As per a study, namely Little Ice Age Glacier Extent and Temporal Changes in Annual Mass Balance (2016–19) of Pensilungpa Glacier, Zanskar Himalaya, the Pensilungpa Glacier is receding as a result of increase in temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters. The study was conducted by a team of scientists from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG) at Dehradun, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology.
The researchers at the institute have been studying the various facets of glaciology since 2015. These include glacier health (mass balance) monitoring, dynamics, discharge, past climatic conditions, speculation for future climate change and its impact on glaciers in this region.
The study was published in April 2021 in the journal Regional Environmental Change.
Key Findings of the Study
Some key findings of the study are as follows:
- The study is the fruition of four years (2015–2019) of field observations which show that the glacier is now retreating at an average rate of 6.7 plus/minus 3 metre per annum.
- The study indicates that debris cover has a significant effect on the mass balance and retreat of glacier’s endpoint, specifically in summer.
- It also reveals that due to persistent rise in the air temperature, the melting would increase, and the precipitation of summer periods at higher altitudes may change from snow to rain, and may change the pattern of summer and winter.
Estimation of Impact
The impact of climate change on the Pensilungpa Glacier was estimated taking into consideration the past and present response of the glacier. This analysis was based on field observations for glacier mass balance collected by the process of stake networking. The method of stake networking involves use of stake made of bamboo, which is placed on the glacier surface using the steam drill for mass balance measurement. The mass balance data for the three years (2016–2019) showed a negative trend with a small accumulation area ratio.
Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology was established in 1968. It conducts basic researches to discover the orogeny of the Himalayas in order to help understand seismogenesis, geodynamic processes, climate-tectonic interactions, evolution, and extinction of life, ore formation, river system, etc. It also carries out research towards the development of new concepts and models for the geodynamic evolution of the Himalaya through an interdisciplinary approach.
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