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| Titel |
Glaciological and hydrological sensitivities in the Hindu Kush - Himalaya |
| VerfasserIn |
Joseph Shea, Walter Immerzeel |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2016
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 18 (2016) |
| Datensatznummer |
250122032
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| Publikation (Nr.) |
 EGU/EGU2016-956.pdf |
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Glacier responses to future climate change will affect hydrology at subbasin-scales. The main
goal of this study is to assess glaciological and hydrological sensitivities of sub-basins
throughout the Hindu Kush - Himalaya (HKH) region. We use a simple geometrical analysis
based on a full glacier inventory and digital elevation model (DEM) to estimate sub-basin
equilibrium line altitudes (ELA) from assumptions of steady-state accumulation
area ratios (AARs). The ELA response to an increase in temperature is expressed
as a function of mean annual precipitation, derived from a range of high-altitude
studies. Changes in glacier contributions to streamflow in response to increased
temperatures are examined for scenarios of both static and adjusted glacier geometries. On
average, glacier contributions to streamflow increase by approximately 50% for a +1K
warming based on a static geometry. Large decreases (-60% on average) occur in all
basins when glacier geometries are instantaneously adjusted to reflect the new ELA.
Finally, we provide estimates of sub-basin glacier response times that suggest a
majority of basins will experience declining glacier contributions by the year 2100. |
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