Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates
The ablation areas of debris-covered glaciers typically consist of a complex mosaic of surface features with contrasting processes and rates of mass loss. This greatly complicates glacier response to climate change, and increases the uncertainty of predictive models. In this paper we present a serie...
Published in: | Journal of Glaciology |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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Online Access: | https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/stagnation-and-mass-loss-on-a-himalayan-debriscovered-glacier-processes-patterns-and-rates(bff7cd92-3554-499e-b182-f597e257e984).html https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9312/1/Benn_2016_Glaciology_Himalayan_CC.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979697055&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
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ftunstandrewcris:oai:risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/bff7cd92-3554-499e-b182-f597e257e984 2023-05-15T16:57:34+02:00 Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates Thompson, Sarah Benn, Douglas I. Mertes, Jordan Luckman, Adrian 2016-06-01 application/pdf https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/stagnation-and-mass-loss-on-a-himalayan-debriscovered-glacier-processes-patterns-and-rates(bff7cd92-3554-499e-b182-f597e257e984).html https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9312/1/Benn_2016_Glaciology_Himalayan_CC.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979697055&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Thompson , S , Benn , D I , Mertes , J & Luckman , A 2016 , ' Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates ' , Journal of Glaciology , vol. 62 , no. 233 , pp. 467-485 . https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 Debris-covered glaciers Glacier hazards Glacier mass balance Moraine Remote sensing article 2016 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 2022-10-31T06:43:39Z The ablation areas of debris-covered glaciers typically consist of a complex mosaic of surface features with contrasting processes and rates of mass loss. This greatly complicates glacier response to climate change, and increases the uncertainty of predictive models. In this paper we present a series of high-resolution DEMs and repeat lake bathymetric surveys on Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal, to study processes and patterns of mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier in unprecedented detail. Most mass loss occurs by melt below supraglacial debris, and melt and calving of ice cliffs (backwasting). Although ice cliffs cover only ∼5% of the area of the lower tongue, they account for 40% of the ablation. The surface debris layer is subject to frequent re-distribution by slope processes, resulting in large spatial and temporal differences in debris-layer thickness, enhancing or inhibiting local ablation rates and encouraging continuous topographic inversion. A moraine-dammed lake on the lower glacier tongue (Spillway Lake) underwent a period of rapid expansion from 2001 to 2009, but later experienced a reduction of area and volume as a result of lake level lowering and sediment redistribution. Rapid lake growth will likely resume in the near future, and may eventually become up to 7 km long. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology University of St Andrews: Research Portal Dammed Lake ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) Rapid Lake ENVELOPE(177.619,177.619,52.064,52.064) Journal of Glaciology 62 233 467 485 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
topic |
Debris-covered glaciers Glacier hazards Glacier mass balance Moraine Remote sensing |
spellingShingle |
Debris-covered glaciers Glacier hazards Glacier mass balance Moraine Remote sensing Thompson, Sarah Benn, Douglas I. Mertes, Jordan Luckman, Adrian Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
topic_facet |
Debris-covered glaciers Glacier hazards Glacier mass balance Moraine Remote sensing |
description |
The ablation areas of debris-covered glaciers typically consist of a complex mosaic of surface features with contrasting processes and rates of mass loss. This greatly complicates glacier response to climate change, and increases the uncertainty of predictive models. In this paper we present a series of high-resolution DEMs and repeat lake bathymetric surveys on Ngozumpa Glacier, Nepal, to study processes and patterns of mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier in unprecedented detail. Most mass loss occurs by melt below supraglacial debris, and melt and calving of ice cliffs (backwasting). Although ice cliffs cover only ∼5% of the area of the lower tongue, they account for 40% of the ablation. The surface debris layer is subject to frequent re-distribution by slope processes, resulting in large spatial and temporal differences in debris-layer thickness, enhancing or inhibiting local ablation rates and encouraging continuous topographic inversion. A moraine-dammed lake on the lower glacier tongue (Spillway Lake) underwent a period of rapid expansion from 2001 to 2009, but later experienced a reduction of area and volume as a result of lake level lowering and sediment redistribution. Rapid lake growth will likely resume in the near future, and may eventually become up to 7 km long. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Thompson, Sarah Benn, Douglas I. Mertes, Jordan Luckman, Adrian |
author_facet |
Thompson, Sarah Benn, Douglas I. Mertes, Jordan Luckman, Adrian |
author_sort |
Thompson, Sarah |
title |
Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
title_short |
Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
title_full |
Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
title_fullStr |
Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
title_sort |
stagnation and mass loss on a himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/stagnation-and-mass-loss-on-a-himalayan-debriscovered-glacier-processes-patterns-and-rates(bff7cd92-3554-499e-b182-f597e257e984).html https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9312/1/Benn_2016_Glaciology_Himalayan_CC.pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84979697055&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-68.258,-68.258,68.496,68.496) ENVELOPE(177.619,177.619,52.064,52.064) |
geographic |
Dammed Lake Rapid Lake |
geographic_facet |
Dammed Lake Rapid Lake |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Thompson , S , Benn , D I , Mertes , J & Luckman , A 2016 , ' Stagnation and mass loss on a Himalayan debris-covered glacier: processes, patterns and rates ' , Journal of Glaciology , vol. 62 , no. 233 , pp. 467-485 . https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.37 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
62 |
container_issue |
233 |
container_start_page |
467 |
op_container_end_page |
485 |
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1766049135672164352 |