Alarming recession of glaciers in Bhilangna basin, Garhwal Himalaya, from 1965 to 2014 analysed from Corona and Cartosat data

Abstract

Himalayan glaciers are showing reliable evidences of climate change. Glacier status in Bhilangna basin of Garhwal Himalaya were mapped from Corona and Cartosat satellite images acquired in 1965 and 2014. The main Khatling trunk glacier that receded 4340 m resulted in fragmentation of the compound basins trunk glacier into multiple valley glaciers, which increased the number of glaciers in the basin from 20 to 33 and loss of 10% glacier area during 1965 to 2014. The Glacial erosional and depositional landforms reveal evidences of two stages of glaciation in the basin. The Khatling glacier paleoextent was reconstructed to 8.4 Km from the present snout to downstream. The satellite image interpretation and field evidences show that morphology and dynamics of the glacier has a strong influence on the faster recession of Khatling glacier. Systematic observation of glaciers from oldest Corona and recent Cartosat satellite images provide reliable information on glacier dynamics in the inaccessible terrain of the Himalaya.