Analysis of glacial meltwater in Bagrot Valley, Karakoram, based on short term ablation and debris cover observations on Hinarche Glacier
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2010
Citazione:
Analysis of glacial meltwater in Bagrot Valley, Karakoram, based on short term ablation and debris cover observations on Hinarche Glacier / C. Mayer, A. Lambrecht, C.E. Mihalcea, M. Belò, G.A. Diolaiuti, C. Smiraglia. - In: MOUNTAIN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. - ISSN 0276-4741. - 30:2(2010), pp. 169-177.
Abstract:
People in the Karakoram
use discharge from
glaciers during summer
for irrigation and other
purposes. While the
glacial meltwater supply
during hot and dry periods
will vary as a result of
climate change,
Karakoram glaciers so far
have not shown a consistent reaction to climatic change,
although climate scenarios indicate severe future impacts in
the high-elevation regions of the Himalaya and Karakoram.
Field measurements on Hinarche Glacier in Bagrot Valley are
combined with remote sensing information and climate
observations to investigate the meltwater production of the
glacier and estimate the meltwater discharge in the valley.Special emphasis was placed on ice melt beneath
supraglacial debris, which is the common process on the
glacier tongues in the region. The calculated annual meltwater
production of about 135 million m3 for Hinarche Glacier shows
the order of magnitude for glacier runoff in such environments.
Glacial meltwater production is about 300 million m3 per year
for the entire valley under balanced conditions. This analysis
serves as a basis for further investigations concerning
temporal meltwater variability and potential water usage by
the local population.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Climate change; debris-covered glacier; glacierized mountain areas; ice and snow melt; Karakoram; monitoring strategies; Pakistan; water resources
Elenco autori:
C. Mayer, A. Lambrecht, C.E. Mihalcea, M. Belò, G.A. Diolaiuti, C. Smiraglia
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