The study maps paraglacial landforms preserved in the semiarid NW Himalaya (eastern Zanskar ranges: Sarchu Plain) and the subhumid Gangotri valley (central Himalaya)

The present study maps and quantifies paraglacial landforms preserved in the semiarid NW Himalaya (eastern Zanskar ranges: Sarchu Plain) and the subhumid Gangotri valley (central Himalaya). The two catchments that have contrasting climatic conditions are chosen to understand the changes in ice volume and sediment sequestration in the late Quaternary period. Using the satellite remote sensing data supported by Google Earth images, the study identifies multiple paraglacial features including the moraines, alluvial fans, scree fans, drumlins, talus cones, and outwash gravel terraces. The moraine stratigraphy is used for the estimation of temporal changes in the ice volume and paraglacial landforms are used

to quantify the sediments sequestered in these two valleys.

The study indicates that the subhumid Gangotri valley had a significantly high ice volume since the Marine Isotopic Stage (MIS)-4 compared to the semiarid Sarchu Plain, which is attributed to increased contribution from the combined moisture from the mid-latitude westerlies (MLW) and the Indian summer monsoon (ISM). Whereas the amount of paraglacial sediment sequestered in the Sarchu Plain far exceeds the Gangotri valley. Although preliminary in nature, the study suggests that the subhumid Himalayan glaciers in the Himalayas contain larger ice volumes with the exception of Siachen and Drang-Drung glaciers (largest) in the NW Himalaya.

Remote sensing-basedgeomorphological mappingof glacial and paraglacial landforms

The study maps paraglacial landforms preserved in the semiarid NW Himalaya (eastern Zanskar ranges: Sarchu Plain) and the subhumid Gangotri valley (central Himalaya)

Remote sensing-based
geomorphological mapping
of glacial and paraglacial landforms