Evaluating the Glacier Change Dynamics Using GI Science

Over the past three decades, glaciers in and around Khangchendzonga National Park—home to Mt. Kangchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak—have retreated at an alarming rate of 1.50 km² per year, losing a total of 43.5 km² (3.45% annually). This rapid deglaciation, mapped using remote sensing data, underscores the accelerating impact of climate change on freshwater resources critical for irrigation, hydropower, and ecosystems in the Brahmaputra basin. The study also identified distinct glacial features such as debris-covered ablation zones, scarp faces, and expanding glacial lakes, providing spatial insights into the region's cryospheric dynamics. These findings highlight the urgent need to monitor high-altitude glaciers as sensitive indicators of global warming.

Kandekar, A., Vyas, S., Bhade, V., & Kumar, B. (2022). Evaluating the Glacier Change Dynamics Using GI Science. GIScience for the Sustainable Management of Water Resources, 291–314. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003284512-18