Mass Balance Assessment Using the �AARTI� Approach in the Baspa Basin, Indian Himalayas

Gaddam, VK and ELE, SL and Kulkarni, AV and Ranjan, R and Bhandari, S and Gullapalli, S and Björnsson, H and Kusuma, SK (2024) Mass Balance Assessment Using the �AARTI� Approach in the Baspa Basin, Indian Himalayas. In: Remote Sensing in Earth Systems Sciences, 7 (3). pp. 236-259.

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Abstract

Snow cover and glaciers are the major sources of freshwater from the Polar Regions, Antarctica, Himalaya and the Arctic. Melt from these glacial components forms the supply of water to the downstream communities for various socio-economic and industrial activities. Due to climatic change, they are observed retreating and melting at a higher rate. Monitoring the changes that occur in these glacial components is thus essential to evaluate the water budget. Studies carried out in the Himalayas suggest monitoring the glacial components on a large spatial scale using in-situ field measurements poses challenges in assessing their spatio-temporal variability, mainly the mass balance. The mass balance of a glacier can be estimated using any one of the six methods from the literature (Garg et al. Polar Science 31:100786, 24; Azam et al. 2014), owing to their advantages, limitations, and applicability. Among the six methods, the AAR method is well-suitable for glaciers� mass balance estimation on a large scale, but the accuracy of measurements by this method depends on the reliability of the regressions developed using field mass balance and satellite-based AAR. Hence, the present study�s aim is to develop a suitable regression relationship to derive the mass balance of glaciers in the Baspa basin, by utilizing the accumulation area ratio (AAR) obtained from Sentinel and Landsat satellite imagery, with modeled mass balance from the temperature index method, where lapse rates and precipitation gradients are well established. The model is applied for 27 glaciers representing regional scale. The analyses suggest that the mass balance of 27 glaciers with an area of 131.43 ± 3.28 km2, located between altitudes of 4300 and 6100 m.a.s.l have experienced a mass loss of � 0.76 ± 0.35 m w.e per annum. At the glacier scale, the mass balance is observed to be varying between + 0.26 ± 0.35 m.w.e and � 1.47 ± 0.35 m.w.e. A comparative analysis is performed for the mass balance estimated using the developed regression relationship with the in-situ field measurements of Naradu glacier available between 2014�15 and 2017�2018 hydrological years. This suggests a good correlation (r > 0.8) between modeled and field measurements. Also, a rise of 85 m in the mean ELA of the basin is observed in the basin during the study period. All these results indicate that glaciers in the Baspa basin are losing mass continuously, in line with previous studies. However, continuous loss of mass at this rate would increase the vulnerability of the villagers living downstream and emphasize the need for better development of water resource management strategies to be implemented to improve the living conditions of the Himalayan communities. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Remote Sensing in Earth Systems Sciences
Publisher:	Springer Nature
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to publisher.
Department/Centre:	Division of Mechanical Sciences > Divecha Centre for Climate Change
Date Deposited:	24 Oct 2024 12:48
Last Modified:	24 Oct 2024 12:48
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/86504

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