Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data
This study investigates the geodetic mass balance of nearly all glaciers in the Ladakh region, which are crucial for local water security. Utilizing multiple digital elevation models from 2000 and 2021, we estimate glacier mass balances. Climatic drivers of glacier mass balances are explored using E...
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Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143024000194/type/journal_article |
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| author | Arindan Mandal Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma Thupstan Angchuk Mohd Farooq Azam Purushottam Kumar Garg Mohd Soheb |
| author_facet | Arindan Mandal Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma Thupstan Angchuk Mohd Farooq Azam Purushottam Kumar Garg Mohd Soheb |
| author_sort | Arindan Mandal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the geodetic mass balance of nearly all glaciers in the Ladakh region, which are crucial for local water security. Utilizing multiple digital elevation models from 2000 and 2021, we estimate glacier mass balances. Climatic drivers of glacier mass balances are explored using ERA5-Land reanalysis data, evaluated by in situ climate data. The study also examines the role of nonclimatic (morphological) variables on glacier mass balances. Results indicate Ladakh glaciers experienced negative mass balances during 2000–2021, with significant spatial variability. Western Ladakh glaciers lost slightly higher mass (−0.35 ± 0.07 to −0.37 ± 0.07 m w.e. a−1) than eastern Ladakh glaciers (−0.21 ± 0.07 to −0.33 ± 0.05 m w.e. a−1). While warming is the main driver of widespread mass loss in Ladakh, the spatial variability in mass loss is attributed to changes in regional precipitation and glacier morphological settings. Eastern Ladakh glaciers, being smaller and at higher elevations, experience lower mass loss, whereas western Ladakh glaciers, larger and at lower elevations, are more susceptible to the impact of temperature, resulting in higher mass loss. The study underscores the potentially greater vulnerability of western Ladakh glaciers to a warming climate compared to their eastern counterparts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-78e09f4d2f554c82a93d815b315c17ae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-78e09f4d2f554c82a93d815b315c17ae2025-01-16T21:49:31ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522024-01-017010.1017/jog.2024.19Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing dataArindan Mandal0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1616-6032Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma1Thupstan Angchuk2Mohd Farooq Azam3Purushottam Kumar Garg4Mohd Soheb5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7788-8894Interdisciplinary Centre for Water Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, IndiaInterdisciplinary Centre for Water Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India Centre for Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, IndiaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh 208016, IndiaDepartment of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Simrol 453552, IndiaG. B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Ladakh Regional Centre, Leh 194101, IndiaSouth Asia Institute, Department of Geography, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg 69115, GermanyThis study investigates the geodetic mass balance of nearly all glaciers in the Ladakh region, which are crucial for local water security. Utilizing multiple digital elevation models from 2000 and 2021, we estimate glacier mass balances. Climatic drivers of glacier mass balances are explored using ERA5-Land reanalysis data, evaluated by in situ climate data. The study also examines the role of nonclimatic (morphological) variables on glacier mass balances. Results indicate Ladakh glaciers experienced negative mass balances during 2000–2021, with significant spatial variability. Western Ladakh glaciers lost slightly higher mass (−0.35 ± 0.07 to −0.37 ± 0.07 m w.e. a−1) than eastern Ladakh glaciers (−0.21 ± 0.07 to −0.33 ± 0.05 m w.e. a−1). While warming is the main driver of widespread mass loss in Ladakh, the spatial variability in mass loss is attributed to changes in regional precipitation and glacier morphological settings. Eastern Ladakh glaciers, being smaller and at higher elevations, experience lower mass loss, whereas western Ladakh glaciers, larger and at lower elevations, are more susceptible to the impact of temperature, resulting in higher mass loss. The study underscores the potentially greater vulnerability of western Ladakh glaciers to a warming climate compared to their eastern counterparts.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143024000194/type/journal_articleASTER L1Aclimatedigital elevation modelglacier mass balanceLadakh Himalaya |
| spellingShingle | Arindan Mandal Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma Thupstan Angchuk Mohd Farooq Azam Purushottam Kumar Garg Mohd Soheb Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data Journal of Glaciology ASTER L1A climate digital elevation model glacier mass balance Ladakh Himalaya |
| title | Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data |
| title_full | Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data |
| title_fullStr | Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data |
| title_short | Glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the Ladakh region during 2000–2021 from remote sensing data |
| title_sort | glacier mass balance and its climatic and nonclimatic drivers in the ladakh region during 2000 2021 from remote sensing data |
| topic | ASTER L1A climate digital elevation model glacier mass balance Ladakh Himalaya |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143024000194/type/journal_article |
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