Gibson, MJ, Glasser, NF, Quincey, DJ et al. (2 more authors) (2017) Changes in glacier surface cover on Baltoro Glacier, Karakoram, North Pakistan, 2001 to 2012. Journal of Maps, 13 (2). pp. 100-108. ISSN 1744-5647
Abstract
The presence of supraglacial debris on glaciers in the Himalaya-Karakoram affects the ablation rate of these glaciers and their response to climatic change. To understand how supraglacial debris distribution and associated surface features vary spatially and temporally, geomorphological mapping was undertaken on Baltoro Glacier, Karakoram, for three time-separated images between 2001–2012. Debris is supplied to the glacier system through frequent but small landslides at the glacier margin that form lateral and medial moraines and less frequent but higher volume rockfall events which are more lobate and often discontinuous in form. Debris on the glacier surface is identified as a series of distinct lithological units which merge downglacier of the convergence area between the Godwin-Austen and Baltoro South tributary glaciers. Debris distribution varies as a result of complex interaction between tributary glaciers and the main glacier tongue, complicated further by surge events on some tributary glaciers. Glacier flow dynamics mainly controls the evolution of a supraglacial debris layer. Identifying such spatial variability in debris rock type and temporal variability in debris distribution has implications for glacier ablation rate, affecting glacier surface energy balance. Accordingly, spatial and temporal variation in supraglacial debris should be considered when determining mass balance for these glaciers through time.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | Supraglacial debris; Baltoro glacier; Karakoram; debris-covered glacier; surface energy balance; debris distribution; glacial geomorphology |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 20 Dec 2016 12:07 |
Last Modified: | 23 Jun 2023 22:19 |
Published Version: | https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2016.1264319 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/17445647.2016.1264319 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:109557 |