You are browsing the archive for Himalaya glacier retreat Archives - From a Glacier's Perspective.
December 28, 2020
Nangpa La and Nup La, Mount Everest Region are snow free through December 2020
Nangpa La (NPL) and Nup La (NL) in Landsat images from 10-13-2020 and 12-16-2020, CO=Cho Oyu Peak and purple dots indicate the snowline. Both passes can be crossed without traversing snow on December 16. The winter monsoon for the Nepal Himalaya is a dry cold period with limited precipitation or new snow accumulation. Mount Everest region glaciers are summer accumulation type glaciers with ~75% of annual precipitation occurring during the …
October 29, 2020
Baqupu Glacier, China Merging Supraglacial Lakes 1998-2020
Baqupu Glacier in Landsat images from 1998 and 2020 indicating the expansion of supraglacial lakes in the terminus zone. Purples dots indicate the snowline in October of each year. Baqupu Glacier is in the Poiqu River watershed in southern Tibet, China. The Poiqu River becomes the Bhote Koshi as it crosses into Nepal before joining the Sun Koshi River. The terminus of the glacier extending from 4500-4800 m is debris …
October 1, 2020
Jiemayangzong Glacier, Tibet Retreat, Separation and Lake Expansion 1991-2020
Jiemayangzong Glacier in 1991 and 2020 Landsat images. The red arrow is the 1991 terminus location, yellow arrow is the 2020 terminus location and purple dots mark the snowline. Point A indicates a tributary that has disconnected, while bedrock expanded at Point B. Jiemayangzong Glacier drains east from 6200 m peaks along the Nepal-China border. The glacier ends in a lake- Jiemayangzong Tso. Ren et al (2016) identify this as …
January 27, 2020
Reqiang and Jicongpu Glacier Retreat, Lake Expansion and Moraine Stability Increase
Reqiang Glacier (R) and Jicongpu Glacier (J) in 1993 and 2019 Landsat images. M=Moraine, red arrow is the 1993 terminus location, yellow arrow the 2019 terminus location and purple dots the snowline. Requiang Glacier, Tibet is just east of Shishapangma Mountain one of planets 14 peaks that exceed 8000 m and terminates in the rapidly expanding proglacial lake Gangxico at 5200 m. Jicongpu Glacier drains south from Shishapangma terminating in …
December 29, 2019
Mount Everest Region Glaciers December 2019 Limited Accumulation Area
Mount Everest region snowline identified on Dec. 11, 2019 Landsat image (yellow dots). Green dots indicate the terminus and pink arrows flow direction of specific glaciers: T=Trakarding, DN=Drogpa Nagtsang, M=Melung, BK=Bhote Koshi, S=Shalong, Y=Yanong, G=Gyabarg, YN=Yanong North, GY=Gyachung, J=Jiuda, R=Rongbuk, ER=East Rongbuk, I=Imja, L=Lhotse, M=Marala, K=Khumbu, N=Ngozumpa. The winter monsoon for the Himalaya is a dry cold period with limited new snow accumulation. The Landsat image of Dec. 11, 2019 …
September 9, 2019
Retreat of West Barun Glacier and Barun Tsho expansion, Nepal 1994-2018
West Barun Glacier terminus retreat and lake expansion in 1994 and 2018 Landsat images. Red arrow is the 1994 terminus location, yellow arrow the 2018 terminus location, green arrow Seto Pohkari and purple dots the snowline. The West Barun Glacier flows southwest from Baruntse Peak at 7100 meters ending at Lower Barun Tsho (Barun Tsho) at 4500 meters. Comparison of Landsat images from 1994, 2000, 2015 and 2019 indicate the …
January 9, 2019
Drogpa Nagtsang Glacier, China Mass Balance Loss, Separation, Slow Down
Drogpa Nagtsang Glacier change in Landsat image from 1989 and 2018. Yellow arrow indicates 2018 terminus location, red arrow 1989 terminus location, red dot the lowest elevation of clean glacier ice. Points A-E are the same locations for comparison. Drogpa Nagtsang Glacier, China is a glacier that is 30 km west of Mount Everest that terminates in an expanding proglacial lake. The glacier begins on the Nepal border at 6400 …
November 8, 2018
Reru Glacier, Kashmir Retreat and Lake Expansion
Reru Glacier in 1998 and 2018 Landsat images. The red arrow indicates the 1998 terminus location, the pink arrow a recent landslide, Point 1 and 2 are tributaries that are losing connection with the main glacier and purple dots are the snowline. Reru Glacier, Kashmir is at the headwaters of the Reru River, which drains into the Doda River and then the Zanskar River. Murtaza et al (2017) noted a …
October 26, 2018
Lapche Glacier, China Supraglacial Ponds Transitioning to Lake
Lapche Glacier (Tibet 1), China in 1992 and 2018 Landsat images. The expansion of supraglacial ponds is evident between Point 2 and 3. A tributary that detaches between 1992 and 2018 is indicated by red arrow. The end of the clean ice and start of debris cover ice is just below Point 1 in 1992 and well above this Point in 2018. Lapche Glacier (Tibet 1), China flows east from …
October 2, 2018
High Glacier Snow Line Post-Monsoon 2018 on Bhutan-China Border
Angge Glacier (A) and Bailang Glacier (B) in China and Chubda Glacier (C) in Bhutan in Post Monsoon 1995 and 2018 Landsat images indicating the snowline purple dots is exceptionally high in 2018. Red arrow is the 1995 terminus location and yellow arrows the 2018 terminus location. Point 1-3 are glacier passes from China into Bhutan. The end of the monsoon season leads to finally some clear satellite images of …
Dean of Academic Affairs at Nichols College and Professor of Environmental Science at Nichols College in Massachusetts since 1989. Glaciologist directing the North Cascade Glacier Climate Project since 1984. This project monitors the mass balance and behavior of more glaciers than any other in North America.