An inventory of rock glaciers in the Spiti Basin, NW Himalaya, using high resolution imageries
(2) Department of Earth Science, University of Bergen, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway
(3) Inter-University Accelerator Centre, 110067, New Delhi, India
(4) Department of Geology, North-Eastern Hill University, 793022, Shillong, Meghalaya, India
Abstract
This research presents the first up to date rock glacial inventory of the Spiti Basin (SB) in north-western Himalaya. Rock glaciers (RG) occurs as debris landforms resulting from the past or present downslope flow of frozen ground, marked in the landscape through unique features including a front, lateral margins, and optionally ridge-and-furrow surface topography, often described as the mountain manifestation of permafrost. The study area, located in the Trans-Himalayan belt north of the Pir Panjal Range, features Neoproterozoic-Cretaceous rocks. Characterized by bedrock benches, rock outcrops, and glacial-fluviatile deposits, it’s a high altitude desert at ̴ 3000 meters above sea level (m asl), with minimal annual precipitation of about 50 mm. Here we mapped RG’s using high resolution Planet scope (<3m) and Google Earth (GE) datasets for the year 2023. The results indicate SB includes 605 RGs with a total area of 144.87 ± 3.35 km2. The frontal elevation of the lowest RG is ̴ 3920 m asl whereas the highest RG is located at an mean elevation of ̴ 5987 m asl. Interestingly majority of the RGs has a southerly aspect (178.88 degrees south). The mean slope of the RGs is found to be ̴ 20.46 degrees. The upslope connection of the RGs are mostly Talus (51%) followed by Glacier (21%) and Debris (18 %) connections. We presume, topography and climatic factors are pivotal in influencing the formation and dynamics of RGs.
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