The Complex Phenomenon of Glaciers of Nubra Valley, Karakorum (Ladakh), India

Abstract

The Nubra valley nestled in the Karakorum Mountains of Ladakh houses about 600 glaciers of various dimensions out of which 114 glaciers were monitored in the first phase of study. The study of 114 glaciers suggests that small-size d glaciers outnumber the large-sized glaciers. Almost 52.6% of the studied glaciers are of the size less than 5 km and 31.5% of the total glaciers are between the size of 5 and 10 km. The 84 glaciers out of the 114 glaciers have been monitored on shortterm basis between the time period 1989 and 2001 whereas 30 glaciers have been monitored on long-term basis between 1969 and 2001. The monitoring of the glaciers is based on the study of Survey of India topographical sheets of 1969 and satellite imageries of time series between 1989 and 2001. The monitoring of thirty glaciers shows that 17 glaciers have lost their area between 1969 and 2001. The loss in area is from 2150 km 2 in 1969 to 2026 km 2 in 2001. The study of eighty- four glaciers on short-term basis between 1989 and 2001 suggests that 26 glaciers have retreated, 25 glaciers have advanced and 33 glaciers show no change during the time period. The changes in the glaciers of Nubra valley are varied and complex.