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Geospatial Technique Based Glacial Inventory of Bhutan Himalayas, Bhutan

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Author Affiliations

  • 1Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • 2Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  • 3Space Applications Centre, Indian Space Research Organization, Ahmedabad 380 015, India

Int. Res. J. Environment Sci., Volume 5, Issue (9), Pages 32-39, September,22 (2016)

Abstract

The glaciers of the Himalayan region have gained a lot of importance in the recent past as they play an active role in climate change. Keeping an account of the glaciers, which are considered as the store house of solid fresh water has become essential as they actively contribute to the perennial rivers of the country. This task of monitoring and delineating the glaciers of Bhutan Himalayas was therefore implemented by IRS LISS III, AWiFS and SRTM DEM data using Geographic Information System (GIS). The focus of the present study was towards inventorying the glaciers of Bhutan Himalayas and statistically analyzing the results of the various glacial parameters. It was inferred that, out of the total glaciated parts of the Brahmaputra Basin, 17.97% volume of ice was trapped in the glaciers of Bhutan sub-basin. The glaciers were further sub-divided into smaller units and classified into three physiographic divisions. This categorization helped in the better understanding of the glacier behavior according to the size - number ratio giving an important result that, maximum number (432) of glaciers with largest glacier size (50 sq. km. to 121 sq. km) were concentrated in the Chomolhari-Kulha Gangri region which is a part of the Greater Himalayas.

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