Oral or Poster

IACS

C07 - Glaciers, glacial lakes and water resources in High Mountain Asia

The dynamic face of Batura Glacier: An Analysis of Glacier Area and Snout Movements in the Karakoram Region

The global variability in glacier systems is changing, mainly due to fluctuation of glaciers from one region to another as a result of climate change. This is mostly caused by changing climatic conditions and reduced primary productivity. This research focuses on Batura Glacier, 57km long and has an area of approximately 285 km2 located in the Karakoram region, making it one of the largest glaciers in the region. Batura Glacier, being the fifth-longest in the world, holds the most significant importance in monitoring climate change and glacial movements. With the use of multi-temporal satellite imagery, we studied its area changes and the position changes of its snout from 1990 to 2022. Glacial boundary delineation was supported by high resolution satellite data and field observations validated remote sensing information and enabled us to obtain localized motion of glacier. Our analysis detected heterogeneous responses of Batura Glacier to climate change. The lateral translocation of the glacier snout between 1990 and 2022 is particularly marked. Shifts were noted from a left position in 1990 to a middle position in 2013 and further right by 2022. From the field observations carried out in 2016, it was noted that the snout was covered by debris, although it had an average thickness of around 0.656 meters. The debris in the ablation zone of Batura Glacier is a mix of fine sand, coarse pebbles, and large boulders, with distinct differences on either bank of the glacier. On the left bank, granite boulders dominate, evidence of the glacier��s interaction with the underlying rock formations as it advanced and retreated over time. Above the snout, the average thickness of the debris layer is approximately 2 feet, contributing to the glacier��s ongoing retreat by influencing meltwater runoff and affecting the underlying ice dynamics. Field based survey of the snout��s periphery established in 2016 as baseline for future comparisons. A follow-up in 2024 showed that the terminus had receded by approximately 120 meters over 8 years, reflecting a broader trend of glacier shrinkage across the Karakoram due to rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. Such field based observations are crucial for understanding Batura Glacier��s dynamics and predicting its future behaviour, which impacts local water resources. These results underscore the importance of combining satellite-based analyses with field data to understand glacier behaviour in the context of regional climate dynamics. The Batura Glacier's unique response highlights the necessity for localized studies to inform broader glaciological models and climate change projections in High Mountain Asia. Future studies should analyse aerial photos of Batura Glacier, and therefore better estimate the changes temperature has caused on the glacier.