Annual and seasonal glaciological mass balance of Patsio Glacier, western Himalaya (India) from 2010 to 2017

Abstract

Improving the knowledge on Himalayan glaciers mass balance is a key to understand the present and past annual atmospheric variations and future water availability in the region. Here, we present glaciological mass balance for Patsio Glacier, located in Himachal Pradesh (India), western Himalaya. Annual glacier-wide mass balance was measured for 7 consecutive years (2010/11 to 2016/17) and winter mass balance for 6 years (2011/12 to 2016/17). The cumulative mass balance over this period was −2.35 ± 0.37 m w.e. The corresponding mean mass balance was −0.34 m w.e. a−1. The mean annual ablation gradient excluding the debris-covered area was 0.47 m w.e. (100 m)−1. The annual ablation over the debris-covered area is reduced by an average of −1.0 m w.e. compared to the clean ice surface. Winter mass balance was consistently positive with a maximum of 1.34 m w.e. in 2014/15 and a minimum of 0.88 m w.e. in 2011/12. Multiple regression analysis between annual mass balance versus annual and winter precipitation of the Lahaul-Spiti region shows a significant positive correlation. Our results highlight the importance of monitoring seasonal mass balance and consideration of non-climatic parameters (debris and aspect) while estimating the glacier-wide mass balance.

Microbial diversity and associated metabolic potential in the supraglacial habitat of a fast‐retreating glacier: a case study of Patsio glacier, North‐western Himalaya

“…Glacial ice debris and cryoconite samples were collected from Patsio glacier, located in the Bhaga basin in Lahaul Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh, India. This is a small valley‐type glacier with an area of 2.25 km 2 which is about 3.2 km long and the total glacier covered by debris including the main‐medial moraine is ~0.29 km 2 , corresponding to ~12% of the total glacier area (Angchuk et al ., 2021). The glacier is having terminus altitude, slope variation with two snouts situated at 4839 amsl and 5030 amsl.…”

“…2C). The homogenous distribution of bacterial community could be explained by the topography and geomorphology of the Patsio glacier, which is fed by three tributaries (Angchuk et al ., 2021). Tributary A and B are located on the eastern edge and tributary C on the western side of the glacier.…”

“…Thus, most of nutrient flushed away in glacial melting and can influence the bacterial community structure. In addition, annual ablation rate exceeds the annual accumulation at the lower ablation zone compared with other parts of the ablation zone irrespective of their altitudes due to the presence of debris at the lower parts of the glacier (Angchuk et al ., 2021).…”

Factors controlling the net ecosystem production of cryoconite on Western Himalayan glaciers

“…with a total area of 2.25 km 2 . Both Chhota Shigri and Patsio Glacier are largely debris-free glaciers with 11 % debris-covered for Chhota Shigri (Garg et al 2017), mostly in the lower elevation < 4500 m a.s.l., while Patsio Glacier is approximately 12 % debris-covered (Angchuk et al 2021) The mean air temperature during summer (June -September) in Chhota Shigri ranges from 1.9 to 4.3˚C (2009 to 2019) (Mandal et al 2020) and in Patsio glacier from 1.7 to 2.3˚C (2015 to 2017) (Angchuk 2020). The summer ablation season last from mid-June to the end of September in this region (Azam et al 2014b) with July and August reportedly the warmest months during the summer period in Chhota Shigri (Mandal et al 2020) and July in Patsio (Angchuk 2020).…”

Up-glacier propagation of surface lowering of Yala Glacier, Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalaya

“…However, in situ observational studies remain scarce due to the remoteness of these glaciers and the associated logistical difficulties (e.g. Yao and others, 2012; Azam and others, 2016; Sherpa and others, 2017; Sunako and others, 2019; Angchuk and others, 2021; Stumm and others, 2021). Previous studies have employed global positioning system (GPS) and/or rangefinders during repeated surveys to derive point-based DEMs and capture surface elevation changes, and therefore estimate geodetic glacier mass balances (e.g.…”