Back to news
30 Nov 2015 | News

Teaching the Basics of Glacier Monitoring

1 min Read

70% Complete

 

As part of monitoring and assessment of changes in glaciers, snow and glacio-hydrology in the Hindu Kush Himalayas, the Cryosphere Initiative of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) organised the week-long ‘Training on Glacier Mass Balance Monitoring’ 3 – 6 November 2015 at ICIMOD, in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Sixteen participants from Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University and the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology of Government of Nepal attended the week-long training. The training was followed by an expedition to Yala Glacier in Langtang Valley where the participants received field training on glacier mass balance measurements. Two participants from the Department for Hydro Met Services, Government of Bhutan also joined the expedition.

The training introduced methods to conduct glacier mass balance measurements on clean glacier in the Himalayas.  Sessions included theoretical and glacier mass balance training designed to prepare participants for the expedition to Yala.  Exercises included the analysis and interpretation of mass balance measurements.

Glacier mass balance is a key indicator for understanding the impact of climate change and for predicting downstream water availability. Glacier monitoring research involves extensive fieldwork — stake installation on the accumulation and ablation zones of glaciers, digging snow pits and snow/ice core sampling to study snow thickness, type, etc.

Participants also received mountain health and safety training at CIWEC Clinic Travel Medicine Center in Kathmandu. In addition, participants learned basic mountaineering skills.

The expedition to Yala Glacier will be a first for most of the participants. Twenty four year old glaciology student at Kathmandu University, Saugat Paudel, said he was looking forward to practical lessons and getting firsthand knowledge about glacier mass balance monitoring in the field.

Similarly, 26 year old Mingma Yangji Sherpa, also a student at Kathmandu University, said the practical field sessions helped students just venturing into glaciology. Sherpa said glacio-hydrology was an important subject for the Hindu Kush Himalayan region as it is considered a hotbed for climate change and glaciers being one of the main indicators of climate change.

The Cryosphere Initiative of ICIMOD is supported by the Norwegian Government and focuses on monitoring of glaciers, snow, and glacial lakes and glacio-hydrology with an emphasis on in-situ-measurements, remote sensing, and modelling.

Stay current

Stay up to date on what’s happening around the HKH with our most recent publications and find out how you can help by subscribing to our mailing list.

Sign Up

Related Contents

Continue exploring this topic

27 Feb 2016 News
Enhancing the Large Cardamom Production

Large cardamom (Amomum sabulatum Roxb) is the high value cash crop and main source of cash income for farmers in ...

16 Apr 2015 News
Kiwi orchard established in Bhutan

Bhutan’s Agriculture and Forests Minister Lyonpo Yeshey Dorji inaugurated a kiwi fruit orchard (demonstration farm) in Wangkha on 15 March ...

18 Jun 2019 Cryosphere
Bucking the trend: Glaciers in Astore Basin have remained stable in recent times

Ground-based research results showed much lesser mass loss compared with that detected through remote sensing, with remarkably low uncertainty. The ...

8 Mar 2018 Gender in Koshi
Women and Fieldwork: Reclaiming public spaces and transgressing curfews

Women’s Day brings into focus women situated at various intersections of class, age, caste, race, education, culture, and geographical location. ...

10 Feb 2015 News
Climate Change in Downstream Areas of the Indus River Basin: Local Perceptions and Adaptation Measures

Likewise, indirect impacts like losses to agriculture and livelihoods due to erratic rains in high altitudes may result in increased ...

15 Apr 2015 News
Symposium on glaciology in Asia

The glaciers and rivers of the world’s highest mountains took the ...

24 Aug 2018 News
Highlighting Need for Sustainable Tourism at Global Adventure and Mountaineering Expo

Molden’s talk was titled Climate+Change and Sustainable Tourism: A regional cooperation perspective in the Hindu Kush Himalaya Region. Its key ...

9 Jun 2021 News
New book announcement – Environmental Humanities in the New Himalayas: Symbiotic Indigeneity, Commoning, Sustainability

The active research-teaching community of the Himalayan University Consortium, co-led by Dan Smyer Yü, Yunnan University, Erik de Maaker, Leiden ...