Abstract

Previous studies have shown that glacier changes were heterogeneous in the western Karakoram, with the coexistence of retreating, advancing, and surging glaciers. However, it remains unclear that the mechanisms driving these changes. Based on the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM and TerraSAR-X/TanDEM-X images (2014), this study presents glacier surface height changes in the Hunza Basin of the western Karakoram, employing the method of differential synthetic aperture radar interferometry (DInSAR). A slight negative glacier mass balance was observed in the Hunza Basin during 2000–2014. Surge-type glaciers would not have an obvious effect on overall mass balance in regional assessments over long-time scales. Further, glacier surface velocities in the Hunza Basin were estimated from Landsat images for the period of 1990–2018 by utilizing published data sets and Landsat images. Compared to the annual glacier surface velocities, 22 surge events were observed in seven surge-type glaciers in the Hunza Basin. Glacier flow can be attributed to thermally and hydrologically control, and the geomorphological characteristics of different individuals. This study gives us a new insight into the situation of the “Karakoram anomaly” under the background of glacier mass loss in the high mountains of Asia (HMA).

Highlights

  • Glaciers in the high mountains of Asia (HMA) are the sources of many major rivers and lakes in Asia [1]

  • Predecessors in glacier surface height changes and velocities in western Karakoram have already done a lot of significant research work and achieved fruitful results [8,9,10,13,18,19,20,21], and the relation between the two crucial parameters is fairly precise [22]

  • Mass balance increased with altitude, and it varied significantly in different elevation ranges (Figure 3)

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Summary

Introduction

Glaciers in the high mountains of Asia (HMA) are the sources of many major rivers and lakes in Asia [1]. Influenced by supraglacial debris, glacier termini can reach to lower elevations and react differently to warming [13,15] It remains unclear whether the debris cover has any impact on glacier surges or other complex behaviors. Glacier surface height changes and velocities are crucial parameters that determine glacier discharge. Predecessors in glacier surface height changes and velocities in western Karakoram have already done a lot of significant research work and achieved fruitful results [8,9,10,13,18,19,20,21], and the relation between the two crucial parameters is fairly precise [22]. Based on the analysis of mass balance and annual variability of velocity, the spatiotemporal variabilities of glacier were investigated in the western Karakoram

Study Area
Glacier Height Changes
11–22 February 2000 24 July 2014
Glacier Surface Velocities
Mass Balance
Glacier Surface Velocity
Climatic Considerations
Conclusions
Full Text
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