Abstract
AbstractWe investigated glacier changes in the Karatal river basin, the largest basin in Zhetysu (Dzhungar) Alatau, Kazakhstan, for the periods 1956–89, 1989–2001 and 2001–12, based on Landsat TM/ETM+ data analysis. In 1989, we found 243 glaciers with a total area of 142.8 km2; by 2012 these had shrunk to 214 glaciers with a total area of 109.3 km2, a decrease of 33.5 km2 over 23 years (1.02%a-1). This very high shrinkage rate is likely connected with a general trend of increasing temperatures, and small glaciers being situated at the relatively low altitude of the outer Zhetysu Alatau ranges. We also analyzed the shrinkage rate of glaciers based on their differences in size, altitude and aspect of slopes, as well as other topographic parameters, in four sub-basins where glacier shrinkage varied between 18% and 39%. Weather-station climate data showed a significant temperature increase and stable precipitation trends over the study period. We conclude that glacierized areas of the Karatal river basin are located in the most unfavorable conditions for glaciation, and as a result showed a higher shrinkage rate than other glacierized areas of the Tien Shan from 1956 to 2012.
Highlights
Glaciers play a crucial role in central Asia’s hydrological cycle (Viviroli and others, 2003; Armstrong, 2010; Sorg and others, 2012)
Analyses of glacier changes for the entire Zhetysu Alatau were reported by several authors, who estimated the total decrease of the glacier area in the Karatal river basin was 34.8% during 1956–2000 (Severskiy and others, 2012; Vilesov and others, 2013)
Our results indicate that glacier area loss in the Karatal river basin was 23% (1.02% a–1) for 1989–2012
Summary
Glaciers play a crucial role in central Asia’s hydrological cycle (Viviroli and others, 2003; Armstrong, 2010; Sorg and others, 2012). Cherkasov (2004) compiled the second glacier inventory, using topographic maps on a 1 : 25 000 scale, based on aerial photographs taken in 1972, and two more limited glacier studies were conducted for the 1990s and 2000s. These inventories, remained as unpublished reports (Vilesov and others, 2013). Analyses of glacier changes for the entire Zhetysu Alatau were reported by several authors, who estimated the total decrease of the glacier area in the Karatal river basin was 34.8% during 1956–2000 (Severskiy and others, 2012; Vilesov and others, 2013). This paper presents our detailed analyses of the glacier areas of the Karatal river basin for the periods 1956–89, 1989–2001 and 2001–12, using wellestablished semi-automatic methods based on band ratio techniques (Paul and others, 2013)
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