Retreat of Glaciers in Zanskar Valley

Retreat of Glaciers in Zanskar Valley

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III –  Environment

In news According to a recent study, the Pensilungpa Glacier (PG), in Zanskar, Ladakh, is retreating.

• The study was being carried out by the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science & Technology, GoI, since 2015.

 Key findings of the study

• The study has attributed the retreat to an increase in the temperature and decrease in precipitation during winters.
• The study also points at the significant influence of debris cover on the mass balance and retreat of the glacier’s endpoint, especially in summer.
• Furthermore, the mass balance data for the last 3 years (2016–2019) showed a negative trend.
• The study also suggests that due to continuous rise in the air temperature in line with the global trend, the melting would increase, and it is possible that the precipitation of summer periods at higher altitudes will change from snow to rain, and that may influence the summer and winter pattern.

News Source: PIB