Snow cover variability in North-West Himalaya during last decade

Singh, Dhiraj Kumar; Gusain, Hemendra Singh; Mishra, V. D.; Gupta, Neena

doi:10.1007/s12517-018-3926-3

Cited by 52 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Singh et al [11] cited an increasing SCA trend between 2000 to 2011 over the Indus basin (part of the NWH). Many other studies have also revealed positive annual SCA trends over the western Himalaya [16,34,35]. Our observations support increasing SCA, precipitation, and decreasing surface temperature over the NWH region in the past 20 years.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The mMK-test shows a statistically significant increasing trend in annual SCA, with a rate of 663.88 km 2 /year (Table 1). A positive SCA trend and a decreasing temperature trend over the region have also been observed in previous studies [11,16,35,72].…”

Section: Sca Trend Analysissupporting

confidence: 87%

“…Snow exhibits a strong negative correlation with atmospheric temperature [3,15]. Thus, a change in snow-covered areas is a direct indicator of climate change at both global and regional scales [16][17][18][19]. Bednorz [20] also reported that the relation between air temperature and precipitation affects snow characteristics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Many studies have explored the Himalayan snow cover during the recent past and have reported a decreasing SCA trend in the NWH and some river basins, i.e., the Satluj, Jhelum, Chenab, and Beas river basins [31][32][33]. Singh et al [16] examined the snow cover variability in the northwest Himalaya and its climatic zones and cited a nonsignificant increasing SCA trend for the NWH and all climatic zones from 2010 to 2016. In contrast to previous studies, they also observed a significant increasing trend over the upper Himalaya.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Response of Snow Cover to the Climate in the Northwest Himalaya (NWH) Using Satellite Products

2021

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The Himalayan region is one of the most crucial mountain systems across the globe, which has significant importance in terms of the largest depository of snow and glaciers for fresh water supply, river runoff, hydropower, rich biodiversity, climate, and many more socioeconomic developments. This region directly or indirectly affects millions of lives and their livelihoods but has been considered one of the most climatically sensitive parts of the world. This study investigates the spatiotemporal variation in maximum extent of snow cover area (SCA) and its response to temperature, precipitation, and elevation over the northwest Himalaya (NWH) during 2000–2019. The analysis uses Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)/Terra 8-day composite snow Cover product (MOD10A2), MODIS/Terra/V6 daily land surface temperature product (MOD11A1), Climate Hazards Infrared Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) precipitation product, and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM product for the investigation. Modified Mann-Kendall (mMK) test and Spearman’s correlation methods were employed to examine the trends and the interrelationships between SCA and climatic parameters. Results indicate a significant increasing trend in annual mean SCA (663.88 km2/year) between 2000 and 2019. The seasonal and monthly analyses were also carried out for the study region. The Zone-wise analysis showed that the lower Himalaya (184.5 km2/year) and the middle Himalaya (232.1 km2/year) revealed significant increasing mean annual SCA trends. In contrast, the upper Himalaya showed no trend during the study period over the NWH region. Statistically significant negative correlation (−0.81) was observed between annual SCA and temperature, whereas a nonsignificant positive correlation (0.47) existed between annual SCA and precipitation in the past 20 years. It was also noticed that the SCA variability over the past 20 years has mainly been driven by temperature, whereas the influence of precipitation has been limited. A decline in average annual temperature (−0.039 °C/year) and a rise in precipitation (24.56 mm/year) was detected over the region. The results indicate that climate plays a vital role in controlling the SCA over the NWH region. The maximum and minimum snow cover frequency (SCF) was observed during the winter (74.42%) and monsoon (46.01%) season, respectively, while the average SCF was recorded to be 59.11% during the study period. Of the SCA, 54.81% had a SCF above 60% and could be considered as the perennial snow. The elevation-based analysis showed that 84% of the upper Himalaya (UH) experienced perennial snow, while the seasonal snow mostly dominated over the lower Himalaya (LH) and the middle Himalaya (MH).

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Sca Trend Analysissupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A Response of Snow Cover to the Climate in the Northwest Himalaya (NWH) Using Satellite Products

2021

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“…Current remote sensing based studies broadly agree that there is a decline in snow covered area (SCA) across the region (Immerzeel et al, 2009;Gurung et al, 2011;Dietz et al, 2014). However, studies also indicate that snow cover trends are highly variable depending on the analysis dataset, spatial scale, and the study period (Hasson et al, 2014;Singh et al, 2018), which is consistent with the spatial and temporal variability in controls on snow accumulation and snowmelt. For example, a decrease in SCA was reported across the HKH as a whole from 2000 to 2010; however, when assessing the snow cover trends on a smaller spatial scale, a decrease in SCA was only reported in the central HKH region, with increases in SCA in the western region during the same time period (Gurung et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

Trends in Snow Cover Duration Across River Basins in High Mountain Asia From Daily Gap-Filled MODIS Fractional Snow Covered Area

et al. 2021

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High Mountain Asia (HMA) has the largest expanse of snow outside of the polar regions and it plays a critical role in climate and hydrology. In situ monitoring is rare due to terrain complexity and inaccessibility, making remote sensing the most practical way to understand snow patterns in HMA despite relatively short periods of record. Here, trends in snow cover duration were assessed using MODIS between 2002 and 2017 across the headwaters of the region’s primary river basins (Amu Darya, Brahmaputra, Ganges, Indus, and Syr Darya). Data limitations, associated with traditional binary mapping and data gaps due to clouds, were addressed with a daily, spatially and temporally complete, snow cover product that maps the fraction of snow in each pixel using spectral mixture analysis. Trends in fractional snow cover duration (fSCD) were calculated at the annual and monthly scale, and across 1,000 m elevation bands, and compared to trends in binary snow cover duration (SCD). Snow cover is present, on average, for 102 days across all basin headwaters, with the longest duration in western basins and shortest in eastern basins. Broadly, snow cover is in decline, which is most pronounced in elevation bands where snow is most likely to be present and most needed to sustain glaciers. Some of the strongest negative trends in fSCD were in the Syr Darya, which has 13 fewer days between 4,000–5,000 m, and Brahmaputra, which has 31 fewer days between 5,000–6,000 m. The only increasing tendency was found in the Indus between 2,000 and 5,000 m. There were differences between fSCD and SCD trends, due to SCD overestimating snow cover area relative to fSCD.

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The sensitivity and evolutionary trajectory of the mountain cryosphere: Implications for mountain geomorphic systems and hazards

Knight

Harrison

2023

Land Degrad Dev

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Global climate change gives rise to changing spatial patterns of snow and ice, especially over mountain blocks where orographic and synoptic circulation effects play significant roles in creating patterns of precipitation and glacier development. The presence of snow and ice results in heat balance changes and other land surface feedbacks that have implications for patterns of mountain glacier retreat and the dynamics of mountain geomorphic systems. This study considers the sensitivity of the mountain cryosphere (snow, ice, permafrost) to global climate change, and the implications of this sensitivity analysis for evaluating mountain surface stability, geomorphic change, and the generation of mountain geohazards. Consideration of these issues is informed by evidence from case studies reported in the literature and by field observations of mountain system dynamics worldwide. Results show that ‘sensitivity’ to climate forcing has been interpreted and defined in different ways in mountain snow, ice, and permafrost systems, with respect to properties such as albedo, mass balance or rapidity of system change. There are also significant spatial differences in sensitivity between different mountain blocks for snow, ice and permafrost, and these regions are therefore likely to follow different trajectories of geomorphic change in response to climate forcing, related to their physiographic properties and the extent of cryospheric coverage. Within glaciated mountains in particular, the relative timing of different geomorphic events, and the interplay between slope, glacier front, and proglacial sediment sources and environments, may vary depending on glacier size, geomorphic setting, and microclimate. By contrast, responses to permafrost warming (increased surface instability and mass movements) and changes in snow patterns (avalanche risk, floods) may have quite different spatial and temporal patterns and influenced by different environmental controls. An integrated evolutionary model for mountain system development under a changing cryosphere is proposed, highlighting the critical role of energy balance as a forcing factor that then triggers downstream mountain system responses. This suggests that different elements of mountain systems exhibit different sensitivities, and furthermore that these sensitivities change over time and space through the period of anthropogenic global warming and paraglacial relaxation.

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Snow cover variability in North-West Himalaya during last decade

Cited by 52 publications

References 44 publications

A Response of Snow Cover to the Climate in the Northwest Himalaya (NWH) Using Satellite Products

A Response of Snow Cover to the Climate in the Northwest Himalaya (NWH) Using Satellite Products

Trends in Snow Cover Duration Across River Basins in High Mountain Asia From Daily Gap-Filled MODIS Fractional Snow Covered Area

The sensitivity and evolutionary trajectory of the mountain cryosphere: Implications for mountain geomorphic systems and hazards

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