Geospatially analysing the dynamics of the Khurdopin Glacier surge using multispectral and temporal remote sensing and ground observations

Karakorum glaciers are well known for the advancement and the formation of new glacial lakes due to accelerated climate warming. Its Shimshal valley is profoundly affected by glacier surges in the last couple of decades. Khurdopin glacier is one of the highly surging glaciers in the Karakorum region. Its continuous surge since the nineteenth century is blocking the Shimshal River and creating new lakes. Our objective is to investigate the Khurdopin glacier surge from 1999 to 2017. With this, we aim to identify possible climate and topographic controls on the glacier surge behaviour. We used Landsat 4-5, 7 and 8 satellite bands and ground observations to estimate the glacier retreat and new land cover types from the glacier surge. Our results show that the Khurdopin glacier surges every 20 years. We observed the first surge of 0.69 Km(2) in 2000 and the second surge of 0.63 Km(2) in 2017. Both events blocked the Shimshal River. We observed an increase of 1-4 degrees C in the glacier minimum and maximum winter temperatures. Moreover, we observed snowfall variations in the accumulation zone in the steep glacier slope with a north slope-aspect. The 64% of the glacier aspect is north that causes an increase in ice mass in the accumulation zone by receiving more snowfall in the winter season. The study output, combined with earlier findings, can further predict a surge event in the future.

Automated summary

Karakorum glaciers, particularly the Khurdopin glacier, are known for frequent surges that block the Shimshal River and create new glacial lakes. The glacier surges occur approximately every 20 years, with an increase in ice mass, higher winter temperatures, and variations in snowfall observed. The study findings, combined with previous research, can help predict future surge events.