MASS BALANCE MEASUREMENT OF RIKHA SAMBA GLACIER, HIDDEN VALLEY, MUSTANG, NEPAL

Bikas Chandra Bhattarai1, Rijan Bhakta Kayastha2, Sanjay Gurung1, Sharad Joshi3, Dorothea Stumm3 and Pradeep Mool4, (1)Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal, (2)Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel, Nepal, (3)International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal, (4)International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, Kathmandu, Nepal

Contact First Author: Bikas Chandra Bhattarai; bikasc.bhattarai@ku.edu.np

Abstract ID#: 33197

 

English Abstract:
Various studies suggest that most of the Himalayan glaciers are retreating though the rate of retreat varies from glacier to glacier, depending upon the terrain and climatological condition. Relation between climatic and mass balance studies remains unclear and almost nonexistent in this region. In this study, climatic and net mass balance analysis was performed using in situ measurements of stakes and meteorological parameters in Rikha Samba Glacier, Hidden Valley. Stake measurements are taken at two separate periods. Long-term temperature and precipitation trend are calculated by using the data recorded at Jomsom. The glacier shows net mass balance of -1.80 ± 0.097 m w.e. for the lower part of the glacier below 5800 m altitude from 10 September 2011 to 3 October 2012 and - 0.206 ± 0.019 m w.e. for the entire glacier from 4 October 2012 to 30 September 2013. The equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of Rikha Samba Glacier is estimated at 5800 m a.s.l. in 2013. Average temperature trend of 0.023 °C/yr at 5% level of significance is observed from 1980 to 2012 with no significant trend in precipitation in that period.

KEYWORDS: Ablation, accumulation, climate change, glacier mass balance, Himalayan glacier

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