Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Role of debris cover to control specific ablation of adjoining Batal and Sutri Dhaka glaciers in Chandra Basin (Himachal Pradesh) during peak ablation season

  • Published:
Journal of Earth System Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

As part of the on-going annual mass balance measurements on Batal and Sutri Dhaka glaciers, observations were made during peak ablation (August–September) season in 2013 to understand the response of debris covered and clean-ice (debris free) glacier surface to melting processes. Though, both the Batal and Sutri Dhaka glaciers have almost similar geographical disposition, Batal shows extensive debris cover (90% of the ablation area), while the latter is free from debris (only 5% of the ablation area). The thickness of debris in Batal glacier is inversely proportional to altitude, whereas Sutri Dhaka mostly experienced debris-free zone except snout area. Observation revealed that the vertical gradient of ablation rate in ablation area is contrastingly opposite in these two glaciers, reflecting significant control of debris thickness and their distribution over glacier surface on the ablation rates. While different thickness (2–100 cm) of debris have attenuated melting rates up to 70% of total melting, debris cover of <2 cm thickness has accelerated melting up to 10% of the total melting. Estimated melt ratio reveals that about 90% of the ablation area has experienced inhibited melting in Batal glacier, whereas only less than 5% ablation area of Sutri Dhaka has undergone inhibited melting. Comparison of topographical maps of 1962 with successive satellite images of the area demonstrates a terminus retreat of 373 ± 33.5 m and 579 ± 33.5 m for Batal and Sutri Dhaka glaciers for the period 1962–2013, respectively.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 8
Figure 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aniya M, Sato H, Naruse R, Skvarca P and Casassa G 1996 The use of satellite and airborne imagery to inventory outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield, South America; Photogramm. Engg. Remote Sens. 62 1361–1369.

    Google Scholar 

  • ASTER GDEM Validation Team ASTER Global Digital Elevation Model Version 2 – Summary of Validation Results; http://www.ersdac.or.jp/GDEM/ver2Validation/Summary_GDEM2_validation_report_final.pdf 2011.

  • Azam M F, Wagnon P, Ramanathan A, Vincent C, Sharma P, Arnaud Y, Linda A, Pottakkal J G, Chevallier P, Singh V B and Berthier E 2011 From balance to imbalance: A shift in the dynamic behaviour of Chhota Shigri Glacier (western Himalaya, India); J. Glaciol. 58 315–324. doi:10.3189/2012JoG11J123.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri Rakesh, Tobias Bolch and Ravinder Kumar Chaujar 2012 Frontal recession of Gangotri Glacier, Garhwal Himalayas, from 1965 to 2006, measured through high-resolution remote sensing data. Curr. Sci. 102 489–494.

  • Barnett T P, Adam J C and Lettenmaier D P 2005 Potential impacts of a warming climate on water availability in snow dominated regions; Nature 438 303–309. doi:10.1038/nature04141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Basnett S, Kulkarni A V and Bolch T 2013 The influence of debris cover and glacial lakes on the recession of glaciers in Sikkim Himalaya, India; J. Glaciol. 59 1035–1046. doi:10.3189/2013JoG12J184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benn D I and Owen L A 2002 Himalayan glacial sedimentary environments: A framework for reconstructing and dating the former extent of glaciers in high mountains; Quant. Int. 97–98 3–25. doi:10.1016/S1040-6182(02)00048-4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benn D I, Wiseman S and Hands K A 2001 Growth and drainage of supra-glacial lakes on the debris-mantled Ngozumpa Glacier, Khumbu Himal, Nepal; J. Glaciol. 47 626–638. doi:10.3189/172756501781831729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhargava and Srivastava 1982 Unpublished GSI Report of Field Season 1981–82

  • Bishop M P, Bonk R, Kamp U and Shroder JF 2001 Terrain analysis and data modeling for alpine glacier mapping; Polar Geographys. 25 182–201, doi:10.1080/10889370109377712.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Buchroithner M, Pieczonka T and Kunert A 2008 Planimetric and volumetric glacier changes in the Khumbu Himalaya, Nepal, since 1962 using Corona, Landsat TM and ASTER data; J. Glaciol. 54 592–600. doi:10.3189/002214308786570782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Pieczonka T and Benn D I 2011 Multi-decadal mass loss of glaciers in the Everest area (Nepal Himalaya) derived from stereo imagery; The Cryosphere 5 349–358. doi:10.5194/tc-5-349-2011.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bookhagen B and Burbank D W 2006 Topography, relief and TRMM-derived rainfall variations along the Himalaya; Geophys. Res. Lett. 33 L08405. doi:10.1029/2006GL026037.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brock B, Rivera A, Casassa G, Bown F and Acuna C 2007 The surface energy balance of an active ice-covered volcano: Villarrica Volcano, southern Chile; Ann. Glaciol. 45 (1) 104–114. doi:10.3189/172756407782282372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchroithner M F and Bolch T 2007 An automated method to delineate the ice extension of the debris-covered glaciers at Mt Everest based on ASTER imagery; Grazer Schr. Geogr. Raumforsch. 43 71–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burbank D W 1982 Correlations of climate, mass balances, and glacial fluctuations at Mount rainer, Washington, USA, since 1850; Arctic and Alpine Res. 14 (2) 137–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal D P, Gergan J T and Thayyen R J 2004 Recession and morphometrical change of Dokriani Glacier (1962–1995), Garhwal Himalaya, India; Curr. Sci. 86 (5) 692–696.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal D P, Gergan J T and Thayyen R J 2008 Mass balance studies of the Dokriani Glacier from 1992 to 2000, Garhwal Himalaya, India; Bull. Glacier Res. 25 9–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal D P, Mehta M and Srivastava D 2013 Influence of debris cover on terminus retreat and mass changes of Chorabari Glacier, Garhwal region, central Himalaya, India; J. Glaciol. 59 (217) 961–971. doi:10.3189/2013JoG12J180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyurgerov M B and Meier M F 2005 Glaciers and the changing Earth system: A 2004 snapshot; Boulder, CO, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, Occasional Paper 58.

  • Foster L A 2010 Utilisation of remote sensing for the study of debris covered glaciers: Development and testing of techniques on Miage Glacier, Italian Alps, PhD Thesis, School of Social and Environmental Science, University of Dundee.

  • Gratton D J, Howarth P J and Marceau D J 1990 Combining DEM parameters with Landsat MSS and TM imagery in a GIS for mountain glacier characterization; IEEE Trans. Geosci. Remote Sens. 28 766– 769.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall Dorothy K, Klaus Bayr J, Wolfgang S., Robert A B. and Janet Y L C. 2003 Consideration of the errors inherent in mapping historical glacier positions in Austria from the ground and space (1893–2001); Remote Sens. Environ. 86 566–577, 10.1016/S0034-4257(03)00134-2..

  • Harrison W D, Elsberg D H, Cox L H and March R S 2005 Different mass balances for climatic and hydrologic applications; J. Glaciol. 51 (172) 176, doi: 10.3189/172756409787769654.

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC 2007 Climate Change 2007 – The Physical Science Basis, Cambridge University Press.

  • Iwata S, Tatsuto A, Tsutomu K, Katsumoto S and Satoru Y 2000 Morphological evolution of the debris cover on Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, between 1978 and 1995; IAHS Publ. 264 3–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iwata S, Watanabe O and Fushimi H 1980 Surface morphology in the ablation area of the Khumbu glacier, Seppyo; J. Japan Soc. Snow Ice, Spec. Issue 41 9–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jansson P 1999 Effect of uncertainties in measured variables on the calculated mass balance of Storglaciären; Geogr. Ann. 81A (4) 633–642. doi:10.1111/1468-0459.00091.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamp U, Byrne M and Bolch T 2011 Mapping glacier fluctuations between 1975 and 2008 in the Greater Himalaya range of Ladakh, north-western India; Int. J. Mt. Sci. 8 (3) 374–389. doi:10.1007/s11629-011-2007-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaser G 2001 Glacier–climate interaction at low latitudes; J. Glaciol. 47 (157) 195–204, doi: 10.3189/172756501781832296.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Konovalov V 2000 Computations of melting under moraine as a part of regional modelling of glacier runoff, debris- covered glaciers; Proceedings of a Workshop held at Seattle, Washington, USA, September 2000, IAHS Publ. no. 264, Quat. Int. 97–98 3–25.

  • Kulkarni A V, Bahuguna I M, Rathore B P, Singh S K, Randhawa S S, Sood R K and Dhar S 2007 Glacial retreat in Himalaya using Indian Remote Sensing satellite data; Curr. Sci. 92 (1) 69–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni A V, Rathore B P, Mahajan S and Mathur P 2005 Alarming retreat of Parbati glacier, Beas basin, Himachal Pradesh; Curr. Sci. 88 (11) 1844–1850.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehta M, Dobhal D P and Bisht M P S 2011 Change of Tipra Glacier in the Garhwal Himalaya, India Between 1962 and 2008; Prog. Phys. Geog. 35 (6) 721–738. doi:10.1177/0309133311411760.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta M, Dobhal D P, Pratap B, Verma A, Kumar A and Srivastava D 2013 Glacier changes in Upper Tons River basin, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India; Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie 57 (2) 225–244. doi:10.1127/0372-8854/2012/0095.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mihalcea C, Brock B W, Diolaiuti G, Agata C D, Citterio M, Kirkbride M P, Cutler M E J and Smiraglia C 2008 Using ASTER satellite and ground-based surface temperature measurements to derive supraglacial debris cover and thickness patterns on Miage Glacier (Mont Blanc Massif, Italy); Cold Regions Sci. Tech. 52 341–354. doi:10.1016/j.coldregions.2007.03.004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Negi H S, Saravana G, Rout R and Snehmani 2013 Monitoring of great Himalayan glaciers in Patsio region, India using remote sensing and climatic observations; Curr. Sci. 105 (10) 1383–1392.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ogilvie I H 1904 The effect of superglacial débris on the advance and retreat of some Canadian glaciers; J. Geol. 12 (8) 722–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Østrem G 1959 Ice melting under a thin layer of moraine, and the existence of ice cores in moraine ridges; Geogr. Ann. 41 (4) 228–230.

    Google Scholar 

  • Østrem G and Brugman M 1991 Glacier mass-balance measurements: A manual for field and office work; NHRI Science Report 4, National Hydrology Research Institute, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, Sask.

  • Pandey P and Venkataraman G 2013 Changes in the glaciers of Chandra–Bhaga basin, Himachal Himalaya, India, between 1980 and 2010 measured using remote sensing; Int. J. Remote Sens. 34 (15) 5584–5597. doi:10.1080/01431161.2013.793464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey P, Kulkarni A V and Venkataraman G 2013 Remote sensing study of snowline altitude at the end of melting season, Chandra–Bhaga basin, Himachal Pradesh, 1980–2007; Geocarto Int. 28 (4) 311–322. doi:10.1080/10106049.2012.705336.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey A C, Gosh S and Nathawat M S 2011 Evaluating patterns of temporal glacier changes in Greater Himalayan Range, Jammu and Kashmir, India; Geocarto Int. 26 (4) 321–338. doi:10.1080/10106049.2011.554611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parasher K C 1990 Unpublished GSI Report of Field Season 1989–90.

  • Parasher K C and Raj D 1988 Unpublished GSI Report of Field Season 1987–88.

  • Parasher K C and Rapa D A 1981 Unpublished GSI Report of Field Season 1980–81.

  • Paterson W S B 1994 The physics of glaciers 3rd edn, Elsevier, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul F, Barry R G, Cogley J G, Frey H, Haeberli W, Ohmura A, Ommanney C S L, Raup B, Rivera A and Zemp M 2009 Recommendations for the compilation of glacier inventory data from digital sources; Ann. Glaciol. 50 119–126.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paul F, Huggel C and Kääb A 2004 Combining satellite multispectral image data and a digital elevation model for mapping debris-covered glaciers; Remote. Sens. Environ. 89 510–518. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2003.11.007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Porter S C 1981 Recent glacier variations and volcanic eruptions; Nature 291 139–142. doi:10.1038/291139a0.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qing K C, Cheng K, Ralf L and Xiang Q 2013 Glacier velocity measurements in the eastern Yigong Zangbo basin, Tibet, China; J. Glaciol. 59 (218) 1060–1068. doi:10.3189/2013JoG12J234.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rabatel A, Dedieu J P and Vincent C 2005 Using remote sensing data to determine equilibrium-line altitude and mass balance time series: Validation on three French glaciers, 1994–2002; J. Glaciol. 51 (175) 539–546. doi:10.3189/172756505781829106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Racoviteanu A E, Arnaud Y, Williams M W and Ordon J 2008 Decadal changes in glacier parameters in the Cordillera Blanca, Peru, derived from remote sensing; J. Glaciol. 54 (186) 499–510. doi:10.3189/002214308785836922.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rai S C and Gurung A 2005 Raising awareness of the impacts of climate change: Initial steps in shaping policy in Nepal; Mt. Res. Dev. 25 (4) 316–320. doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2005)025[0316:RAOTIO]2.0.CO;2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raina V K 2009 Himalayan glaciers – behaviour and climate change: Himalayan glaciers – a state-of-art review of glacial studies, glacial retreat and climate change; Moef discussion paper, G.B. Pant institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarkhand.

  • Raina V K and Srivastava D 2008 Glacier Atlas of India; Geological Society of India, Bangalore.

  • Reid T D and Brock B W 2010 An energy-balance model for debris-covered glaciers including heat conduction through the debris layer; J. Glaciol. 56 (199) 903–916. doi:10.3189/002214310794457218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakai A, Takeuchi N, Fujita K and Nakawo M 2000 Role of supraglacial ponds in the ablation process of a debris-covered glacier in the Nepal Himalayas; Symposium at Seattle 2000 – Debris-Covered Glaciers, IAHS Publ. 264 119–130.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sangewar C V and Shukla S P 2009 Inventory of the Himalayan glaciers: A contribution to the international hydrological programme; Spec. Publ. No. 34, Geological Survey of India.

  • Scherler D, Bookhagen B and Strecker M R 2011 Spatially variable response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover; Nat. Geosci. 4 156–159. doi:10.1038/ngeo1068.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharma P 2007 Mass balance and chemical characteristics of Chhota Shigri Glacier-B, Lahaul-Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh; Ph.D thesis, School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

  • Sharma S S and Ganju A 2000 Complexities of avalanche forecasting in Western Himalaya – An overview; Cold Reg. Sci. Technol. 31 (2) 95–102, doi:10.1016/S0165-232X(99)00034-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shukla A, Gupta R P and Arora M K 2009 Estimation of debris cover and its temporal variation using optical satellite sensor data: A case study in Chenab basin, Himalaya; J. Glaciol. 55 (191) 444–452. doi:10.3189/002214309788816632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sidjak R W and Wheate R D 1999 Glacier mapping of the Illecillewaet icefield, British Columbia, Canada, using Landsat TM and digital elevation data; Int. J. Remote Sens. 20 273–284.

  • Takeuchi Y, Kayastha R B and Nakawo M 2000 Characteristics of ablation and heat balance in debris-free and debris-covered areas on Khumbu Glacier, Nepal Himalayas in the pre-monsoon season; Symposium at Seattle 2000 – Debris-Covered Glaciers, IAHS Publ. 264 53–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Taschner S and Ranzi R 2002 Comparing the opportunities of Landsat-TM and ASTER data for monitoring a debris-covered glacier in the Italian Alps within the GLIMS project; In: 22nd International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2002), 24–28 June 2002, Toronto, Canada. Proceedings, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, NJ, 2 1044– 1046.

  • Vincent C, Ramanathan A L, Wagnon P, Dobhal D P, Linda A, Berthier E, Sharma P, Arnaud Y, Azam M F, Jose P G and Gardelle J 2013 Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss; Cryosphere 7 (2) 569–582. doi:10.5194/tc-7-569-2013.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagnon P, Linda A, Arnaud Y, Kumar R, Sharma P, Vincent C, Pottakkal J G, Berthier E, Ramanathan A L, Hasnain S I and Chevallier P 2007 Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India: A new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya; J. Glaciol. 53 (183) 603–611, doi:10.3189/002214307784409306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagnon P, Ribstein P, Kaser G and Berton P 1999 Energy balance and runoff seasonality of a Bolivian glacier; Global Planet. Change 22 (1–4) 49–58. doi:10.1016/S0921-8181(99)00025-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Worni R, Huggel C and Stoffel M 2013 Glacial lakes in the Indian Himalayas – From an area-wide glacial lake inventory to on-site and modeling based risk assessment of critical glacial lakes; Sci. Total Environ. 468–469 S71–84. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.11.043.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work has been funded by National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India, under the program ‘Cryosphere and Climate’. We heartily acknowledge and thank to Dr Shailesh Nayak, Secretary, ESSO-MoES for his support to run the field expedition and giving valuable scientific suggestions for improving the quality of the paper. We also thank Dr S Rajan, Director, ESSO-NCAOR for his unconditional support. We thank the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and the United State Geological Survey (USGS) for providing satellite data and Survey of India for providing the toposheets for our study area. We thank our field assistant, Mr B B Adhikari and the porters who were involved in our field trips, and ABVIMAS, Manali for providing some of the facilities to carry out this work. We are also thankful to IITM, Pune for facilitating necessary instruments that enabled us to collect meteorological data during the field.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. ESSO-National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa, 403 804, India.

    Parmanand Sharma, Lavkush K Patel, Ajit Singh, Mahalinganathan K & Meloth Thamban

  2. Earth System Science Organization, Ministry of Earth Sciences (Government of India), Prithvi Bhawan,Lodhi Road, New Delhi, 110 003, India.

    Rasik Ravindra

Authors
  1. Parmanand Sharma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lavkush K Patel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rasik Ravindra
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ajit Singh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Mahalinganathan K
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Meloth Thamban
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Parmanand Sharma.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Sharma, P., Patel, L.K., Ravindra, R. et al. Role of debris cover to control specific ablation of adjoining Batal and Sutri Dhaka glaciers in Chandra Basin (Himachal Pradesh) during peak ablation season. J Earth Syst Sci 125, 459–473 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-016-0681-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-016-0681-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation