Spatial variability in patterns of glacier change across the Manaslu range, central Himalaya
Spatial variability in patterns of glacier change across the Manaslu range, central Himalaya
This study assesses changes in glacier area, velocity, and geodetic mass balance for the glaciers in the Manaslu region of Nepal, a previously undocumented region of the Himalayas. We studied changes between 1970 (for select glaciers), 2000, 2005, and 2013 using freely available Landsat satellite imagery, the SRTM Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a DEM based on Worldview imagery. Our results show a complex pattern of mass changes across the region, with glaciers lowering on average by 0.25 ±0.08ma−1 between 2000 and 2013 which equates to a geodetic mass balance of −0.21 ± 0.16m w.e.a−1. Over approximately the same time period (1999 to 2013) the glaciers underwent a 16.0% decrease in mean surface velocity over their debris-covered tongues as well as a reduction in glacier area of 8.2%. The rates of glacier change appear to vary between the different time periods, with glacier losses increasing in most cases. The glaciers on Manaslu itself underwent a change in surface elevation of −0.46 ± 0.03m a−1 between 1970 and 2000 and −0.99 ±0.08ma−1 between 2000 and 2013. Rates of glacier area change for the same glaciers increased from−0.36 km2 a−1 between 1970 and 2001 to −2.28 km2 a−1 between 2005 and 2013. Glacier change varies across the region and seems to relate to a combination of glacier hypsometry, glacier elevation range and the presence and distribution of supraglacial debris. Lower-elevation, debris-free glaciers with bottom-heavy hypsometries are losing most mass. As the glaciers in the Manaslu region continue to stagnate, an accumulation and thickening of the debris-cover is likely, thereby insulating the glacier and further complicating future glacier responses to climate.
Corona, Debris-covered glacier, Geodetic mass balance, Glacier area change, Himalayas, Velocity
Robson, Benjamin A.
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Nuth, Christopher
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Nielsen, Pål R.
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Girod, Luc
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Hendrickx, Marijn
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Dahl, Svein Olaf
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13 February 2018
Robson, Benjamin A.
ea6a160c-5678-4de6-be5b-4a9686891f12
Nuth, Christopher
f841dc81-545f-4495-ab91-e804b9c3f9ab
Nielsen, Pål R.
59119a19-63ed-4283-a627-45d6cc6dc694
Girod, Luc
ceb6aa7e-3a64-4e1e-afcb-a878203d6f3e
Hendrickx, Marijn
a30b28b9-50ac-44a5-858f-7e415f384490
Dahl, Svein Olaf
27346954-6c24-46e7-8efc-8c2460043f27
Robson, Benjamin A., Nuth, Christopher, Nielsen, Pål R., Girod, Luc, Hendrickx, Marijn and Dahl, Svein Olaf
(2018)
Spatial variability in patterns of glacier change across the Manaslu range, central Himalaya.
Frontiers in Earth Science, 6 (12), [12].
(doi:10.3389/feart.2018.00012).
Abstract
This study assesses changes in glacier area, velocity, and geodetic mass balance for the glaciers in the Manaslu region of Nepal, a previously undocumented region of the Himalayas. We studied changes between 1970 (for select glaciers), 2000, 2005, and 2013 using freely available Landsat satellite imagery, the SRTM Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a DEM based on Worldview imagery. Our results show a complex pattern of mass changes across the region, with glaciers lowering on average by 0.25 ±0.08ma−1 between 2000 and 2013 which equates to a geodetic mass balance of −0.21 ± 0.16m w.e.a−1. Over approximately the same time period (1999 to 2013) the glaciers underwent a 16.0% decrease in mean surface velocity over their debris-covered tongues as well as a reduction in glacier area of 8.2%. The rates of glacier change appear to vary between the different time periods, with glacier losses increasing in most cases. The glaciers on Manaslu itself underwent a change in surface elevation of −0.46 ± 0.03m a−1 between 1970 and 2000 and −0.99 ±0.08ma−1 between 2000 and 2013. Rates of glacier area change for the same glaciers increased from−0.36 km2 a−1 between 1970 and 2001 to −2.28 km2 a−1 between 2005 and 2013. Glacier change varies across the region and seems to relate to a combination of glacier hypsometry, glacier elevation range and the presence and distribution of supraglacial debris. Lower-elevation, debris-free glaciers with bottom-heavy hypsometries are losing most mass. As the glaciers in the Manaslu region continue to stagnate, an accumulation and thickening of the debris-cover is likely, thereby insulating the glacier and further complicating future glacier responses to climate.
Text
feart-06-00012
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More information
Accepted/In Press date: 30 January 2018
e-pub ahead of print date: 13 February 2018
Published date: 13 February 2018
Keywords:
Corona, Debris-covered glacier, Geodetic mass balance, Glacier area change, Himalayas, Velocity
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 418954
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/418954
PURE UUID: 513ebb22-9714-45fa-9667-972211b84833
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Date deposited: 27 Mar 2018 16:30
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 12:01
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Contributors
Author:
Benjamin A. Robson
Author:
Christopher Nuth
Author:
Pål R. Nielsen
Author:
Luc Girod
Author:
Marijn Hendrickx
Author:
Svein Olaf Dahl
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