RS and GIS in mapping of geomorphic records and understanding the local controls of glacial retreat from the Baspa Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India

Deota, Bhushan S and Trivedi, YN and Kulkarni, AV and Bahuguna, IM and Rathore, BP (2011) RS and GIS in mapping of geomorphic records and understanding the local controls of glacial retreat from the Baspa Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India. In: Current Science (Bangalore), 100 (10). pp. 1555-1563.

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Abstract

We report here the role of remote sensing (RS) and geographical information system (GIS) in the identification of geomorphic records and understanding of the local controls on the retreat of glaciers of the Baspa Valley, Himachal Pradesh, India. The geomorphic records mapped are accumulation zone, exposed ablation zone, moraine-covered ablation zone, snout, deglaciated valley, lateral moraine, medial moraine, terminal moraine and hanging glacier. Details of these features and stages of deglaciation have been extracted from RS data and mapped in a GIS environment. Glacial geomorphic data have been generated for 22 glaciers of the Baspa Valley. The retreat of glaciers has been estimated using the glacial maxima observed on satellite images. On the basis of percentage of retreat and the critical analysis of glacial geomorphic data for 22 glaciers of the Baspa Valley, they are classified into seven categories of very low to very very high retreat. From the analysis of the above 22 glaciers, it has been found that other than global warming, the retreat of glaciers of the Baspa Valley is inversely proportional to the size of the accumulation zone and the ratio of the moraine covered ablation/exposed ablation zone.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Current Science (Bangalore)
Publisher:	Indian Academy of Sciences
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Indian Academy of Sciences.
Keywords:	Geographical information system;geomorphic records;glacial retreat;remote sensing
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Divecha Centre for Climate Change
Date Deposited:	22 Jun 2011 09:32
Last Modified:	22 Jun 2011 09:32
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/38427

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