Abstract
The study of advancement and recession of the glaciers in the Himalayas is essential due to their contrasting response towards climatic change. In the present study, Survey of India (SOI) topographical maps of 1962, IRS: LISS-III image of 2001 and LANDSAT-5: TM (Thematic Mapper) image of 2009 were used to analyze the glacier fluctuations in a part of Zanskar valley. The analysis carried out on 212 glaciers indicated decrease of 57 km2 (8 %) of glacier area over many glacier which was partly compensated with area increase by 42 km2 (6 %) in other glaciers, resulting an overall glacier area decrease by only 15 km2 (2 %) from 1962–2001. Due to glacier fragmentation the number of glaciers increased from 212 in 1962 to 238 by 2001. Although majority of glaciers (88 %) exhibited retreat (up to 13 my−1), minor advancement ( 5 km2) located over wider altitudinal range (700 m–1,000 m) whereas smaller glaciers ( 5 km2). During 2001–2009 majority of the glaciers were apparently stable in terms of their area and snout position indicating less impact of climate forcing in parts of Zanskar valley as compared to other parts of the Himalaya.
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