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

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 ...

3 Jul 2015 News
Two senior ICIMOD staff in Silk Road think tank

ICIMOD’s Director Programme Operations Dr Eklabya Sharma and Livelihoods Theme Leader Dr Golam Rasul have been named members of the Silk Road ...

14 Jun 2022 News
Exploring future investment in biodiversity research and monitoring

Spanning across China, India and Myanmar, the Far Eastern Himalaya is home to the world’s rarest flora and fauna ...

23 Mar 2017 Himalica
Himalica Books on Cardamom Launched at Sixth Nepal International Trade Fair

David Molden, Director General of ICIMOD, and Harish Chilwal, Project Coordinator of the Environment Conservation ...

29 Feb 2016 Atmosphere Initiative
Winter Study on Outdoor/Indoor Air Quality Measurements in Chitwan

A study of particulate matter (PM10) in ambient conditions was initiated in January 2016 by the Atmosphere Initiative of the ...

3 Jan 2017 News
ICIMOD Celebrates International Mountain Day 2016

[caption id="attachment_7730" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Speakers-cum-panelists at the knowledge forum. (Photo credit: Jitendra Bajracharya/ICIMOD)[/caption] On ...

23 Sep 2015 News
ICIMOD joins Scientific and Technical Advisory Group of India’s National Mission on Himalayan Studies

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India recently launched the National Mission on Himalayan Studies to ...

16 Apr 2015 News
Studying rock and sediment samples of Koshi Basin

Samples of rock and sediment from the high and middle altitude mountains of the Koshi River Basin will ...