148
till year 2000. However, at present, approximately twenty Himalayan glaciers are
being monitored by various national agencies. The number is still very less to represent the cross section of entire Indian Himalaya. Available data revealed that mean
annual net balance of all the glaciers are negative but not more that −0.43 m w.e.
before 2000 except Dunagiri glacier of Garhwal Himalaya which has value of
−1.04 m w.e. (Table 3). This shows high variability in annual net mass balance
across the Himalaya. Because of lack of standard methodology and sparse location
of glaciers monitored, a comparison of the rate of mass loss in all three region of
Himalaya may lead to erroneous results.
3.4 Status of Mass Balance After 2000
In the recent years the glaciological studies in India have gained impetus with some
more glaciers being added to the list of glaciers under a monitoring program adopting standard methodology for estimating mass balance. Some of the glaciers viz. the
Gangotri and Chhota Shigri glaciers, have a long series of mass balance data available from Indian Himalaya. Similarly Hamata glacier in Chandra basin and
Chorabari in Garhwal Himalaya have been monitored by GSI and WIHG respectively over a sustained period. Since 2013, six glaciers of Chandra basin (Sutri
Dhaka, Batal, Bara Shigri, Samudra Tapu, Gepang Gath and Kunzam) have been
taken up for long term monitoring and integrated glaciological studies by National
Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, (see Table 4).
Table 4, above, shows that data from eastern Himalayan glaciers is scarce.
However all the monitored glaciers of western and central Himalaya show increase
in their mass wastage during the first one and half decade of the present century.
Most of the glaciers in Western and central Himalaya have high negative mass balance. Annual mass waste reached up to −1.43 m w.e. and −1.29 m w.e. in Hamata
glacier and Samudra Tapu glaciers of Chandra basin, respectively (Fig. 4). Due to
paucity of data set, it is difficult to understand a proper glacier response to the climate but overall the available data revealed significant change with accelerating ice
loss during the study period (2000–2017). Similar results of accelerated loss of ice
mass in Himalaya was observed by Bolch et al. (2012). Various studies in Himalaya
have shown decreasing glacier thickness and velocities due to high mass loss in the
Himalaya. Due to the absence of data however not much can be said about local
responses of glaciers in the HK range.
P. Sharma et al.
till year 2000. However, at present, approximately twenty Himalayan glaciers are
being monitored by various national agencies. The number is still very less to represent the cross section of entire Indian Himalaya. Available data revealed that mean
annual net balance of all the glaciers are negative but not more that −0.43 m w.e.
before 2000 except Dunagiri glacier of Garhwal Himalaya which has value of
−1.04 m w.e. (Table 3). This shows high variability in annual net mass balance
across the Himalaya. Because of lack of standard methodology and sparse location
of glaciers monitored, a comparison of the rate of mass loss in all three region of
Himalaya may lead to erroneous results.
3.4 Status of Mass Balance After 2000
In the recent years the glaciological studies in India have gained impetus with some
more glaciers being added to the list of glaciers under a monitoring program adopting standard methodology for estimating mass balance. Some of the glaciers viz. the
Gangotri and Chhota Shigri glaciers, have a long series of mass balance data available from Indian Himalaya. Similarly Hamata glacier in Chandra basin and
Chorabari in Garhwal Himalaya have been monitored by GSI and WIHG respectively over a sustained period. Since 2013, six glaciers of Chandra basin (Sutri
Dhaka, Batal, Bara Shigri, Samudra Tapu, Gepang Gath and Kunzam) have been
taken up for long term monitoring and integrated glaciological studies by National
Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, (see Table 4).
Table 4, above, shows that data from eastern Himalayan glaciers is scarce.
However all the monitored glaciers of western and central Himalaya show increase
in their mass wastage during the first one and half decade of the present century.
Most of the glaciers in Western and central Himalaya have high negative mass balance. Annual mass waste reached up to −1.43 m w.e. and −1.29 m w.e. in Hamata
glacier and Samudra Tapu glaciers of Chandra basin, respectively (Fig. 4). Due to
paucity of data set, it is difficult to understand a proper glacier response to the climate but overall the available data revealed significant change with accelerating ice
loss during the study period (2000–2017). Similar results of accelerated loss of ice
mass in Himalaya was observed by Bolch et al. (2012). Various studies in Himalaya
have shown decreasing glacier thickness and velocities due to high mass loss in the
Himalaya. Due to the absence of data however not much can be said about local
responses of glaciers in the HK range.
P. Sharma et al.