Frontal changes in medium-sized glaciers in Sikkim, India during 1988-2018: Insights for glacier-climate synthesis over the Himalaya

Parvendra Kumar; Milap Chand Sharma

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.107789

Frontal changes in medium-sized glaciers in Sikkim, India during 1988-2018: Insights for glacier-climate synthesis over the Himalaya

iScience. 2023 Aug 30;26(10):107789. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107789. eCollection 2023 Oct 20.

Authors

Parvendra Kumar¹, Milap Chand Sharma²

Affiliations

¹ Department of General & Applied Geography, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar, Madhya Pradesh 470003, India.
² Centre for the Study of Regional Development, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India.

Abstract

The study assesses terminus retreat of medium-sized glaciers (1988-2018) using geospatial dataset and field study in Sikkim which is under the direct influence of the Indian SW monsoon. It also explores the causes of intra-regional and inter-regional diverse patterns of glacier retreat under the purview of topographical and climatic factors to develop a glacier-climate synthesis over the region. Glaciers have retreated in a range from 63.9 to 3.9 m yr^-1 and lost a total area of ∼2.53% (0.08% yr^-1) in the study area. The intra-regional heterogeneity in glaciers retreat seems to be caused by topographical factors in the study area. A comparison of glacier retreats with other parts of the Himalayas reveals a declining gradient from the northwest to the eastern Himalayas, broadly. This inter-regional disparity in the retreat rate seems to be caused by existing climatic regimes over different parts of the Himalayas. The results help to comprehend the glacier-climate synthesis over the Himalayan region.

Keywords: Earth sciences; Earth-surface processes; Glacial processes; Global change.