Spatial distribution of debris thichness and melting from remote-sensing and meteorological data, at debris-covered Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan

A distributed surface energy-balance study was performed to determine sub-debris ablation
across a large part of Baltoro glacier, a wide debris-covered glacier in the Karakoram range, Pakistan.
The study area is 124km2. The study aimed primarily at analyzing the influence of debris thickness on
the melt distribution. The spatial distribution of the physical and thermal characteristics of the debris
was calculated from remote-sensing (ASTER image) and field data. Meteorological data from an
automatic weather station at Urdukas (4022ma.s.l.), located adjacent to Baltoro glacier on a lateral
moraine, were used to calculate the spatial distribution of energy available for melting during the
period 1–15 July 2004. The model performance was evaluated by comparisons with field measurements
for the same period. The model is reliable in predicting ablation over wide debris-covered areas. It
underestimates melt rates over highly crevassed areas and water ponds with a high variability of the
debris thickness distribution in the vicinity, and over areas with very low debris thickness (<0.03 m). We
also examined the spatial distribution of the energy-balance components (global radiation and surface
temperature) over the study area. The results allow us to quantify, for the study period, a meltwater
production of 0.058km3.