Assessment of bed topography and debris thickness of five Nepalese glaciers

Abstract:

This study assesses the bed topography and debris thickness of five Nepalese glaciers using satellite image and models. The GlabTop model coupled with ArcGIS using Digital Elevation Model (DEM), glacier outline and branch lines relating with surface slope, elevation difference, shape factor and basal stress to estimate spatial ice thickness distribution, volume and approximation of bed topography on Mera Glacier in Hinku Valley, Solukhumbu district. The estimated ice thickness value is then compared with field data measured by ground penetrating radar which shows ± 25 % uncertainty in estimated ice thickness. The model is applied on three large glaciers in Khumbu region viz. Ngozumpa, Khumbu and Imja Glaciers. The ice thickness spatially distributed in three glaciers ranges from ~ 0 m at the glacier outline or moraine to ~ 360 m in the lower flat region of glacier valley at an elevation range of 4500 – 5500 m a.s.l. The bed topography reveals that there is no large deepening or possible sites for the formation of large lakes after glacier retreats except in Ngozumpa Glacier, whereas in Imja Glacier, existing glacier lake can further expand up to ~ 4 km in the Lhotse-Sar Glacier and ~ 2.5 km in the Imja Glacier. Sensitivity analysis is performed by modifying the two scaling parameters, shape factor and basal stress. The model performed very well when shape factor is 0.8 and basal stress is 150 kPa (1.5 bar) while comparing with field investigated ice thickness data.

In an another attempt thermal band of Landsat 8 satellite data and debris energy balance model are used to estimate debris thickness distribution on Lirung Glacier in Langtang Valley. With this new technique it is found that the debris thickness of Lirung Glacier varies from around 93 cm in the terminus and about 27 cm in the upper part of the glacier. Based on the debris thickness estimations, average daily melt is found 5.3 mm w.e. d^-1 in the upper part and 1.2 mm w.e. d^-1 near terminus of the glacier which are well corresponded with observed ice melt under corresponding debris thickness.