Brief communication: Glaciers in the Hunza catchment (Karakoram) have been nearly in balance since the 1970s

Tobias Bolch; Tino Pieczonka; Kriti Mukherjee; Joseph Shea

doi:10.5194/tc-11-531-2017

Brief communication: Glaciers in the Hunza catchment (Karakoram) have been nearly in balance since the 1970s

Tobias Bolch^*, Tino Pieczonka, Kriti Mukherjee, Joseph Shea

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Previous geodetic estimates of mass changes in the Karakoram revealed balanced budgets or a possible slight mass gain since ∼2000. Indications of longer-term stability exist but only very few mass budget analyses are available before 2000. Here, based on 1973 Hexagon KH-9, ∼2009 ASTER and the SRTM DTM, we show that glaciers in the Hunza River basin (central Karakoram) were on average in balance or showed slight insignificant mass loss within the period ∼1973-2009. Heterogeneous behaviour and frequent surge activities were also characteristic of the period before 2000. Surge-type and non-surge-type glaciers showed on average no significantly different mass change values. However, some individual glacier mass change rates differed significantly for the periods before and after ∼2000.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	531-539
Number of pages	9
Journal	Cryosphere
Volume	11
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-531-2017
Publication status	Published - 15 Feb 2017
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Water Science and Technology
Earth-Surface Processes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.5194/tc-11-531-2017

Cite this

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Brief communication: Glaciers in the Hunza catchment (Karakoram) have been nearly in balance since the 1970s

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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