The Geological Society

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The Himalayan Cryosphere: Past and Present

Product Code:	SP462
Series:	GSL Special Publications - print copy
Author/Editor:	Edited by: N. C. Pant, R. Ravindra, D. Srivastava and L. G. Thompson
Publication Date:	21 August 2018
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Description

Special Publication 462

The Himalaya mountains contain not only one of the largest concentrations of ice outside the polar regions, but contribute to the hydrological requirements of large populations spread over seven nations. The exceptionally high elevations of this low-latitude cryosphere presents a natural laboratory and archives to study climate–tectonics interactions as well as regional v. global climate influences. The existing base-level data on the Himalayan cryosphere are highly variable. Several climate fluctuations occurred during the late Quaternary (MIS1–MIS5, especially the last c. 100 ka), which led to the evolution of the Himalayan landscape. Detailed studies of these archives, along with those of the present cryosphere and related hydrosphere, are essential for understanding the controls on present and future hydrology of the glacial-fed mountain rivers.

This volume, a follow-up of the XII International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science, Goa (A SCAR symposium), provides new data from locales spread over the entire Himalaya region and from Tibet. It provides a glimpse of the late Quaternary cryosphere, as well as a discussion in the last section on sustainability in the context of geohazard mitigations as well as the hydrological budget.

Published online 18/07/2018. Print copies available from 21 August 2018.

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GSL and SCAR co-publication

Type:	Book
Ten Digit ISBN:
Thirteen Digit ISBN:	9781786203243
Publisher:	GSL
Binding:	Hardback
Pages:	216
Weight:	0.8 kg

Contents

PANT, N. C., RAVINDRA, R., SRIVASTAVA, D. & THOMPSON, L. The Himalayan cryosphere: past and present variability of the ‘third pole’

The Past

THOMPSON, L. G., MOSLEY-THOMPSON, E., DAVIS, M. E., PORTER, S. E., KENNY, D. V. & LIN, P.-N.

Global-scale abrupt climate events and black swans: an ice-core-derived palaeoclimate perspective from Earth’s highest mountains

MUJTABA, S. A. I., LAL, R., SAINI, H. S., KUMAR, P. & PANT, N. C. Formation and breaching of two palaeolakes around Leh, Indus valley, during the late Quaternary

SWAIN, A. K., MUKHTAR, M. A., MAJEED, Z. & SHUKLA, S. P. Depth profiling and recessional history of the Hamtah and Parang glaciers in Lahaul and Spiti, Himachal Pradesh, Indian Himalaya

DUTTA, S., MUJTABA, S. A. I., SAINI, H. S., CHUNCHEKAR, R. & KUMAR, P. Geomorphic evolution of glacier-fed Baspa Valley, NW Himalaya: record of Late Quaternary climate change, monsoon dynamics and glacial fluctuations

The Present

AMIR KHAN, A., PANT, N. C., RAVINDRA, R., ALOK, A., GUPTA, M. & GUPTA, S. A precipitation perspective of the Hydrosphere-cryosphere interaction in the Himalaya

MITKARI, K. V., ARORA, M. K., MISHRA, V. D., GUSAIN, H. S. & GUPTA, N. K. Development of an operational algorithm for estimating snow-cover fraction

AGRAWAL, A., THAYYEN, R. J. & DIMRI, A. P. Mass-balance modelling of Gangotri glacier 99

TIWARI, S., KAR, S. C., BHATLA, R. & BANSAL, R. Annual cycle of temperature and snowmelt runoff in Satluj River Basin using in situ data

CHIPHANG, N., MISHRA, P., BANDYOPADHYAY, A. & BHADRA, A. Temporal variations in snow albedo at glaciated upper elevation zone of an Eastern Himalayan river basin

SOHEB, M., RAMANATHAN, A., MANDAL, A., ANGCHUK, T., PANDEY, N. & MISHRA, S. D. Wintertime surface energy balance of a high-altitude seasonal snow surface in Chhota Shigri glacier basin, Western Himalaya

Sustainability

OWEN, L. A. Earth surface processes and landscape evolution in the Himalaya: a framework for sustainable development and geohazard mitigation

ROWAN, A. V., QUINCEY, D. J., GIBSON, M. J., GLASSER, N. F., WESTOBY, M. J., IRVINE-FYNN, T. D. L.,

PORTER, P. R. & HAMBREY, M. J. The sustainability of water resources in High Mountain Asia in the context of recent and future glacier change

Reviews

Dr Colin J. Serridge

Overall the volume is well produced and edited, suitably illustrated and achieves its aims. It should appeal to a wide geological/geomorphological audience, particularly those with an interest in climate change impact over higher altitudes and the implications for glacier dynamics and recession rates. Hopefully this volume will be a catalyst for inspiring further research on the subject, particularly on the sustainability aspects covered.

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