Decoding the Karakoram Anomaly

The 'Karakoram Anomaly' is termed as the stability or anomalous growth of glaciers in the central Karakoram, in contrast to the retreat of glaciers in other nearby mountainous ranges of Himalayas and other mountainous ranges of the world. It remains an intriguing scientific question to the researchers. An attempt is made to provide mechanisms leading to such a process and thus 'affirming' it. In view of this, meteorological and cryospheric processes, viz., glacial-atmosphere coupled interactions in tandem with temperature-moisture interactions and radiative balance- on glaciated regions are simultaneously argued over the Karakoram and the adjacent Ladakh. Ladakh is deliberately chosen to compare the weaknesses, lacuna and gaps in the observations/reanalyzes- so that similar forcings are investigated over both regions. It is important to mention that both regions are data sparse. Findings show that geographical and elevation positioning of the Karakoram makes its environmental conditions conducive for glacier stability and/or growth which otherwise is not the case in the Ladakh region. Indian winter monsoon, western disturbances (WDs) embedded within upper level subtropical westerly jet moving eastwards, provides higher moisture incursion which in association with lowered lifting condensation level dumps higher moisture/mass over Karakoram than Ladakh. In addition, role of 2 m surface (T2m) and skin temperature (Ts) is one of the leading driving mechanisms. Difference (T2m-Ts) illustrates inversion which provides stable atmosphere leading to dump all the available moisture/mass over Karakoram, which is contrary over Ladakh.