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A satellite-based comprehensive observation of glaciological characteristics of Shunkalpa (Ralam) Glacier, Central Himalaya, India

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Abstract

Shunkalpa Glacier, union of two glaciers namely Kalabaland (10 km long) and Yankchar glaciers (9 km long), is one of the largest glaciers in the Central Indian Himalaya with snout records available since 1886. We aimed to provide a comprehensive status of the glaciological characteristics of the glacier from satellite-based observations by providing the status of the snout fluctuation, surface velocity map, and spatial ice thickness of the glacier. The snout of the Shunkalpa Glacier was receding with a rate of 16 m/yr from 1990 to 2016. The satellite-derived surface velocity and ice thickness of the glacier have spatial variations owing to different topographical characteristics of the glacier. The mean velocity of the Shunkalpa Glacier was 22 m/yr and the mean ice thickness was 109 m. In terms of velocity, the Kalabaland Glacier was more dynamic than the Yankchar Glacier.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge Mr Harish Kapadia for providing field photographs and expedition reports of Kalabaland Glacier through personal communication. The authors are grateful to Dr Prakash Chauhan, Director, Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, ISRO for his support and guidance. The Landsat and SRTM data were downloaded from USGS and LISS IV images were procured from NRSC.

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  1. Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, India

    Pratima Pandey, Debangshu Banerjee & Prashant K Champati Ray

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  1. Pratima Pandey
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Contributions

Pratima Pandey: Conceptualization, data processing and analysis, manuscript writing. Debanghu Banerjee: Data processing. P K Champati Ray: Manuscript writing.

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Correspondence to Pratima Pandey.

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Communicated by Navin Juyal

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Pandey, P., Banerjee, D. & Ray, P.K.C. A satellite-based comprehensive observation of glaciological characteristics of Shunkalpa (Ralam) Glacier, Central Himalaya, India. J Earth Syst Sci 130, 139 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12040-021-01653-8

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