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Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions ›› 2018, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (5): 357–368.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1226.2018.00357

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  • 收稿日期:2018-02-13 接受日期:2018-06-28 出版日期:2018-10-01 发布日期:2018-11-19

Study of thermal properties of supraglacial debris and degree-day factors on Lirung Glacier, Nepal

Mohan Bahadur Chand1,2,*(),Rijan Bhakta Kayastha2   

  1. 1 Graduate School of Environmental Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
    2 Himalayan Cryosphere, Climate and Disaster Research Center (HiCCDRC), Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel 45200, Nepal
  • Received:2018-02-13 Accepted:2018-06-28 Online:2018-10-01 Published:2018-11-19
  • Contact: Mohan Bahadur Chand E-mail:mohanchand06@gmail.com

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Abstract:

The extensive debris that covers glaciers in the ablation zone of the Himalayan region plays an important part in regulating ablation rates and water availability for the downstream region. The melt rate of ice is determined by the amount of heat conducted through debris material lying over the ice. This study presents the vertical temperature gradients, thermal properties in terms of thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity, and positive degree-day factors for the debris-covered portion of Lirung Glacier in Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalaya using field-based measurements from three different seasons. Field measurements include debris temperatures at different debris thicknesses, air temperature, and ice melt during the monsoon (2013), winter (2013), and pre-monsoon (2014) seasons. We used a thermal equation to estimate thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity, and degree-day factors (DDF) were calculated from cumulative positive temperature and ice melt of the measurement period. Our analysis of debris temperature profiles at different depths of debris show the daily linear gradients of ?20.81 °C/m, 4.05 °C/m, and ?7.79 °C/m in the monsoon, winter, and pre-monsoon seasons, respectively. The values of thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity in the monsoon season were 10 times greater than in the winter season. The large difference in these values is attributed to surface temperature and moisture content within the debris. Similarly, we found higher values of DDFs at thinner debris for the pre-monsoon season than in the monsoon season although we observed less melting during the pre-monsoon season. This is attributed to higher cumulative temperature during the monsoon season than in the pre-monsoon season. Our study advances our understanding of heat conductivity through debris material in different seasons, which supports estimating ice melt and discharge from glacierized river basins with debris-covered glaciers in the Himalayan region.

Key words: Lirung Glacier, Himalaya, debris-covered glacier, degree-day factor, thermal conductivity, temperature gradient

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Elevation (m a.s.l.) Monsoon (2013) Winter (2013) Pre-monsoon (2014)
Site 1 Site 2 Site 1 Site 2 Site 1 Site 2
4,093 4,156 4,093 4,196 4,093 4,196
Depth from surface (m) 0.1 0.05 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.2 0.15 0.1 & 0.2 0.1 & 0.2 0.1 0.1
0.3 0.35 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4
Total debris thickness (m) 0.38 0.42 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

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Stake No. Season Debris thickness (m) Elevation (m)
1 Monsoon and pre-monsoon 0.003 (Dirty ice) 4,097
2 Winter 0.02 4,095
3 Monsoon, Winter and Pre-monsoon 0.05 4,070
4 Monsoon and winter 0.10 4,070
5 Pre-monsoon 0.16 4,094
6 Monsoon and pre-monsoon 0.20 4,093
7 Winter 0.23 4,136
8 Monsoon 0.25 4,157
9 Winter 0.28 4,109
10 Pre-monsoon 0.35 4,154
11 Monsoon 0.38 4,093
12 Monsoon 0.42 4,154

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