Publication Date
Summer 2025
Abstract
Understanding melt potential beneath debris-covered glaciers is critical to predicting future glacial mass loss in the Himalayas. This study investigates the relationship between debris thickness and sub-debris ice temperature on the Ponkar Glacier, Nepal, through a combination of field measurements and remote sensing analysis. In-situ data collected along a 200-meter transect revealed that thicker debris layers consistently corresponded with colder sub-debris ice temperatures, supporting the hypothesis that debris acts as a thermal insulator. Surface ice temperatures remained near 0 °C regardless of debris thickness. Remote sensing products, including NDVI, albedo, and Landsat thermal data, provided additional spatial context, although a slight temporal mismatch between field and satellite data introduced minor limitations. Qualitative thermal imagery and albedo mapping aligned with field trends, highlighting zones of reduced melt under thick debris. These findings confirm the non-linear influence of debris cover on glacier melt and emphasize the need for high-resolution, integrated monitoring strategies as Himalayan glaciers respond to ongoing climate change.
Disciplines
Life Sciences | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Hartgen, Delaney, "Beneath the Crap: Assessing Melt Potential Through Debris Thickness and Sub-Debris Ice Temperature on the Ponkar Glacier, Nepal" (2025). Nepal: Geoscience in the Himalaya. 10.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/npg/10