A comprehensive and version-controlled database of glacial lake outburst floods in High Mountain Asia

Earth system science data, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 15(9), P. 3941 - 3961

Published: Sept. 5, 2023

Abstract. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) have been intensely investigated in High Mountain Asia (HMA) recent years and are the most well-known hazard associated with cryosphere. As glaciers recede surrounding slopes become increasingly unstable, such events expected to increase, although current evidence for an increase is ambiguous. Many studies individual events, while several regional inventories exist, they either do not cover all types of GLOF or geographically constrained. Further, downstream impacts rarely discussed. Previous relied on academic sources combined existing lakes. In this study, we present first comprehensive inventory GLOFs HMA, including details time their occurrence, processes formation drainage involved, impacts. We document 697 that occurred between 1833 2022. Of these, 23 % were recurring from just three ephemeral ice-dammed combination, documented resulted 6906 fatalities which 906 can be attributed 24 3 times higher than a previous assessment region. The integration lakes within database will inform future assessments potential drivers GLOFs, allowing more robust projections developed. future, updated versions traceable version-controlled directly incorporated into further analysis. available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7271187 (Steiner Shrestha, 2023), code development version GitHub.

Language: Английский

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Climate change impacts on snow avalanche activity and related risks

Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(5), P. 369 - 389

Published: April 25, 2024

Language: Английский

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Disaster effects of climate change in High Mountain Asia: State of art and scientific challenges

Advances in Climate Change Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 15(3), P. 367 - 389

Published: June 1, 2024

High-Mountain Asia (HMA) shows a remarkable warming tendency and divergent trend of regional precipitation with enhanced meteorological extremes. The rapid thawing the HMA cryosphere may alter magnitude frequency nature hazards. This study reviews impact various types hazards in region, including their phenomena, mechanisms impacts. It reveals that: 1) occurrences extreme rainfall, heavy snowfall, drifting snow are escalating; accelerated ice melting have advanced onset increased snowmelt floods; 2) elevating trigger factors, such as glacier debuttressing shift thermal hydrological regime bedrock/snow/ice interface or subsurface, mass flow bedrock landslide, avalanche, ice-rock avalanches detachment, debris will become more severe; 3) active-layer detachment retrogressive thaw slumps slope failures, settlement thermokarst lake damage many important engineering structures infrastructure permafrost region; 4) multi-hazards cascading hazard HMA, glacial outburst flood (GLOF) avalanche-induced greatly enlarge destructive power primary by amplifying its volume, mobility, force; 5) instability sediment supply highland areas could impose remote catastrophic impacts upon lowland regions, threat hydropower security future water shortage. In future, ongoing profoundly weaken multiple-phase material bedrock, ice, water, soil, enhance activities Compounding high prevail HMA. As runoff overpasses peak low droughts downstream glacierized mountain regions became frequent severe. Addressing escalating region requires tackling scientific challenges, understanding multiscale evolution formation mechanism hazard-prone systems, coupling thermo‒hydro‒mechanical processes multi-phase flows, predicting catastrophes arising from weather climate events, comprehending how propagate to lowlands due change.

Language: Английский

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Climate change impacts and adaptation to permafrost change in High Mountain Asia: a comprehensive review

Environmental Research Letters, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(9), P. 093005 - 093005

Published: Aug. 18, 2023

Abstract Changing climatic conditions in High Mountain Asia (HMA), especially regional warming and changing precipitation patterns, have led to notable effects on mountain permafrost. Comprehensive knowledge of permafrost HMA is mostly limited the mountains Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, with a strong cluster research activity related critical infrastructure providing basis for climate adaptation measures. Insights extent characteristics Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH), are much more limited. This study provides first comprehensive review peer-reviewed journal articles, focused hydrological, ecological, geomorphic impacts associated thawing HMA, as well those examining adaptations changes Studies reveal clear trend across region, likely resulting increased landslide activity, streamflow, soil saturation subsequent vegetation change. Adaptation strategies been documented only around megaprojects animal herding China. While available important insight that can inform planning we also identify need further areas hazards its effect ecosystems subsequently livelihoods. We suggest future rely extrapolation already existing within region reduce risks highlight key gaps specific where insights These additional support from governments funders urgently needed enhance collaboration sufficiently understand effectively respond change HKH region.

Language: Английский

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Spatial heterogeneity and temporal tendency of channeled snow avalanche activity retrieved from Landsat images in the maritime snow climate of the Parlung Tsangpo catchment, southeastern Tibet

Cold Regions Science and Technology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 223, P. 104206 - 104206

Published: April 14, 2024

Language: Английский

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Remote Sensing and Modeling of the Cryosphere in High Mountain Asia: A Multidisciplinary Review

Remote Sensing, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 16(10), P. 1709 - 1709

Published: May 11, 2024

Over the past decades, cryosphere has changed significantly in High Mountain Asia (HMA), leading to multiple natural hazards such as rock–ice avalanches, glacier collapse, debris flows, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). Monitoring change evaluating its hydrological effects are essential for studying climate change, cycle, water resource management, disaster mitigation prevention. However, knowledge gaps, data uncertainties, other substantial challenges limit comprehensive research climate–cryosphere–hydrology–hazard systems. To address this, we provide an up-to-date, comprehensive, multidisciplinary review of remote sensing techniques studies, demonstrating primary methodologies delineating glaciers measuring geodetic mass balance thickness, motion or ice velocity, snow extent equivalent, frozen ground soil, ice, glacier-related hazards. The principal results achievements summarized, including URL links available products related platforms. We then describe main monitoring using satellite-based datasets. Among these challenges, most significant limitations accurate inversion from remotely sensed attributed high uncertainties inconsistent estimations due rough terrain, various employed, variability across same regions (e.g., depth retrieval, active layer thickness ground), poor-quality optical images cloudy weather. paucity observations validations with few long-term, continuous datasets also limits utilization studies large-scale models. Lastly, potential breakthroughs future i.e., (1) outlining debris-covered margins explicitly involving areas mountain shadows, (2) developing highly retrieval methods by establishing a microwave emission model snowpack mountainous regions, (3) advancing subsurface complex freeze–thaw process space, (4) filling gaps on scattering mechanisms varying surface features ice), (5) improving cross-verifying accuracy combining different physical models machine learning assimilation high-temporal-resolution This highlights cryospheric incorporating spaceborne diversified techniques/methodologies multi-spectral thermal bands, SAR, InSAR, passive microwave, altimetry), providing valuable reference what scientists have achieved Third Pole.

Language: Английский

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Socioecological dynamics of diverse global permafrost-agroecosystems under environmental change

Arctic Antarctic and Alpine Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 56(1)

Published: June 17, 2024

Permafrost-agroecosystems include all cultivation and pastoral activities in areas underlain by permafrost. These systems support local livelihoods food production are rarely considered global agricultural studies but may become more relevant as climate change is increasing opportunities for high latitude mountainous areas. The exact locations amount of containing permafrost currently unknown, therefore we provide an overview countries where both present. We highlight the socioecological diversity complexities permafrost-agroecosystems through seven case studies: (1) crop Alaska, USA; (2) Indigenous Northwest Territories, Canada; (3) horse cattle husbandry hay Sakha Republic, Russia; (4) mobile pastoralism Mongolia; (5) yak Central Himalaya, Nepal; (6) berry picking reindeer herding northern Fennoscandia; (7) northwest Russia. discuss regional knowledge gaps associated with make recommendations to policy makers land users adapting changing environments. A better understanding needed help sustainably manage develop these considering rapidly climate, environments, economies, industries.

Language: Английский

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Mapping and characterization of avalanches on mountain glaciers with Sentinel-1 satellite imagery

˜The œcryosphere, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 18(6), P. 2809 - 2830

Published: June 20, 2024

Abstract. Avalanches are important contributors to the mass balance of glaciers located in mountain ranges with steep topographies. result localized over-accumulation that is seldom accounted for glacier models due difficulty quantifying this contribution, let alone occurrence avalanches these remote regions. Here, we developed an approach semi-automatically map avalanche deposits over long time periods and at scales multiple glaciers, utilizing imagery from Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This performs particularly well scenes acquired winter morning but can also be used identify events throughout year. We applied method 16 302 a period 5 years 6 12 d interval Mt Blanc massif (European Alps), Everest (central Himalaya) region, Hispar (Karakoram) region. These three survey areas all characterized by slopes present contrasting climatic characteristics. Our results enable identification hotspots on allow us quantify activity its spatio-temporal variability across The preferentially lower elevations relative hypsometry glacierized catchments constrained smaller elevation range Asian sites, where they have limited influence their extensive debris-covered tongues. Avalanche coincide solid precipitation events, which explains high during monsoon However, there lag 1–2 months, visible especially between indicative some snow retention headwalls. study therefore provides critical insights into redistribution processes tools account balance.

Language: Английский

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A multi-aggregation approach to estimate avalanche vulnerability and suggest phase-wise adaptation

Environment Development and Sustainability, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 4, 2025

Language: Английский

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Multi Breach GLOF Hazard and Exposure Analysis of Birendra Lake in the Manaslu Region of Nepal

Natural Hazards Research, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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