Climate change and meltwater supply from debris covered Himalayan glaciers

With the benefit of three months supervision from Dr Argha Banerjee at the Indian Institute for Science Education and Research, my research on glacier dynamics and hydrology in High Mountain Asia (HMA) will make an important contribution to understanding the likely impacts of climate change, understanding that will improve peoples resilience. HMA is the most glacierized region in the world after the Poles and glacial meltwater is vital to hundreds of millions of people downstream. Research there has so far been limited and is now a high priority. There is evidence that extensive ice surface debris cover and avalanching significantly influences melt from glaciers in HMA and neither has been adequately quantified. My aim is to precisely and accurately measure these variables and model the annual and seasonal meltwater flux from glaciers in HMA over the coming century with cutting-edge methods at higher resolution than ever before.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michele Koppes

Student:

Alexandra Winter-Billington

Partner:

Discipline:

Geography / Geology / Earth science

Sector:

University:

Program:

Globalink