Glaciological research in the Mongolian Altai, 2003-2009

Abstract

Glaciological research has been conducted in the Mongolian Altai since 2003 in order to understand the present state of the glaciers. Three dierent types of glaciers were surveyed, namely Potanin Glacier in the Tavan Bogd mountain range, Glaciers D and D in the Tsambagarav Massif. The maximum ice thickness varied from 229 m (Potanin Glacier; valley glacier) and m(D m (D -0; mountain glacier) to 79 m (D; ice cap). The surface flow velocity of Potanin Glacier varied from 0.8-2.6 m-1 at the tongue to 17-31 m-1 a in the middle part, and it was higher in summer than in winter. On the other hand, that of D002 gradually increased from 12.6 m a-1 at the tongue to.28.4 m-1 at the middle part and was almost constant throughout the year. Large surface lowering was observed at the tongue of the Potanin Glacier, with values of 9.5-15.8 m lowering from September 2004 to September 2009. In contrast, at the tongue of D002, the surface level lowered by 2.8-8.3 m from June 2005 to September. The retreat distance of the Potanin Glacier was 90 m during the period from September 2003 to September 2009, whereas D002 showed a retreat of 20 m from June 2005 to September. A rough estimate shows that the Potanin Glacier may experience a sizable retreat of 3 km within 100 years, a distance which is larger than that observed in the past 55 years (0.9 km). © Japanese Society of Snow and Ice.