A Surging Glacier Recognized by Remote Sensing on the Zangser Kangri Ice Field, Central Tibetan Plateau

A glacier surge, which is quasi-periodic and involves rapid flow, is an abnormal glacier motion. Although some glaciers have been found to be surging, little is known about surging glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau (TP), especially the Central and Northern TP. Here, we found a surging glacier (GLIMS ID: G085885E34389N) on the Zangser Kangri ice field (ZK), Central TP, by means of the digital elevation models (DEMs) from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), TanDEM-X 90 m, Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) DEMs, and High Mountain Asia 8-m DEM (HMA), combined with Landsat images and the Global Land Ice Velocity Extraction from Landsat 8 (GoLIVE) dataset. This surge event was confirmed by the crevasses, shear margin, and visible advancing snout shown in the Landsat images produced since 2014 and the HMA. The inter-comparison of these DEMs and the surface velocity changes showed that the surge event started between October 2012 and January 2014. The glacier may have also surged in the 1970s, based on a comparison between the topographical map and Landsat images. The glacier mass balance here has been slightly positive from 1999 onward (+0.03 +/- 0.06 m w.e.a(-1) from 1999 to 2015, +0.02 +/- 0.07 m w.e.a(-1) from 1999 to December 2011), which may indicate that the ZK is located on the southern edge of the mass balance anomaly on the TP. Combining with other surging glaciers on the Central and Northern TP, the relatively balanced mass condition, large size, and shallow slope can be associated with glacier surges on the Central and Northern TP.

Automated summary

A surging glacier was discovered on the Zangser Kangri ice field in the Central Tibetan Plateau, with evidence showing the surge event started between late 2012 and early 2014. The glacier may have surged in the 1970s as well, and has maintained a slightly positive mass balance since 1999, potentially due to its location on the southern edge of mass balance anomaly on the Tibetan Plateau. The characteristics of relatively balanced mass condition, large size, and shallow slope may be associated with glacier surges in the Central and Northern Tibetan Plateau.