Researchers found advancement in Karakoram Range "EMPOWER IAS"

News:

• Indian researchers have found a seasonal advancement in 220 surge-type glaciers in the Karakoram Range of Ladakh.

 

About Surge Type Glaciers:

• Glacial surges are short-lived events where a glacier can advance substantially, moving at velocities up to 100 times faster than normal.
• Until recently, most glaciologists believed that a glacier’s physical characteristics, such as its thickness and shape, and the properties of the terrain it sits on determining whether it can surge.
• Now, it is proved to believe an external factor also plays a major role: water from precipitation and melting.
• Pooling on the surface, it can infiltrate the glacier through crevasses and reach its base, warming, lubricating, and, ultimately, releasing the ice.

 

 

Why there is a concern?

• The behaviour of these glaciers, which represent 40% of the total glaciated area of the Karakoram, goes against the normal trend.
• Surging of glaciers is potentially catastrophic as it can lead to the destruction of villages, roads and bridges.
• It can also advance across a river valley and form the ice-dammed lake.
• These lakes can form catastrophic outburst floods.
• Therefore, monitoring of glacier surges, ice-dammed lake formation, and drainage is of paramount importance.