You are browsing the archive for Tibet glacier retreat Archives - From a Glacier's Perspective.
May 22, 2021
Mena Kang West Glacier retreat and lake expansion, Tibet, China
Mena Kang West Glacier in 2002, 2020 and 2021 Landsat images. Red arrow is the 2000 terminus location, yellow arrow the 2021 terminus location and pink dots the snowline. “Mena Kang West” Glacier is an unnamed glacier that is to the west of Mena Kang (6140 m) at 28 N, 91.6 W in Tibet, China. The glacier drains into the Nyamjang Chu, which flows south in Arunachal Pradesh, …
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 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 …
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 …
September 21, 2018
Duiya Glacier, China Retreat Drives Lake Expansion
Duiya Glacier, China in 1990 and 2017 Landsat images. Red arrow indicates 1990 terminus, yellow arrow the 2017 terminus, pink arrow the terminus area of Duosangpuxi purple dots the snowline Duiya Glacier, China is in the Pumqu Basin northwest of Mount Everest. The glacier terminates in an expanding lake. King et al (2018) report the proglacial lake is dammed by a full moraine loop, and the glacier loses mass via calving as …
July 18, 2018
Mount Tanggula Glaciers, China Thin and Separate
Changes in outlet glaciers of Tanggula Shan in Landsat images from 1993 and 2015. The Tanggula Shan is in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau at the headwaters of the Yangtze River and host approximately 1000 square kilometers of glaciers. Ke et al (2017) examined glaciers in the Dongkemadi Region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau revealed glacier thinning of 0.56 m/year from 2003-2008. The area loss of −0.31 km2/ year from 1976-2013, a 13% change …
May 24, 2018
Suhai Hu Ice Cap, China Outlet Glacier Retreat
Suhai Hu, Quilian Mountains Ice Cap in 1999 and 2016 Landsat image indicating five different outlet glacier termini that all ended in proglacial lakes in 1999 and all retreated significantly by 2016. Here we examine an unnamed icecap that I refer to as the “Suhai Hu” Ice Cap and five of its largest outlet glaciers in the Qilian Mountains in northwest China, with Landsat imagery from 1999-2016. The northern outlet …
January 3, 2018
Tajuco Glacier Lake, China Expands with Glacier Retreat
Tajuco Glacier terminating in Tajuco Lake retreat in 1994 and 2017 Landsat comparison. Red arrow is 1997 terminus location, yellow arrow is the 2017 terminus location and the purple dots are the snowline in 2017. Tajuco Glacier Lake is a moraine dammed glacier lake in the Tingri district of China. It drains into the Amur River which flows south into Nepal. Shijin et al (2015) reported on the expansion of …
December 6, 2017
Zhongni Glacier Retreat, China and Hydropower
Zhongni Glacier changes from in Landsat images from 1994 to 2015. The red arrow is the 1994 terminus, yellow arrow the 2015 terminus, purple dots the snowline and purple arrows lakes adjacent to the margin of the western glacier in 1994. Zhongni Glacier is 15 km northwest of Gangotri Glacier just across the border into China. The glacier drains in to the Langgen Zangbo, which becomes the Sutlej River in India. …
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.