitude terrain of the western Himalayas is referred to "cold desert" due to the scanty rainfall which is attributed to a steady decline in ISM rainfall from east to west/northwest. This decline in the precipitation is ascribed to the Higher Himalayan ranges which act as a barrier and prevent the propagation of moisture laden ISM winds further northward [24][25][26] . Owing to the low precipitation and hence the low erosional rates, the landforms created by past glacier advances (moraines) are better preserved in this region (Figure 3).…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of Different Moisture Sources in Driving the Western Himalayan Past-glacier Advances

Arora

Ali

Sharma³

2023

j. of atmos. sci. res.

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The fragmented pattern and the rapidly declining preservation of older glacial features/evidences limits the precision, with which glacial chronologies can be established. The challenge is exacerbated by the scarcity of datable material and limitations of dating methods. Nevertheless, the preserved glacial landforms have been fairly utilized to establish glacial chronologies from different sectors of the Indian Himalayas. The existing Himalayan glacial chrono-stratigraphies have revealed that in a single valley, past glacial advances rarely surpass four stages. Thus, local and regional glacial chronologies must be synthesized to understand glacial dynamics and potential forcing factors. This research presents an overview of glacier responses to climate variations revealed by glacial chrono-stratigraphies in the western Indian Himalayan region over the Quaternary (late). The synthesis demonstrated that, although the glacial advances were sporadic, glaciers in western Himalayas generally advanced during the Marine isotope stage (MIS)-3/4, MIS-2, late glacial, Younger Dryas (YD) and Holocene periods. The Holocene has witnessed multiple glacial advances and the scatter is significant. While previous glacial research revealed that Himalayan glaciers were out of phase with the global last glacial maximum (gLGM), weak Indian Summer Monsoon (ISM) has been implicated (ISM was reduced by roughly 20%). Recent research, however, has shown that gLGM glaciation responded to the global cooling associated with the enhanced mid-latitude westerlies (MLW). Further, the magnitude of gLGM glacier advance varied along and across the Himalayas particularly the transitional valleys located between the ISM and MLW influence. It is also evident that both the ISM and MLW have governed the late Quaternary glacial advances in the western Himalayan region. However, the responses of glaciers to ISM changes are more prominent. The insights gained from this synthesis will help us understand the dynamics of glacier response to climate change, which will be valuable for future climate modelling.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Role of Different Moisture Sources in Driving the Western Himalayan Past-glacier Advances

Arora

Ali

Sharma³

2023

j. of atmos. sci. res.

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“…However, the amplitude of such climatic variations during the Holocene is relatively small because the boundary condition of climate system did not change much (Petit et al, 1999). Previous research from the Indian subcontinent revealed a strengthening of the monsoon during the early Holocene Period, but the pattern of mid-to late Holocene monsoon variability is still unclear and often suffers from age uncertainties (Prasad et al, 2014;Mishra et al, 2015;Sharma & Phartiyal, 2018;Banerji et al, 2020;Phartiyal et al, 2021a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Palaeoclimatic variability during last eight millennia from a morainal lake in Zanskar, northwest Himalaya, India

Phartiyal¹,

Ali²,

Sharma³

et al. 2022

JPS

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Centennial–scale palaeoenvironmental variability has been deduced during past eight millennia using multi–proxy study (textural analysis, environmental magnetic parameters, stable carbon isotopes, palynofacies and elemental concentration), from Khangok–Padam in Zanskar Valley, northwest Himalaya. The multi–proxy record from this morainal lake spanning last ~8200 cal years BP has revealed four hydroclimatic phases. The overall progressively improving hydroclimatic trend is indicated by multi proxy study: sediment size/texture (as a proxy for the energy condition and depositional environment), mineral magnetism (proxy for sediment flux or lithogenic input and lithologic variation), carbon isotope signature (δ13Corg) preserved in organic constituents of sediments (a proxy for palaeovegetation and climate change), elemental geochemistry (proxy for weathering and erosion) and selected samples for palynofacies data (a proxy for changes in biological organic matter). This improving hydroclimatic trend is however punctuated by an abrupt wet spell at ~6200–5200 cal years BP and relatively drier climate during the Little Ice Age between 1400 and 1900 CE. The main driving force implicated for the changes are seen to be the solar output variations. The area lying in a transitional climatic zone of NW Himalaya shows no emphatic record of the events like the 4200 cal. years BP, 2600 cal. years BP and Holocene Climatic Optima. Contrary to the earlier studies in the region (e.g., Tsokar and TsoMorari), our results show an improving hydroclimatic condition in this transition climatic zone between the Indian Summer Monsoon dominated Higher and westerly dominated Trans Himalaya.

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“…Due to its location in the rain shadow zone of the Indian summer monsoon (ISM), the region receives little precipitation and has abnormally low temperatures with a wide diurnal temperature range and a short growing season (Blöthe et al, 2014;Schmidt and Nüsser, 2017). The scant vegetation in this area is due to the prevailing harsh weather conditions (Ali et al, 2018;Chaddha et al, 2021a;Sharma and Phartiyal, 2018). Ladakh has a diverse range of accessible, diverse, clean, and harsh habitats at extremely high altitudes, including high passes that are distinct due to their altitude and, rocks exposed to 10X more UV-A doses than at sea level (Dvorkin and Steinberger, 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ladakh's Rock Varnish: A potential Geomaterial for astrobiological studies

Chaddha,

Sharma,

Singh

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Rock varnish, a dark-coloured natural feature rich in manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), and clay minerals, is believed to provide nutritional support to microbiota. Thus, rock varnish is considered a unique substrate for potential microbial life to thrive in the extreme environments on Earth that are comparable to their planetary analogues. However, little is known about the occurrence of microbiota in rock varnish, as the microbes found on the varnish are quite diversified. We present here the new morphological and chemical results of microbial forms found in rock varnish samples from Ladakh, a potential site for hosting life in extreme environments. Our results demonstrate the presence of putative magnetofossils type biological entities in the form of nanochains present in the rock varnish layer that coincide with high magnetic susceptibility values of varnish samples. Further, the higher concentrations of oxidised fractions of Mn 4+ , and carboxylic acid functionality on the varnish surface revealed the signatures of organic entities. These collective results point towards the enriched concentration of magnetic minerals on the varnish layer that are possibly sourced through biotic forms. Consequently, the rock varnish can serve as a "black box" of ancient environmental records, as well as a potential geomaterial for astrobiological studies from the Martian analogue field location of Ladakh, which needs to be explored further for extensive biogeochemical studies.

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Late Quaternary Palaeoclimate and Contemporary Moisture Source to Extreme NW India: A Review on Present Understanding and Future Perspectives

Cited by 12 publications

References 91 publications

Role of Different Moisture Sources in Driving the Western Himalayan Past-glacier Advances

Role of Different Moisture Sources in Driving the Western Himalayan Past-glacier Advances

Palaeoclimatic variability during last eight millennia from a morainal lake in Zanskar, northwest Himalaya, India

Ladakh's Rock Varnish: A potential Geomaterial for astrobiological studies

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