Articles | Volume 13, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-219-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-219-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Characterizing the behaviour of surge- and non-surge-type glaciers in the Kingata Mountains, eastern Pamir, from 1999 to 2016
Mingyang Lv
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University,
Nanjing, 210023, China
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science,
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, 100094, China
School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT,
UK
Huadong Guo
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University,
Nanjing, 210023, China
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science,
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, 100094, China
Xiancai Lu
School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University,
Nanjing, 210023, China
Guang Liu
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science,
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, 100094, China
Shiyong Yan
Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Resources and
Environmental Engineering, School of Environment Science and Spatial
Informatics, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116,
China
Zhixing Ruan
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science,
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, 100094, China
Yixing Ding
Key Laboratory of Digital Earth Science,
Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Beijing, 100094, China
Duncan J. Quincey
School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT,
UK
Related authors
Guanyu Li, Mingyang Lv, Duncan J. Quincey, Liam S. Taylor, Xinwu Li, Shiyong Yan, Yidan Sun, and Huadong Guo
The Cryosphere, 17, 2891–2907, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2891-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2891-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Kyagar Glacier in the Karakoram is well known for its surge history and its frequent blocking of the downstream valley, leading to a series of high-magnitude glacial lake outburst floods. Using it as a test bed, we develop a new approach for quantifying surge behaviour using successive digital elevation models. This method could be applied to other surge studies. Combined with the results from optical satellite images, we also reconstruct the surge process in unprecedented detail.
Gregoire Guillet, Owen King, Mingyang Lv, Sajid Ghuffar, Douglas Benn, Duncan Quincey, and Tobias Bolch
The Cryosphere, 16, 603–623, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Surging glaciers show cyclical changes in flow behavior – between slow and fast flow – and can have drastic impacts on settlements in their vicinity.
One of the clusters of surging glaciers worldwide is High Mountain Asia (HMA).
We present an inventory of surging glaciers in HMA, identified from satellite imagery. We show that the number of surging glaciers was underestimated and that they represent 20 % of the area covered by glaciers in HMA, before discussing new physics for glacier surges.
Dinoo Gunasekera, Zhongchang Sun, Wenjie Du, Jian Gao, Yunpeng Zhang, Yuyu Zhou, Robert Ndugwa, and Huadong Guo
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-381, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-381, 2026
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Urban areas are expanding rapidly worldwide, but inconsistent definitions make cities hard to compare. This study created a new dataset mapping urban built-up areas for 1,611 cities from 2000 to 2025 using satellite imagery and population data. A unified definition of urban settlements allows fair comparisons across countries and time. The results show how land consumption and population growth are linked across regions, supporting global monitoring of sustainable development.
Anya M. Schlich-Davies, Ann V. Rowan, Andrew N. Ross, Duncan J. Quincey, and Vivi K. Pedersen
The Cryosphere, 20, 3151–3186, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3151-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3151-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in the Himalaya are shrinking in response to climate change. We use a glacier model to explore how future changes in precipitation distribution will drive the evolution of Khumbu Glacier in Nepal until 2100 CE. We find that, when compared to the impacts of climate warming alone, the combined effect of warming and the resulting increase in precipitation (rain and snowfall) could offset up to half of the glacier loss expected by the end of this Century.
Sunil N. Oulkar, Matthew W. Peacey, Michael Mitrev, Duncan J. Quincey, Bryn Hubbard, Tom Matthews, Ankita S. Oulkar, Katie E. Miles, and Ann V. Rowan
Geosci. Instrum. Method. Data Syst., 15, 75–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-15-75-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-15-75-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We designed and tested a system that can record and send data in near real time from extreme and remote locations, such as Mount Everest. Using solar power and satellite communication, the system worked reliably at high altitude, showing it can be applied in other remote regions. This approach will help scientists collect vital information on how the environment is changing in areas that are normally very difficult to study.
Hong Zhang, Mingyang Song, Yinhaibin Ding, Yazhe Xie, Huadong Guo, Lu Xu, Ji Ge, Yafei Zhu, Shenghan Wang, Zihuan Guo, Zhe Wang, Haoxuan Duan, Lijun Zuo, and Wenjiang Huang
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-24, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2026-24, 2026
Revised manuscript under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate rice farming data is vital for global food security. We created GlobalRice20, a global map of paddy rice at 20-meter resolution for 2015 and 2024. By utilizing satellite imagery and advanced processing to overcome cloud issues, this dataset fills a critical gap in agricultural monitoring. It provides a reliable baseline for analyzing food production trends and helps policymakers track progress toward the Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger.
Anna Wendleder, Jasmin Bramboeck, Jamie Izzard, Thilo Erbertseder, Pablo d'Angelo, Andreas Schmitt, Duncan J. Quincey, Christoph Mayer, and Matthias H. Braun
The Cryosphere, 18, 1085–1103, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1085-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1085-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study analyses the basal sliding and the hydrological drainage of Baltoro Glacier, Pakistan. The surface velocity was characterized by a spring speed-up, summer peak, and autumn speed-up. Snow melt has the largest impact on the spring speed-up, summer velocity peak, and the transition from inefficient to efficient drainage. Drainage from supraglacial lakes contributed to the fall speed-up. Increased summer temperatures will intensify the magnitude of meltwater and thus surface velocities.
Guanyu Li, Mingyang Lv, Duncan J. Quincey, Liam S. Taylor, Xinwu Li, Shiyong Yan, Yidan Sun, and Huadong Guo
The Cryosphere, 17, 2891–2907, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2891-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2891-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Kyagar Glacier in the Karakoram is well known for its surge history and its frequent blocking of the downstream valley, leading to a series of high-magnitude glacial lake outburst floods. Using it as a test bed, we develop a new approach for quantifying surge behaviour using successive digital elevation models. This method could be applied to other surge studies. Combined with the results from optical satellite images, we also reconstruct the surge process in unprecedented detail.
Yujia Qiu, Xiao-Ming Li, and Huadong Guo
The Cryosphere, 17, 2829–2849, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2829-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2829-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Spaceborne thermal infrared sensors with kilometer-scale resolution cannot support adequate parameterization of Arctic leads. For the first time, we applied the 30 m resolution data from the Thermal Infrared Spectrometer (TIS) on the emerging SDGSAT-1 to detect Arctic leads. Validation with Sentinel-2 data shows high accuracy for the three TIS bands. Compared to MODIS, the TIS presents more narrow leads, demonstrating its great potential for observing previously unresolvable Arctic leads.
Wenxue Fu, Lei Tian, Yu Tao, Mingyang Li, and Huadong Guo
Earth Syst. Dynam., 14, 223–239, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-14-223-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-14-223-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Climate change has been proven to be an indisputable fact and to be occurring at a faster rate in boreal forest areas. The results of this paper show that boreal forest coverage has shown an increasing trend in the past 3 decades, and the area of broad-leaved forests has increased more rapidly than that of coniferous forests. In addition, temperature rather than precipitation is the main climate factor that is driving change.
Liam S. Taylor, Duncan J. Quincey, and Mark W. Smith
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 329–341, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-329-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-329-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Hazards from glaciers are becoming more likely as the climate warms, which poses a threat to communities living beneath them. We have developed a new camera system which can capture regular, high-quality 3D models to monitor small changes in glaciers which could be indicative of a future hazard. This system is far cheaper than more typical camera sensors yet produces very similar quality data. We suggest that deploying these cameras near glaciers could assist in warning communities of hazards.
Christopher D. Stringer, Jonathan L. Carrivick, Duncan J. Quincey, and Daniel Nývlt
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-250, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-250, 2022
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in Antarctica have been decreasing in size at a fast rate, leading to the expansion of proglacial areas, with wide-ranging ecological implications. Several global land-cover maps exist, but they do not include Antarctica. We map land cover types across West Antarctica and the McMurdo Dry Valleys to a high degree of accuracy (77.0 %). We highlight the spatial variation in land cover and emphasise the need for more field data.
Gregoire Guillet, Owen King, Mingyang Lv, Sajid Ghuffar, Douglas Benn, Duncan Quincey, and Tobias Bolch
The Cryosphere, 16, 603–623, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-603-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Surging glaciers show cyclical changes in flow behavior – between slow and fast flow – and can have drastic impacts on settlements in their vicinity.
One of the clusters of surging glaciers worldwide is High Mountain Asia (HMA).
We present an inventory of surging glaciers in HMA, identified from satellite imagery. We show that the number of surging glaciers was underestimated and that they represent 20 % of the area covered by glaciers in HMA, before discussing new physics for glacier surges.
Cited articles
Avouac, J.-P., Ayoub, F., Leprince, S., Konca, O., and Helmberger, D. V.: The
2005, M-w 7.6 Kashmir earthquake: Sub-pixel correlation of ASTER images and
seismic waveforms analysis, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 249, 514–528,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2006.06.025, 2006.
Ayoub, F., Leprince, S., and Avouac, J.-P.: Co-registration and correlation
of aerial photographs for ground deformation measurements, ISPRS J.
Photogramm., 64, 551–560, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2009.03.005, 2009.
Barrand, N. E. and Murray, T.: Multivariate controls on the incidence of
glacier surging in the Karakoram Himalaya, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 38,
489–498, https://doi.org/10.1657/1523-0430(2006)38[489:mcotio]2.0.co;2, 2006.
Bolch, T., Kulkarni, A. V., Kääb, A., Huggel, C., Paul, F., Cogley,
J. G., Frey, H., Kargel, J. S., Fujita, K., Scheel, M., Bajracharya, S., and
Stoffel, M.: The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers, Science, 336,
310–314, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1215828, 2012.
Brun, F., Berthier, E., Wagnon, P., Kääb, A., and Treichler, D.: A
spatially resolved estimate of High Mountain Asia glacier mass balances from
2000 to 2016, Nat. Geosci., 10, 668–673, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2999, 2017.
Burgess, E. W., Forster, R. R., and Larsen, C. F.: Flow velocities of
Alaskan glaciers, Nat. Commun., 4, 2146, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3146,
2013.
Clarke, G. K. C.: Thermal regulation of glacier surging, J. Glaciol., 16,
231–250, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000031567, 1976.
Clarke, G. K. C.: Fast glacier flow: Ice streams, surging, and tidewater
glaciers, J. Geophys. Res., 92, 8835–8841, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB092iB09p08835,
1987.
Copland, L., Pope, S., Bishop, M. P., Shroder Jr., J. F., Clendon, P., Bush,
A., Kamp, U., Seong, Y. B., and Owen, L. A.: Glacier velocities across the
central Karakoram, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 41–49, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756409789624229,
2009.
Copland, L., Sylvestre, T., Bishop, M. P., Shroder, J. F., Seong, Y. B.,
Owen, L. A., Bush, A., and Kamp, U.: Expanded and recently increased glacier
surging in the Karakoram, Arct. Antarct. Alp. Res., 43, 503–516,
https://doi.org/10.1657/1938-4246-43.4.503, 2011.
Dowdeswell, J., Hamilton, G., and Hagen, J.: The duration of the active
phase on surge-type glaciers: Contrasts between Svalbard and other regions,
J. Glaciol., 37, 388–400, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0022143000005827, 1991.
Dunse, T., Schellenberger, T., Hagen, J. O., Kääb, A., Schuler, T. V.,
and Reijmer, C. H.: Glacier-surge mechanisms promoted by a
hydro-thermodynamic feedback to summer melt, The Cryosphere, 9, 197–215,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-197-2015, 2015.
Farinotti, D., Longuevergne, L., Moholdt, G., Duethmann, D., Mölg, T.,
Bolch, T., Vorogushyn, S., and Güntner, A.: Substantial glacier mass loss
in the Tien Shan over the past 50 years, Nat. Geosci., 8, 716–722,
https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2513, 2015.
Fowler, A. C., Murray, T., and Ng, F. S. L.: Thermally controlled glacier
surging, J. Glaciol., 47, 527–538, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756501781831792, 2001.
Gardelle, J., Berthier, E., and Arnaud, Y.: Slight mass gain of Karakoram
glaciers in the early 21st century, Nat. Geosci., 5, 322–325,
https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1450, 2012.
Gardelle, J., Berthier, E., Arnaud, Y., and Kääb, A.: Region-wide glacier
mass balances over the Pamir-Karakoram-Himalaya during 1999–2011, The
Cryosphere, 7, 1263–1286, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1263-2013, 2013.
Gardner, A. S., Moholdt, G., Cogley, J. G., Wouters, B., Arendt, A. A.,
Wahr, J., Berthier, E., Hock, R., Pfeffer, W. T., Kaser, G., Ligtenberg, S.
R. M., Bolch, T., Sharp, M. J., Hagen, J. O., van den Broeke, M. R., and
Paul, F.: A Reconciled Estimate of Glacier Contributions to Sea Level Rise:
2003 to 2009, Science, 340, 852–857, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234532, 2013.
Gladstone, R., Schäfer, M., Zwinger, T., Gong, Y., Strozzi, T., Mottram,
R., Boberg, F., and Moore, J. C.: Importance of basal processes in
simulations of a surging Svalbard outlet glacier, The Cryosphere, 8,
1393–1405, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1393-2014, 2014.
Goldstein, R. M., Engelhardt, H., Kamb, B., and Frolich, R. M.: Satellite
Radar Interferometry for Monitoring Ice Sheet Motion: Application to an
Antarctic Ice Stream, Science, 262, 1525–1530,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.262.5139.1525, 1993.
Gourmelen, N., Kim, S. W., Shepherd, A., Park, J. W., Sundal, A. V.,
Björnsson, H., and Pálsson, F.: Ice velocity determined using
conventional and multiple-aperture InSAR, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 307,
156–160, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.04.026, 2011.
Guo, W. Q., Liu, S. Y., Yao, X. J., Xu, J. L., Shangguan, D. H., Wu, L. Z.,
Zhao, J. D., Liu, Q., Jiang, Z. L., Wei, J. F., Bao, W. J., Yu, P. C., Ding,
L. F., Li, G. Q., Li, P., Ge, C. M., and Wang, Y.: The Second Glacier
Inventory Dataset of China (Version 1.0),
https://doi.org/10.3972/glacier.001.2013.db, 2014.
Hall, D. K., Bahr, K. J., Shoener, W., Bindschadler, R. A., and Chien, J. Y.
L.: Consideration of the errors inherent in mapping historical glacier
positions in Austria from the ground and space, Remote Sens. Environ., 86,
566–577, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0034-4257(03)00134-2, 2003.
Harrison, W. D. and Post, A. S.: How much do we really know about glacier
surging?, Ann. Glaciol., 36, 1–6, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756403781816185, 2003.
Heid, T. and Kääb, A.: Evaluation of existing image matching
methods for deriving glacier surface displacements globally from optical
satellite imagery, Remote Sens. Environ., 118, 339–355,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2011.11.024, 2011.
Herman, F., Anderson, B., and Leprince, S.: Mountain glacier velocity
variation during a retreat/advance cycle quantified using sub-pixel analysis
of ASTER images, J. Glaciol., 57, 197–207, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311796405942,
2011.
Hewitt, K.: Tributary glacier surges: an exceptional concentration at Panmah
Glacier, Karakoram Himalaya, J. Glaciol., 53, 181–188,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756507782202829, 2007.
Holzer, N., Vijay, S., Yao, T., Xu, B., Buchroithner, M., and Bolch, T.: Four
decades of glacier variations at Muztagh Ata (eastern Pamir): a multi-sensor
study including Hexagon KH-9 and Pléiades data, The Cryosphere, 9,
2071–2088, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2071-2015, 2015.
Huang, L., Li, Z., Han, H., Tian, B., and Zhou, J.: Analysis of thickness
changes and the associated driving factors on a debris-covered glacier in the
Tienshan Mountain, Remote Sens. Environ., 206, 63–71,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.12.028, 2018.
Jiang, Z., Liu, S., Long, S., Lin, J., Wang, X., Li, J., Xu, J., Wei, J.,
and Bao, W.: Analysis of the glacier dynamics features in Kongur Mountain
based on SAR technology and DEMs, J. Glaciol. Geocryol., 36, 286–295,
2014 (in Chinese).
Jóhannesson, T., Raymond, C., and Waddington, E.: Time–Scale for
Adjustment of Glaciers to Changes in Mass Balance, J. Glaciol., 35, 355–369,
https://doi.org/10.3189/S002214300000928X, 1989.
Kääb, A.: Monitoring high-mountain terrain deformation from repeated
air- and spaceborne optical data: examples using digital aerial imagery and
ASTER data, ISPRS J. Photogramm., 57, 39–52,
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0924-2716(02)00114-4, 2002.
Kääb, A.: Combination of SRTM3 and repeat ASTER data for deriving
alpine glacier flow velocities in the Bhutan Himalaya, Remote Sens. Environ.,
94, 463–474, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2004.11.003, 2005.
Kääb, A., Berthier, E., Nuth, C., Gardelle, J., and Arnaud, Y.:
Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in the
Himalayas, Nature, 488, 495–498, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11324, 2012.
Kääb, A., Treichler, D., Nuth, C., and Berthier, E.: Brief Communication:
Contending estimates of 2003–2008 glacier mass balance over the
Pamir–Karakoram–Himalaya, The Cryosphere, 9, 557–564,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-557-2015, 2015.
Kamb, B., Raymond, C. F., Harrison, W. D., Engelhardt, H., Echelmeyer, K.
A., Humphrey, N., Brugman, M. M., and Pfeffer, T.: Glacier surge mechanism:
1982-1983 surge of Variegated Glacier, Alaska, Science, 227, 469–479,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.227.4686.469, 1985.
Kargel, J. S., Abrams, M. J., Bishop, M. P., Bush, A., Hamilton, G.,
Jiskoot, H., Kaab, A., Kieffer, H. H., Lee, E. M., Paul, F., Rau, F., Raup,
B., Shroder, J. F., Soltesz, D., Stainforth, D., Stearns, L., and Wessels,
R.: Multispectral imaging contributions to global land ice measurements from
space, Remote Sens. Environ., 99, 187–219, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2005.07.004,
2005.
Kenyi, L. W. and Kaufmann, V.: Estimation of rock glacier surface
deformation using SAR interferometry data, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote Sens., 41,
1512–1515, https://doi.org/10.1109/tgrs.2003.811996, 2003.
Khromova, T. E., Osipova, G. B., Tsvetkov, D. G., Dyurgerov, M. B., and
Barry, R. G.: Changes in glacier extent in the eastern Pamir, Central Asia,
determined from historical data and ASTER imagery, Remote Sens. Environ.,
102, 24–32, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2006.01.019, 2006.
King, O., Quincey, D. J., Carrivick, J. L., and Rowan, A. V.: Spatial
variability in mass loss of glaciers in the Everest region, central
Himalayas, between 2000 and 2015, The Cryosphere, 11, 407–426,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-407-2017, 2017.
Kotlyakov, V. M., Osipova, G. B., and Tsvetkov, D. G.: Monitoring surge
glaciers of the Pamirs, central Asia, from space, Ann. Glaciol., 48,
125–134, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756408784700608, 2008.
Leprince, S., Barbot, S., Ayoub, F., and Avouac, J.-P.: Automatic and
precise orthorectification, coregistration, and subpixel correlation of
satellite images, application to ground deformation measurements, IEEE T.
Geosci. Remote Sens., 45, 1529–1558, https://doi.org/10.1109/tgrs.2006.888937, 2007.
Li, Z., Yao, T. D., Tian, L. D., Xu, B. Q., Wu, G. J., and Zhu, G. C.:
Borehole Temperature at the Ice-core Drilling Site in the Muztag Ata Glacier,
East Pamirs, J. Glaciol. Geocryol., 25, 280–284,
https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1000-0240.2004.03.007, 2004 (in Chinese).
Luckman, A., Quincey, D., and Bevan, S.: The potential of satellite radar
interferometry and feature tracking for monitoring flow rates of Himalayan
glaciers, Remote Sens. Environ., 111, 172–181,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2007.05.019, 2007.
Lv, M., Lu, X., Guo, H., Liu, G., Ding, Y., Ruan, Z., Ren, Y., and Yan, S.:
A rapid glacier surge on Mount Tobe Feng, western China, 2015, J. Glaciol.,
1, 1–3, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.42, 2016.
Mayer, C., Fowler, A. C., Lambrecht, A., and Scharrer, K.: A surge of North
Gasherbrum, Karakoram, China, J. Glaciol., 57, 904–916,
https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311798043834, 2011.
Meier, M. F. and Post, A.: What are glacier surges?, Can. J. Earth Sci., 6,
807–817, https://doi.org/10.1139/e69-081, 1969.
Meier, M. F., Dyurgerov, M. B., Rick, U. K., O'Neel, S., Pfeffer, W. T.,
Anderson, R. S., Anderson, S. P., and Glazovsky, A. F.: Glaciers dominate
Eustatic sea-level rise in the 21st century, Science, 317, 1064–1067,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1143906, 2007.
Oerlemans, J.: Quantifying global warming from the retreat of glaciers,
Science, 264, 243–245, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.264.5156.243, 1994.
Ono, Y., Liu, D., and Zhao, Y.: Paleoenvironments of Tibetan Plateau Viewed
from Glacial Fluctuations in the Northern Foot of the West Kunlun Mountains,
J. Geogr., 106, 184–198, https://doi.org/10.5026/jgeography.106.plate7, 1997.
Osmonov, A., Bolch, T., Xi, C., Kurban, A., and Guo, W.: Glacier
characteristics and changes in the Sary-Jaz River Basin (Central Tien Shan,
Kyrgyzstan)-1990–2010, Remote Sens. Lett., 4, 725–734,
https://doi.org/10.1080/2150704X.2013.789146, 2013.
Paul, F., Barrand, N. E., Baumann, S., Berthier, E., Bolch, T., Casey, K.,
Frey, H., Joshi, S. P., Konovalov, V., Le Bris, R., Molg, N., Nosenko, G.,
Nuth, C., Pope, A., Racoviteanu, A., Rastner, P., Raup, B., Scharrer, K.,
Steffen, S., and Winsvold, S.: On the accuracy of glacier outlines derived
from remote-sensing data, Ann. Glaciol., 54, 171–182,
https://doi.org/10.3189/2013AoG63A296, 2013.
Quincey, D. J. and Luckman, A.: Brief Communication: On the magnitude and
frequency of Khurdopin glacier surge events, The Cryosphere, 8, 571–574,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-571-2014, 2014.
Quincey, D. J., Luckman, A., and Benn, D.: Quantification of Everest region
glacier velocities between 1992 and 2002, using satellite radar
interferometry and feature tracking, J. Glaciol., 55, 596–606,
https://doi.org/10.3189/002214309789470987, 2009.
Quincey, D. J., Braun, M., Glasser, N. F., Bishop, M. P., Hewitt, K., and
Luckman, A.: Karakoram glacier surge dynamics, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38,
113–120, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL049004, 2011.
Quincey, D. J., Glasser, N. F., Cook, S. J., and Luckman, A.: Heterogeneity
in Karakoram glacier surges, J. Geophys. Res., 120, 1288–1300,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2015jf003515, 2015.
Raper, S. C. B. and Braithwaite, R. J.: Glacier volume response time and its
links to climate and topography based on a conceptual model of glacier
hypsometry, The Cryosphere, 3, 183–194,
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-3-183-2009, 2009.
Raymond, C. F.: How do glaciers surge? A review, J. Geophys. Res., 92,
9121–9134, https://doi.org/10.1029/JB092iB09p09121, 1987.
Scherler, D., Leprince, S., and Strecker, M. R.: Glacier-surface velocities
in alpine terrain from optical satellite imagery – Accuracy improvement and
quality assessment, Remote Sens. Environ., 112, 3806–3819,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2008.05.018, 2008.
Scherler, D., Bookhagen, B., and Strecker, M. R.: Spatially variable
response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover,
Nat. Geosci., 4, 156–159, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1068, 2011.
Seong, Y. B., Owen, L. A., Yi, C., Finkel, R. C., and Schoenbohm, L.:
Geomorphology of anomalously high glaciated mountains at the northwestern end
of Tibet: Muztag Ata and Kongur Shan, Geomorphology, 103, 227–250,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2008.04.025, 2009.
Sevestre, H. and Benn, D. I.: Climatic and geometric controls on the global
distribution of surge-type glaciers: implications for a unifying model of
surging, J. Glaciol., 61, 646–662, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015jog14j136, 2015.
Shangguan, D., Liu, S., Ding, Y., Ding, L., Xiong, L., Cai, D., Li, G., Lu,
A., Zhang, S., and Zhang, Y.: Monitoring the glacier changes in the Muztag
Ata and Konggur mountains, east Pamirs, based on Chinese Glacier Inventory
and recent satellite imagery, Ann. Glaciol., 43, 79–85,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756406781812393, 2006.
Shangguan, D., Liu, S., Ding, Y., Guo, W., Xu, B., Xu, J., and Jiang, Z.:
Characterizing the May 2015 Karayaylak Glacier surge in the eastern Pamir
Plateau using remote sensing, J. Glaciol., 62, 944–953,
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.81, 2016.
Su, Z., Liu, S., and Wang, Z.: Modern glaciers of Mt. Muztagata and Mt.
Kongur, J. Nat. Resour., 4, 241–246, https://doi.org/10.11849/zrzyxb.1989.03.008, 1989
(in Chinese).
Thompson, L. G., Mosley-Thompson, E., Davis, M. E., Lin, P. N., Dai, J.,
Bolzan, J. F., and Yao, T.: A 1000 year climatic ice-core record from the
Guliya ice cap, China: its relationship to global climate variability, Ann.
Glaciol., 21, 175–181, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0260305500015780, 1995.
Tian, L., Yao, T., Li, Z., MacClune, K., Wu, G., Xu, B., Li, Y., Lu, A., and
Shen, Y.: Recent rapid warming trend revealed from the isotopic record in
Muztagata ice core, eastern Pamirs, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D13103,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JD006249, 2006.
Watson, C. S., Quincey, D. J., Carrivick, J. L., and Smith, M. W.: The
dynamics of supraglacial ponds in the Everest region, central Himalaya,
Global Planet. Change, 142, 14–27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2016.04.008,
2016.
Yan, S., Ruan, Z., Liu, G., Deng, K., Lv, M., and Perski, Z.: Deriving Ice
Motion Patterns in Mountainous Regions by Integrating the Intensity-Based
Pixel-Tracking and Phase-Based D-InSAR and MAI Approaches: A Case Study of
the Chongce Glacier, Remote Sens., 8, 611, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs8070611, 2016.
Yang, H., Yan, S., Liu, G., and Ruan, Z.: Fluctuations and movements of the
Kuksai Glacier, western China, derived from Landsat image sequences, J. Appl.
Remote Sens., 8, 084599, https://doi.org/10.1117/1.jrs.8.084599, 2013.
Yao, T. D., Liu, S. Y., Pu, J. C., Shen, Y. P., and Lu, A. X.: Recent
glacial retreat in High Mountain Asia and its influence on water resource in
northwest China, Sci. China Ser. D, 47, 1065–1075, https://doi.org/10.1360/03yd0256,
2004.
Yao, T. D., Thompson, L., Yang, W., Yu, W. S., Gao, Y., Guo, X. J., Yang, X.
X., Duan, K. Q., Zhao, H. B., Xu, B. Q., Pu, J. C., Lu, A. X., Xiang, Y.,
Kattel, D. B., and Joswiak, D.: Different glacier status with atmospheric
circulations in Tibetan Plateau and surroundings, Nat. Clim. Change, 2,
663–667, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1580, 2012.
Yasuda, T. and Furuya, M.: Dynamics of surge-type glaciers in West Kunlun
Shan, Northwestern Tibet, J. Geophys. Res., 120, 2393–2405,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2015jf003511, 2015.
Zhang, X.: Recent variations in the glacial termini along the Karakorum
Highway, Acta Geogr. Sinica, 35, 149–160,
https://doi.org/10.3321/j.issn:0375-5444.1980.02.006, 1980 (in Chinese).
Short summary
We highlight 28 glaciers in the Kingata Mountains, among which 17 have changed markedly over the last decade. We identify four advancing and 13 surge-type glaciers. The dynamic evolution of the surges is similar to that of Karakoram, suggesting that both hydrological and thermal controls are important for surge initiation and recession. Topography seems to be a dominant control on non-surge glacier behaviour. Most glaciers experienced a significant and diverse change in their motion patterns.
We highlight 28 glaciers in the Kingata Mountains, among which 17 have changed markedly over the...