International Research Journa Vol. 5(9), 32-39, September (20 International Science Community Associa Geospatial Technique Base Vanya 1 Department of Geography, Faculty of 2 Space Applications Cen Avai Received 30 th June Abstract The glaciers of the Himalayan region have change. Keeping an account of the glaci essential as they actively contribute to th glaciers of Bhutan Himalayas was therefo Information System (GIS). The focus of th statistically analyzing the results of the var Brahmaputra Basin, 17.97% volume of ice divided into smaller units and classified understanding of the glacier behavior acco (432) of glaciers with largest glacier siz region which is a part of the Greater Hima Keywords: Accumulation, Ablation, Orien Introduction The Himalayan Mountain range was sometim “Third pole”, as it equaled the icy cold conditi the Polar regions 1 and also had the largest snow and glaciers out of the two poles Himalayan region has become a global hotsp development and environmental manageme These glaciers which are a unique reservoir not only enrich the rivers of the young fold m their melt waters but they also provide information on climate change 3 . For that reas evolution becomes an important issue as significantly contribute to ongoing rise in sea a systematic, reliable and scientific health as glaciers is the need of the hour. The initial step towards forecasting the future this area were to measure the ongoing glacie calculation was possible using certain climat (temperature and precipitation), but incase of of this kind of data, use of certain other in balance, changes in glacier length or areal e forecast the stored glacial resources 6,7 . Till the recent past the Himalayan glaciers we on the field because of the use of manual m advent of remote sensing techniques in glacial glacier mapping with utmost accuracy was government and private organizations along al of Environment Sciences_________________________ 016) ation ed Glacial Inventory of Bhutan Hi a Bajpai 1 , Rolee Kanchan 1 * I.M. Bahuguna 2 f Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadod ntre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad 380 015, [email protected]ilable online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me e 2016, revised 30 th August 2016, accepted 11 th September 2016 e gained a lot of importance in the recent past as they pla iers, which are considered as the store house of solid he perennial rivers of the country. This task of monito ore implemented by IRS LISS III, AWiFS and SRTM DEM he present study was towards inventorying the glaciers o rious glacial parameters. It was inferred that, out of the t e was trapped in the glaciers of Bhutan sub-basin. The g d into three physiographic divisions. This categorizat ording to the size - number ratio giving an important resu ze (50 sq. km. to 121 sq. km) were concentrated in the C alayas. ntation. mes termed as the tions that existed in t agglomeration of es. Nowadays the pot for hydropower ent for the future. for water storage 2 mountains through direct source of son, studying their glacier melt may a level 4 . Therefore, ssessment of these water resources of er depletion 5 . This te series indicators f the unavailability ndicators like mass extent will help to ere poorly sampled methods. With the l studies, extensive possible 8-10 . Many with large number of scientists throughout the world a the glaciers of the Eastern Himalaya Thus, this present work aims to towards the glacier community by and related features for the Bhutan H Materials and Methods Study area: The area under study stretches between 27°N to 29°N longitude with an aerial coverage o the Eastern Himalayan region. This small land-locked country wit km. and a north-south coverage geopolitically quite significant as boundaries with China (Tibet) in with the Indian sub-continent (betw the east, west and south. Geomorph the study area is quite sketchy, from south to the sub alpine snow c attaining heights of more than 7500 Regional sub-divisions made by accepted and considered for the cu was on the three glaciated ph Chomolhari-Kulha Gangri region region (West), iii. The Punakha-Thi ________ E-ISSN 2319–1414 Int. Res. J. Environment Sci. 32 imalayas, Bhutan dara, Gujarat, India , India 6 ay an active role in climate d fresh water has become oring and delineating the M data using Geographic of Bhutan Himalayas and total glaciated parts of the glaciers were further sub- tion helped in the better ult that, maximum number Chomolhari-Kulha Gangri are working towards mapping an region. make a small contribution y inventorying these glaciers Himalayas. i.e. the Kingdom of Bhutan latitude and 89°E to 92°E of about 40210.63 sq. km. in th an east-west extent of 320 e of 150 km. Figure-1 is s it shares the international the north and northeast and ween Assam-Bengal plains) in hologically, the topography of m the subtropical plains in the capped ranges in the north 0 m. 11 . y R.L. Singh 12 were thus urrent study where the focus hysiographic units. i. The n (North), ii. The Trongsa imphu region (East)
8
Embed
Geospatial Technique Based Glacial Inventory of Bhutan ... · Geospatial Technique Based Glacial Inventory of Bhutan Himalayas, Bhutan Vanya Bajpai 1Department of Geography, ... Information
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
International Research Journal
Vol. 5(9), 32-39, September (2016)
International Science Community Association
Geospatial Technique Based Glacial Inventory of Bhutan Himalayas, BhutanVanya Bajpai
1Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao2Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
AvailableReceived 30th June
Abstract
The glaciers of the Himalayan region have gained a lot of importance in the recent past as they play an active role in climat
change. Keeping an account of the glaciers, which are considered as the store house of solid fresh water has become
essential as they actively contribute to the perennial rivers of the country. This task of monitoring and delineating the
glaciers of Bhutan Himalayas was therefore implemented by IRS LISS III, AWiFS and SRTM DEM data using Geographic
Information System (GIS). The focus of the present study was towards inventorying the glaciers of Bhutan Himalayas and
statistically analyzing the results of the various glacial parameters. It was inferred that, out of the total glaciated parts
Brahmaputra Basin, 17.97% volume of ice was trapped in the glaciers of Bhutan sub
divided into smaller units and classified into three physiographic divisions. This categorization helped in the better
understanding of the glacier behavior according to the s
(432) of glaciers with largest glacier size (50 sq. km. to 121 sq. km) were concentrated in the Chomolhari
region which is a part of the Greater Himalayas.
Keywords: Accumulation, Ablation, Orientation
Introduction
The Himalayan Mountain range was sometimes termed as the
“Third pole”, as it equaled the icy cold conditions that existed in
the Polar regions1 and also had the largest agglomeration of
snow and glaciers out of the two poles. Nowadays the
Himalayan region has become a global hotspot for hydropower
development and environmental management for the future.
These glaciers which are a unique reservoir
not only enrich the rivers of the young fold mountains through
their melt waters but they also provide direct source of
information on climate change3. For that reason, studying their
evolution becomes an important issue as glacier melt
significantly contribute to ongoing rise in sea level
a systematic, reliable and scientific health assessment of these
glaciers is the need of the hour.
The initial step towards forecasting the future water resources of
this area were to measure the ongoing glacier depletion
calculation was possible using certain climate series indicators
(temperature and precipitation), but incase of the unavailability
of this kind of data, use of certain other indicators like mass
balance, changes in glacier length or areal extent will help to
forecast the stored glacial resources6,7
.
Till the recent past the Himalayan glaciers were poorly sampled
on the field because of the use of manual methods. With the
advent of remote sensing techniques in glacial studies, extensive
glacier mapping with utmost accuracy was possible
government and private organizations along with large number
Journal of Environment Sciences_____________________________
(2016)
Association
Geospatial Technique Based Glacial Inventory of Bhutan Himalayas, BhutanVanya Bajpai
1, Rolee Kanchan
1* I.M. Bahuguna
2
Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad 380 015, India