Evolution of lakes near the Dzhikiugankez glacier (Northern Elbrus area) in 1957–2020 with consideration of underground flow channels

• Published in: Ice and Snow
• Main Authors: M. Dokukin D., E. Savernyuk A., M. Bekkiev Yu., R. Kalov Kh., A. Khatkutov V., М. Докукин Д., Е. Савернюк А., М. Беккиев Ю., Р. Калов Х., А. Хаткутов В.
• Other Authors: The work was carried out according to the Plan of research and technological work of Roshydromet research institutions within the framework of topic 6.3.2 AAAA-A20-120031990040‑7 and the state assignment of the Lomonosov Moscow State University on topic 1.7 «Danger and risk of natural processes and phenomena» (121051300175‑4). The authors express their gratitude to the Main Directorate of the EMERCOM of Russia in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic for providing a helicopter for conducting aerovisual surveys and conducting an expedition in 2016, SCANEX Group for providing space images, Research Center of Space Hydrometeorology Planeta for providing space images, Yu.G. Ilyichev and I.B. Seinova for providing photographs from helicopter flights in 1980 and 1981. The authors are grateful to A.S. Boronina and anonymous referee for critical comments and valuable remarks made during the preparation of the article., Работа выполнена по Плану научно-исследовательских и технологических работ научно-исследовательских учреждений Росгидромета в рамках темы 6.3.2 АААА-А20-120031990040-7 и Государственного задания МГУ имени М.В. Ломоносова по теме 1.7 «Опасность и риск природных процессов и явлений» (121051300175‑4). Авторы выражают благодарность Главному управлению МЧС России по Кабардино-Балкарской Республике за предоставление вертолёта для проведения аэровизуальных обследований и проведения экспедиции в 2016 г., ГК «СКАНЭКС» за предоставление космоснимков, Научно-исследовательскому центру космической гидрометеорологии «Планета» за предоставление космоснимков, Ю.Г. Ильичёву и И.Б. Сейновой за предоставление фотографий с вертолётных облётов в 1980 и 1981 гг. Авторы благодарны А.С. Борониной и анонимному рецензенту за критические комментарии и ценные замечания, сделанные в процессе подготовки статьи.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Russian
• Published: IGRAS 2022
• Subjects: Elbrus;Dzhikiugankez Glacier;glacier degradation;satellite images;glacial lakes;lake outburst;underground runoff channels; Эльбрус;ледник Джикиуганкез;деградация ледников;космические снимки;ледниковые озёра;прорыв озера;подземные каналы стока; Podkova; Severnoye; The Cryosphere
• Online Access: https://ice-snow.igras.ru/jour/article/view/949; https://doi.org/10.31857/S2076673422010115

Evolution of lakes near the Dzhikiugankez Glacier in the north of Elbrus for the period of 1957–2020 was studied using a comparative interpretation of aerial and satellite images as well as aerial and ground surveys in 2007–2018. Within this period the area of the Dzhikiugankez Glacier (43,35 N, 42,53 E) decreased by 8.2 km2. On the territory previously occupied by the glacier and close to it, 19 lakes appeared at different times, which dynamically developed and broke through. The lakes cover the area of 0.43 km2, that equals to 5.21% of the total icefree area. The average area of the lakes is 26.6 thousand m2. The maximum (the lake East Birdzhaly) is 89 thousand m2. In total there were six lakes larger than 25 thousand m2. They are concentrated in depressions on the surface of an ancient lava flow dammed by glaciers, dead ices and moraine lines. At a certain stage in the evolution of lakes, water from them penetrated through these barriers and, thus, formed subglacial and underground drainage channels. In 2013, during helicopter flights, an underground drainage channel with a length of more than 80 m was detected in the moraine line around the Lake «Podkova». The survey made possible to determine decreasing in the lake level by 2 m, and the accumulation of water with a volume of up to 48 thousand m3 in the cavities of the moraine massif, until it reaches the outer slope. The accumulated volume of water interflowed through the underground channel gradually, but despite the pot-holes on its bottom, no mudflow happened in the valley. Although in another case, the formation of an underground drainage channel from the Severnoye Chungurchat Lake was accompanied by a lake breakthrough and a mudflow. Other characteristic features of the evolution of lakes and changes in the direction of drainage from glaciers are also analyzed in the paper. По данным дешифрирования аэрофотоснимков и космических снимков за 1957–2020 гг., а также полевых наблюдений и вертолётных облётов определены особенности эволюции озёр у ледника ...