Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Four decades of glacier mass balance observations in the Indian Himalaya

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Regional Environmental Change Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Understanding the glacier mass balance is necessary to explain the rate of shrinkage and to infer the impact of climate change. The present study provides an overview of the glacier mass balance records by glaciological, geodetic, hydrological and accumulation-area ratio (AAR) and specific mass balance relationship methods in the Indian Himalaya since 1970s. It suggests that the mass balance measurements by glaciological methods have been conducted for ten glaciers in the western Himalaya, four glaciers in the central Himalaya and one in the eastern Himalaya. Hydrological mass balance has been conducted only on Siachen Glacier from 1987 to 1991. Geodetic method has been attempted for the Lahaul–Spiti region for a short time span during 1999–2011 and Hindu Kush–Karakoram–Himalaya region from 2003 to 2008. We compared in situ specific balance data series with specific mass balance derived from AAR and specific mass balance relationship. The results derived from existing and newly presented regression model based on AAR and specific mass balance relationship induced unrealistic specific mass balance for several glaciers. We also revised AAR0 and ELA0 based on available in situ AAR and specific mass balance data series of Indian Himalayan glaciers. In general, in situ specific and cumulative specific mass balance observed over different regions of the Indian Himalayan glaciers shows mostly negative mass balance years with a few positive ones during 1974–2012. On a regional level, the geodetic studies suggest that on the whole western, the central and the eastern Himalaya experienced vast thinning during the last decade (2000s). Conversely, Karakoram region showed slight mass gain during almost similar period. However, the glaciological, hydrological and geodetic mass balance data appear to exhibit short time series bias. We therefore recommend creation of benchmark glaciers network for future research to determine the impact of climate change on the Himalayan cryosphere.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anonymous (1969) Mass-balance terms. J Glaciol 8(52):3–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Azam MF, Wagnon P, Ramanathan A, Vincent C, Sharma P, Arnaud Y, Linda A, Pottakkal JG, Chevallier P, Singh VB, Berthier E (2012) From balance to imbalance: a shift in the dynamic behavior of Chhota Shigri Glacier (Western Himalaya, India). J Glaciol 58(208):315–324. doi:10.3189/2012JoG11J123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bamber JL, Rivera A (2007) A review of remote sensing methods for glacier mass balance determination. Global Planet Change 59:138–148. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.11.031

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berthier E, Arnaud Y, Kumar R, Ahmad S, Wagnon P, Chevallier P (2007) Remote sensing estimates of glacier mass balances in the Himachal Pradesh (Western Himalaya, India). Remote Sens Environ 108(3):327–338. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2006.11.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri R, Bolch T (2009) Glacier mapping: a review with special reference to the Indian Himalayas. Prog Phys Geogr 33(5):672–704. doi:10.1177/0309133309348112

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri R, Bolch T, Chaujar RK, Kulshreshta SC (2011) Glacier changes in the Garhwal Himalaya, India, 1968–2006 based on remote sensing. J Glaciol 57:543–556

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri R, Bolch T, Chaujar RK (2012) Frontal recession of Gangotri Glacier, Garhwal Himalayas, from 1965 to 2006, measured through high resolution remote sensing data. Curr Sci 102:489–494

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhambri R, Bolch T, Kawishwar P, Dobhal DP, Srivastava D, Pratap B (2013) Heterogeneity in glacier response in the upper Shyok valley, northeast Karakoram. Cryosphere 7:1385–1398. doi:10.5194/tc-7-1385-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhardwaj A, Joshi PK, Snehmani Singh MK, Sam L, Gupta RD (2014) Mapping debris-covered glaciers and identifying factors affecting the accuracy. Cold Reg Sci Technol 106–107:161–174. doi:10.1016/j.coldregions.2014.07.006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhutiyani MR (1999) Mass-balance studies on Siachen Glacier in the Nubra Valley, Karakoram Himalaya, India. J Glaciol 45(149):112–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Böhner J (2006) General climatic controls and topoclimatic variations in Central and High Asia. Boreas 35:279–295, Oslo, ISSN 0300-9483. doi:10.1080/03009480500456073

  • Bolch T, Buchroithner M, Pieczonka T, Kunert A (2008) Planimetric and volumetric glacier changes in the Khumbu Himal, Nepal, since 1962 using Corona, Landsat TM and ASTER data. J Glaciol 54(187):592–600. doi:10.3189/002214308786570782

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Kulkarni A, Kaab A, Huggel C, Paul F, Cogley JG, Frey H, Kargel JS, Fujita K, Scheel M, Bajracharya S, Stoffel M (2012) The state and fate of Himalayan Glaciers. Science 336(6079):310–314. doi:10.1126/science.1215828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brahmbhatt RM, Bahuguna I, Rathore BP, Kulkarni AV, Shah RD, Nainwal HC, Ajai (2012) Variation of snowline and mass balance of glaciers of Warwan and Bhut Basins of Western Himalaya using remote sensing technique. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 40(4):629–637. doi:10.1007/s12524-011-0186-z

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite RJ (1984) Can the mass balance of a glacier be estimated from its equilibrium-line altitude? J Glaciol 30(106):364–368

    Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite RJ (2002) Glacier mass balance: the first 50 years of international monitoring. Prog Phys Geogr 26(1):76–95. doi:10.1191/0309133302pp326ra

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite RJ (2009) After six decades of monitoring glacier mass balance we still need data but it should be richer data. J Glaciol 50(50):191–197

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braithwaite RJ, Müller F (1980) On the parameterization of glacier equilibrium line altitude. IAHS Publ 126:263–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG (2009) Geodetic and direct mass-balance measurements: comparison and joint analysis. Ann Glaciol 50(50):96–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG (2010) Mass-balance terms revisited. J Glaciol 56(200):997–1001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG (2011) Present and future states of Himalaya and Karakoram glaciers. Ann Glaciol 52(59):68–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG, Hock R, Rasmussen LA, Arendt AA, Bauder A, Braithwaite RJ, Jansson P, Kaser G, Möller, M, Nicholson L, Zemp M (2011) Glossary of Glacier mass balance and related terms, IHP-VII Technical Documents in Hydrology No. 86, IACS Contribution No. 2, UNESCO-IHP, Paris 114

  • Dobhal DP, Kumar S, Mundepi AK (1995) Morphology and glacier dynamics studies in monsoon–arid transition zone: an example from Chhota Shigri Glacier Himachal Himalaya. Curr Sci 68:936–944

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal DP, Gergan JT, Thayyen RJ (2004) Recession and morphogeometrical changes of Dokriani Glacier (1962–1995), Garhwal Himalaya, India. Curr Sci 86(5):692–696

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal DP, Gergan JT, Thayyen RJ (2008) Mass balance studies of the Dokriani Glacier from 1992 to 2000, Garhwal Himalaya, India. Bull Glaciol Res Jpn Soc Snow Ice 25:9–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Dobhal DP, Mehta M, Srivastava D (2013) Influence of debris cover on terminus retreat and mass changes of Chorabari Glacier, Garhwal region, central Himalaya, India. J Glaciol 59(217):961–971. doi:10.3189/2013JoG12J180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DST (2012) Dynamics of Glaciers in the Indian Himalaya: Science Plan. Prepared by RK Midha. Published by the Science and Engineering Board, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, Himalayan Glaciol Tech Rep 2, p 125

  • Dyurgerov MB (2002) Glacier mass balance and Regime: data of measurements and analysis. Boulder: University of Colorado, Institute Arct Alpine Res, Occasional paper p 55

  • Dyurgerov MB, Meier MF (1997) Mass balance of mountain and sub-polar glaciers: a new global assessment for 1961–1990. Arct Alp Res 29(4):379–391

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dyurgerov MB, Meier MF (2005) Glaciers and the changing earth system: a 2004 snapshot. Colorado, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, University of Colorado, Occasional Paper, Boulder, 58:117

  • Dyurgerov M, Meier MF, Bahr DB (2009) A new index of glacier area change: a tool for glacier monitoring. J Glaciol 55(192):710–716

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujita K, Nuimura T (2011) Spatially heterogeneous wastage of Himalayan glaciers. Proc Natl Acad Sci 108(34):14011–14014. doi:10.1073/pnas.1106242108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gardelle J, Berthier E, Arnaud Y (2012) Slight mass gain of Karakoram glaciers in the early 21st century. Nat Geosci 5:322–325. doi:10.1038/ngeo1450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gardelle J, Berthier E, Arnaud Y, Kääb A (2013) Region-wide glacier mass balances over the Pamir–Karakoram–Himalaya during 1999–2011. Cryosphere 7:1263–1286. doi:10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gautam CK, Mukherjee BP (1989) Mass balance vis-à-vis snout position of Tipra Bank Glacier, District Chamoli, Uttar Pradesh. In: Procedings National Meet on Himalayan Glaciology, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, pp 141–148

  • Hewitt K (2005) The Karakoram anomaly? Glacier expansion and the ‘elevation effect’, Karakoram Himalaya. Mt Res Dev 25(4):332–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoelzle M, Haeberli W, Dischl M, Peschke W (2003) Secular glacier mass balances derived from cumulative glacier length changes. Global Planet Change 36:295–306. doi:10.1016/S0921-8181(02)00223-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Immerzeel WW, van Beek LPH, Bierkens MFP (2010) Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science 328(5984):1382–1385. doi:10.1126/science.1183188

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kääb A, Berthier E, Nuth C, Gardelle J, Arnaud Y (2012) Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in the Himalayas. Nature 488:495–498. doi:10.1038/nature11324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamp U, Byrne M, Bolch T (2011) Glacier fluctuations between 1975 and 2008 in the Greater Himalaya Range of Zanskar, southern Ladakh. J Mt Sci 8(3):374–389. doi:10.1007/s11629-011-2007-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kargel JS, Cogley JG, Leonard GJ, Haritashya UK, Byers A (2011) Himalayan glaciers: the big picture is a montage. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA (PNAS) 108(36):14709–14710. doi:10.1073/pnas.1111663108

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaser G, Fountain A, Jansson P (2003) A manual for monitoring the mass balance of mountain glaciers. IHP-VI Technical Documents in Hydrology, UNESCO, Paris 59:107

  • Kaul MN (1990) Glacial and Fluvial Geomorphology of Western Himalaya, Liddar Valley. ISBN 81-7022-244-3 322

  • Koul MN, Ganjoo RK (2010) Impact of inter and intra-annual variation in weather parameters on mass balance and equilibrium-line altitude of Naradu Glacier (Himachal Pradesh), NW Himalaya, India. Clim Change 99:119–139. doi:10.1007/s10584-009-9660-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni AV (1992) Mass balance of Himalayan glaciers using AAR and ELA methods. J Glaciol 38:101–104

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni AV, Rathore BP, Suja A (2004) Monitoring of glacial mass balance in the Baspa basin using accumulation-area ratio method. Curr Sci 86:101–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni AV, Bahuguna IM, Rathore BP, Singh SK, Randhawa SS, Sood RK, Dhar S (2007) Glacial retreat in Himalaya using Indian remote sensing satellite data. Curr Sci 92(1):69–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayewski PA, Jeschke PA (1979) Himalayan and trans Himalayan glacier fluctuations since AD 1812. Arct Alp Res 11(3):267–287

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta M, Dobhal DP, Bisht MPS (2011) Change of Tipra Glacier in the Garhwal Himalaya, India, between 1962 and 2008. Prog Phys Geogr 35(6):721–738. doi:10.1177/0309133311411760

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier MF (1962) Proposed definitions for glacier mass budget terms. J Glaciol 4(33):252–263

    Google Scholar 

  • Meier MF, Dyurgerov MB, McCabe GJ (2003) The health of glaciers: recent changes in glacier regime. Clim Change 59(1–2):123–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Meier MF, Dyurgerov MB, Rick UK, O’Neel S, Pfeffer WT, Anderson RS, Anderson SP, Glazovsky AF (2007) Glaciers dominate eustatic sea-level rise in the 21st Century. Science 317(5841):1064–1067. doi:10.1126/science.1143906

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mir RA, Jain SK, Saraf AK, Goswami A (2014) Detection of changes in glacier mass balance using satellite and meteorological data in Tirungkhad basin located in Western Himalaya. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 42(1):91–105. doi:10.1007/s12524-013-0303-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mishra R, Kumar A, Singh D (2014) Long term monitoring of mass balance of Hamtah Glacier, Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh. Geolo Surv India 147(pt 8):230–231

    Google Scholar 

  • Mukherjee BP, Sangewar CV (1996) Correlation of accumulation-area ratio and equilibrium-line altitude with the mass balance of Gara, Gor Garang and Shaune Garang Glaciers of Himachal Pradesh. In: Proceeding of the Symposium NW Himalaya and Foredeep, Feb 1995, GSI Spec Publ 21(2) pp 303–305

  • Nijampurkar VN, Bhandari N, Borole DV, Bhattacharya U (1985) Radiometric chronology of Changme-Khangpu Glacier, Sikkim. J Glaciol 31(107):28–33

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oerlemans J (2001) Glaciers and climate change. AA Balkema, Lisse

    Google Scholar 

  • Oerlemans J (2007) Estimating response times of Vadret da Morteratsch, Vadret da Palu, Briksdalsbreen and Nigardsbreen from their length records. J Glaciol 53(182):357–362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Østrem G (1975) ERTS data in glaciology-an effort to monitor glacier mass balance from satellite imagery. J Glaciol 15(73):403–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Østrem G, Brugman M (1991) Glacier mass-balance measurements: a manual for field and office work. Saskatoon, Sask., Environment Canada. National Hydrology Research Institute. (NHRI Science Report 4)

  • Østrem G, Stanley A (1969) Glacier mass balance measurements: a manual for field and office work. Ottawa, Ont., Department of Energy, Mines and Resources; Oslo, Norwegian Water Resources and Electricity Board

  • Pandey AC, Ghosh S, Nathawat MS, Tiwari RK (2012) Area change and thickness variation over Pensilungpa Glacier (J&K) using remote sensing. J Indian Soc Remote Sens 40(2):245–255. doi:10.1007/s12524-011-0134-y

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paterson WSB (1994) The physics of glaciers, 3rd edn. Pergamon Press, Oxford, p 480

    Google Scholar 

  • Paul F, Haeberli W (2008) Spatial variability of glacier elevation changes in the Swiss Alps obtained from two digital elevation models. Geophys Res Lett 35:L21502. doi:10.1029/2008GL034718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelto MS (2010) Forecasting temperate alpine glacier survival from accumulation zone observations. Cryosphere 4:67–75. doi:10.5194/tc-4-67-2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pelto M, Brown C (2012) Mass balance loss of Mount Baker, Washington glaciers 1990–2010. Hydrol Process 26(17):2601–2607. doi:10.1002/hyp.9453

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pratap B, Dobhal DP, Mehta M, Bhambri R (2014) Influence of debris cover and altitude on glacier surface melting: a case study on Dokriani Glacier, central Himalaya, India. Ann Glaciol 56(70):9–16. doi:10.3189/2015AoG70A971

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rabatel A, Dedieu J-P, Vincent C (2005) Using remote-sensing data to determine equilibrium-line altitude and mass-balance time series: validation on three French glaciers, 1994–2002. J Glaciol 51(175):539–546. doi:10.3189/172756505781829106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raina VK (2005) Status of glacier studies in India. Himalayan Geol 26(1):287–293

    Google Scholar 

  • Raina VK (2009) Himalayan glaciers. A state-of-art review of glacial studies, glacial retreat and climate change. Ministry of Environment and Forests, India, http://go.nature.com/pLgJ6D

  • Raina VK, Srivastava D (2008) Glacier atlas of India. Geological Society of India, Bangalore 316

    Google Scholar 

  • Raina VK, Kaul MK, Singh S (1977) Mass-balance studies of Gara glacier. J Glaciol 18(80):415–423

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramanathan AL (2011) Status report on Chhota Shigri Glacier (Himachal Pradesh), Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, New Delhi. Himal Glaciol Tech Rep 1:88

    Google Scholar 

  • Sangewar CV, Shukla SP (2009) Inventory of the Himalayan Glaciers. Geol Surv India. Spec Publ, 34, ISSN:0254-0436

  • Sangewar CV, Siddqui MA (2006) Thematic compilation of mass balance data on glaciers of satluj catchment in Himachal Himalaya. Rec Geol Surv India 141(pt 8):159–161

    Google Scholar 

  • Scherler D, Bookhagen B, Strecker MR (2011) Spatially variable response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover. Nat Geosci 4:156–159. doi:10.1038/ngeo1068

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Singh P, Bengtsson L (2004) Hydrological sensitivity of a large Himalayan basin to climate change. Hydrol Process 18(13):2363–2385. doi:10.1002/hyp.1468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh RK, Sangewar CV (1989) Mass balance variation and its impact on glacier flow movement at Shaune Garang Glacier, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh. Proc National Meet on Himalayan Glaciology, Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, pp 149–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava D (2001) Glaciology of Indian Himalayas: a bilingual contribution in 150 years of Geological Survey of India. Geolo Surv India, Spec Publ 63:213

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava D, Singh RK, Bajpai IP, Roy Attre JK (1999a) Mass balance of Neh Nar Glacier, District Anantang, J&K. Abstracts, In: Proceedings of the symposium on snow, ice and glaciers—a Himalayan perspective

  • Srivastava D, Sangewar CV, Kaul MK, Jamwal KS (1999b) Mass balance of Rulung Glacier-A Trans-Himalayan glacier, Indus basin, Ladakh. In: Proceedings of the symposium on snow, ice and glaciers—a Himalayan perspective. Geological Survey of India, Spec Publ 53:41–46

  • Swaroop S, Gautam CK (1990) Glaciological studies on Dunagiri glacier, Chamoli District, Uttar Pradesh. Geolo Surv India 124(pt 8):186–190

    Google Scholar 

  • Swaroop S, Srivastava D (1999) Predictive Significance and interdependence of glacier discharge, ablation and microclimatic elements in Dunagiri, Chamoli District. Uttar Pradesh. In: Proceedings of the symposium on snow, ice and glaciers—a Himalayan perspective. Geological Survey of India, Spec Publ 53:47–52

  • Swaroop S, Srivastava D, Roy D, Gautam CK (1999) Variation pattern of vertical and emergent flow components of velocity and change in glacier thickness along the altitudinal profile of Dunagiri Glacier, Chamoli district, Uttar Pradesh. In: Proceedings of the symposium on snow, ice and glaciers—a Himalayan perspective. Geological Survey of India, Spec Publ 53: 53–58

  • Vincent C, Ramanathan AL, Wagnon P, Dobhal DP, Linda A, Berthier E, Sharma P, Arnaud Y, Azam MF, Jose PG, Gardelle J (2013) Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss. Cryosphere 7:569–582. doi:10.5194/tc-7-569-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vohra CP (1981) Himalayan glaciers. In: Lall JS, Maddie AD (eds) Himalayan Aspects of Change. Oxford University Press, Delhi, pp 138–151

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagnon P, Linda A, Arnaud Y, Kumar R, Sharma P, Vincent C, Pottakal JG, Berthier E, Ramanathan A, Hasnain SI, Chevallier P (2007) Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya. J Glaciol 53(183):603–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WGMS (2007) Glacier mass balance bulletin No. 9 (2004–2005). Haeberli W, Hoelzle M, Zemp M (eds.), ICSU (FAGS)/IUGG (IACS)/UNEP/UNESCO/WMO, World glacier monitoring service, Zurich, Switzerland: 100

  • WGMS (2012) Fluctuations of Glaciers 2005–2010 (Vol. X), edited by: Zemp M, Frey H, Gärtner-Roer I, Nussbaumer SU, Hoelzle M, Paul F, Haeberli W, ICSU (WDS)/IUGG (IACS)/UNEP/UNESCO/WMO, world glacier monitoring service, Zurich, Switzerland, 336

  • Yao T, Thompson L, Yang W, Yu W, Gao Y, Guo X, Yang X, Duan K, Zhao H, Xu B, Pu J, Lu A, Xiang Y, Kattel DB, Joswiak D (2012) Different glacier status with atmospheric circulation in Tibetan Plateau and surroundings. Nat Clim Change 2:663–667. doi:10.1038/nclimate1580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zemp M, Hoelzle M, Haeberli W (2009) Six decades of glacier mass-balance observations: a review of the worldwide monitoring network. Ann Glaciol 50:101–111

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zemp M, Thibert E, Huss M, Stumm D, Rolstad Denby C, Nuth C, Nussbaumer SU, Moholdt G, Mercer A, Mayer C, Joerg PC, Jansson P, Hynek B, Fischer A, Escher-Vetter H, Elvehøy H, Andreassen LM (2013) Reanalysing glacier mass balance measurement series. Cryosphere 7:1227–1245. doi:10.5194/tc-7-1227-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Prof. A. K. Gupta, Director, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehra Dun, India, for providing facilities and support to carry out this work. We are also thankful to the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, for funding. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Deepak Srivastava (Dy. Director General GSI, Retd), Dr. Kishor Kumar (Scientist, WIHG, Dehra Dun), Prashant Kawishwar (Resource Scientist, Department of Science and Technology, Chhattisgarh) and Prof. Juan Ignacio Lopez Moreno (Editor, REEC) and three anonymous reviewers for valuable comments and suggestions which improved the manuscript. The authors specially thank the workers who collected mass balance data from the Indian Himalayan glaciers without which this research would not been possible.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Glaciology, Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33-GMS Road, Dehra Dun, 248001, India

    Bhanu Pratap, Dwarika Prasad Dobhal, Rakesh Bhambri & Manish Mehta

  2. Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, 33-GMS Road, Dehra Dun, 248001, India

    Vinod Chandra Tewari

Authors
  1. Bhanu Pratap
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Dwarika Prasad Dobhal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rakesh Bhambri
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Manish Mehta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Vinod Chandra Tewari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bhanu Pratap.

Additional information

Editor: Juan Ignacio Lopez Moreno.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Pratap, B., Dobhal, D.P., Bhambri, R. et al. Four decades of glacier mass balance observations in the Indian Himalaya. Reg Environ Change 16, 643–658 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-015-0791-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10113-015-0791-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation