GC41A-0089
SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS OF GLACIER ADVANCES AND RETREAT
IN THE WESTERN KARAKORAM
Umesh K. Haritashya, Michael P. Bishop, John F. Shroder and Henry N. N. Bulley
Department of Geography and Geology, University of Nebraska – Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, NE 68182 USA
Contact Umesh Haritashya: uharitashya@mail.unomaha.edu
Retreat and downwasting of alpine glaciers are
reported in many mountain environments, although
our results document a relatively high percentage of
advancing/surging glaciers in the Karakoram
Himalaya. We have also indentified retreating glaciers
that exhibit lower retreat rates than those reported in
the Indian Himalaya or the Hindu Kush region of
Average Annual Precipitation (mm/day)
8
3
2
1
0
6
4
2
0
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
2
Average Annual Temperature (OC)
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
1
0
-1
-2
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year
1
1
STUDY AREA
2
2
4
20 Sept. 2003
This research is part of the NASA-supported Global Land Ice
Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project that has been designed to produce quantitative information about the world’s
glaciers through high quality remote sensing/field observations
(Bishop et al., 2000; Bishop et al., 2004; Kargel et al., 2005).
CONCLUSION
BALTORO, BIAFO AND PANMAH MUSTAGH REGION
4
Average Annual Precipitation (mm/day)
Debris-covered alpine glaciers around the world have been
retreating and downwasting. This suggests glacier response to
atmospheric warming. Recent studies in the eastern Himalaya
have shown systematic retreat for many glaciers. In the western
Himalaya, however, systematic and quantitative data are not yet
available to determine glacier sensitivity and mass balance
trend. Given the paucity of bench-mark glaciers in the Himalaya, remote-sensing-based studies are required to obtain baseline information and produce estimates of advance and retreat
rates. Consequently, our objectives were to assess glacier fluctuations in the western Karakoram of Pakistan as a part of the
Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) project.
Specifically, we used multi-temporal satellite data (ASTER
09/13/2004, 08/14/2004, 09/20/2003, and Keyhole 08/04/1973,
06/17/1979, 06/22/1980) to quantitatively assess terminus fluctuations. Results indicate that 45% of the sampled glaciers are
advancing, and/or exhibit similar terminus positions to past positions. For example, Momhil Glacier is advancing at the rate of
10 m/yr. On the other hand, most of the small-medium to small
glaciers, such as Silking Glacier are retreating (4 m/yr). Some
of these glaciers have also shown strong downwasting characteristics in the form of increased frequency and size of supraglacial lakes. Collectively, our results indicate that these glaciers
may be responding differently to the current climatic conditions
than in the eastern Himalaya (east of the Karakoram) and Wakhan Pamir region (northwest of the Karakoram). These quantitative results from remote-sensing studies also indicate that glacier fluctuations in this region are spatially and temporally complex. These complexities may be governed by multi-scaled topographic effects, as well as by variations in winter precipitation and decreases in summer temperature from increased
cloudiness, as suggested by others.
BATURA AND HISPAR MUSTAGH REGION
Average Annual Temperature (OC)
ABSTRACT
Glacier fluctuations have
been calculated using triangulation that accounts for
changes in terminus shape and
orientation. Terminus positions were identified in Keyh o l e
i m a g e r y
(1973/1979/1980) and ASTER satellite imagery.
(2003/2004).
3
4
3
24 June 2006
ASTER multitemporal coverage of the Baltoro Mustagh region. Imagery depicts recent surges of tributary glaciers of the
main Panmah Glacier. These tributaries are: (1) Drenmang; (2)
Chiring; (3) Maedan; (4) Shingchukpi. The Chiring Glacier
surged before the Maedan Glacier. Furthermore, the surface of
main Panmah Glacier exhibits an increase in the frequency and
size of supraglacial lakes compared to the past. This glacier is
currently retreating at 6 m/yr based upon image analysis. Similar
results have been presented by Hewitt (2007).
Three-dimensional perspective of Bualtar Glacier in the Hunza Karakoram. Satellite imagery draped over a digital elevation model clearly depicts different phases of surging
(surge lobes) and ice flow pattern. It also shows debris cover patterns in the lower ablation region and terminus area. (Courtesy: Google Earth).
Afghanistan (Haritashya et al., 2007).
We speculate that the advancing glaciers, which
have not surged in the past are doing so as a result of
positive mass balance. This interpretation is supported
by ERA-40 climate re-analysis data* that indicates an
increase in average annual precipitation but very little
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The work was funded by the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) (NNG04GL84G).
REFERENCES
Bishop, M. P., Kargel, J. S., Kieffer, H. H., MacKinnon, D. J., Raup, B.
H. and Shroder, J. F., Jr (2000) Remote-sensing science and technology
for studying glacier processes in high Asia. Annals of Glaciology 31,
164–170.
Bishop, M. P. and 16 others (2004) Global Land-Ice Measurements From
Space (GLIMS): Remote Sensing and GIS Investigations of the Earth’s
Cryosphere. Geocarto International 19 (2), 57-84.
Haritashya, U. K, Bishop, M. P., Shroder, J. F. Jr, Bush, A. B. G. and
Bulley, H. N. N. (2007) Space-based assessment of glacier fluctuations
in the Wakhan Pamir, Afghanistan. Climatic Change (Submitted).
Hewitt, K. (2007) Tributary glacier surges: an exceptional concentration
at Panmah Glacier, Karakoram Himalaya. Journal of Glaciology 53
(181), 181—188.
Kargel, J. S. and 16 others (2005) Multispectral Imaging contributions to
Global Land Ice Measurements from Space, Special Issue on Terra/
ASTER Science. Remote Sensing of Environment 99, 187-219