Evolving glacier patterns in the Chenab River Basin (1993-2021): Drivers and environmental implications

Area of Science:

• Glaciology
• Climate Science
• Himalayan Geography

Background:

• Glaciers in Jammu and Kashmir are retreating faster than in the northwestern Himalayas.
• Some Chenab River basin glaciers exhibit periodic advancement and mass gain, contrasting with overall retreat trends.
• Localized glacier dynamics require further investigation beyond general climate change concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatio-temporal evolution of glaciers in the Bhut and Warwan sub-basins of the Chenab River basin from 1993 to 2021.
• To understand the factors influencing localized glacier dynamics, including advance and retreat.
• To assess changes in glacier area, thickness, debris cover, and velocity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of glacier spatio-temporal evolution using remote sensing data from 1993-2021.
• Quantification of area loss, surface thinning, debris cover changes, and glacial velocity.
• Comparative analysis between Bhut and Warwan sub-basins.

Main Results:

• Overall area loss of 6.7%, surface thinning of -0.3 ± 0.4 ma⁻¹, increased debris cover (11%), and reduced glacial velocity (54% in Bhut, 20% in Warwan) were observed.
• Periodic, insignificant glacier advancement occurred on nine glaciers, with twelve showing a balanced state, while 113 glaciers disappeared.
• The Bhut sub-basin exhibited higher average velocity, slowdown, and thinning compared to the Warwan sub-basin, influenced by precipitation and debris cover.

Conclusions:

• Climate drives long-term and periodic glacier responses, but spatial variability is largely controlled by debris thickness.
• Localized glacier advances do not represent the overall state or recent dynamics of glaciers in the region.
• Debris cover and precipitation are key factors influencing localized glacier behavior and spatial variability.