Glaciers Responses to Changing Climatic Conditions in Nanda Devi Region, Central Himalaya, India
Glaciers responses to changing climatic conditions in Nanda Devi region, central Himalaya, India Suraj Mal and RB Singh Department of Geography, Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi, India Global Mean Specific and Total Mass Balance of Glaciers and Ice Caps Periods Mean specific Mass Total Mass Balance (kg m-2 yr-1) Balance (Gt yr-1) 1960/1961– –283 ± 102 –155 ± 55 2003/2004 1960/1961– –219 ± 92 –120 ± 50 1989/1990 1990/1991– –420 ± 121 –230 ± 66 2003/2004 Source: IPCC, 2007 1 Gt = one billion metric tonnes One metric tonne is 1000 kilograms Countries No of Area of Glaciers Ice Volume Glaciers (km2) (km3) Bhutan1 667 1316.71 127.25 India2* 4278 8797.13 931.56 Nepal3 3252 5323.90 481.32 China4** 1578 2906.08 -- Pakistan5 5218 15040.70 2738.51 Total 14993 33384.46 4278.64 Source: Mool et al., 20011; Sah et al., 20052; Mool and Bajracharya, 20032; Bhagat et al., 20042; Mool et al., 20013; Lizong et al., 20054; Mool et al., 20055. *Only Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Sikkim are included. **Only Tibten Parts of China are included. Snout Recession of Himalayan Glaciers Glaciers Location Period Average snout retreat (m/year) References Siachen Siachen NA 31.5 Vohra, 1981 1995-2008 > 1 Ganjoo and Kaul, 2009 Milam* Uttarakhand 1849-1906 12.8 Cotter and Brown, 1907 1906-1938 16 Mason, 1938 1938-1957 5.6 Jangpangi and Vohra, 1959 1957-1966 20.2 Jangpangi, 1975 1966-1997 30.3 Shukla and Siddiqui, 2001 1954-1976 20 Raj, 2011 1976-1990 19.14 1990-2006 36.93 Pindari* Uttarakhand 1845-1966 23.5 Tiwari, 1972 Chorabari Uttarakhand 1962-2003
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