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Contrasting Signals of Glacier Changes in Zanskar Valley,Jammu & Kashmir,India Using Remote Sensing and GIS |
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| Authors: | Swagata Ghosh A C Pandey M S Nathawat I M Bahuguna Ajai |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Remote Sensing, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, 835215, India 2. Centre for Land Resource Management (CLRM), School of Natural Resource Management, Central University of Jharkhand, Brambe, Ranchi, 835205, India 3. School of Sciences (SoS), Raman Bhawan, Block D, Academic Complex, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), Maidan Garhi, New Delhi, 110068, India 4. Space Application Centre, ISRO, P.O SAC, Ahemdabad, 380015, India |
| Abstract: | The study of advancement and recession of the glaciers in the Himalayas is essential due to their contrasting response towards climatic change. In the present study, Survey of India (SOI) topographical maps of 1962, IRS: LISS-III image of 2001 and LANDSAT-5: TM (Thematic Mapper) image of 2009 were used to analyze the glacier fluctuations in a part of Zanskar valley. The analysis carried out on 212 glaciers indicated decrease of 57 km2 (8 %) of glacier area over many glacier which was partly compensated with area increase by 42 km2 (6 %) in other glaciers, resulting an overall glacier area decrease by only 15 km2 (2 %) from 1962–2001. Due to glacier fragmentation the number of glaciers increased from 212 in 1962 to 238 by 2001. Although majority of glaciers (88 %) exhibited retreat (up to 13 my?1), minor advancement (<15 my?1) also took place in few glaciers during this period. Advancement took place mainly in larger glaciers (2–5 km2 and >5 km2) located over wider altitudinal range (700 m–1,000 m) whereas smaller glaciers (<2 km2) with narrow altitudinal range (100 m–500 m) exhibited retreat. The supraglacial debris analysis indicated that percentage of debris cover over glaciers ranges from 1.43 % to 18.15 %. Smaller glaciers (<2 km2) were debris free in comparison to the larger glaciers (>5 km2). During 2001–2009 majority of the glaciers were apparently stable in terms of their area and snout position indicating less impact of climate forcing in parts of Zanskar valley as compared to other parts of the Himalaya. |
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