Expedition to study climate change impact on glaciers begins in Arunachal

The fourth Khangri glacier expedition, a major scientific mission to study the response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change, commenced on Saturday in the Mago Chu basin under the towering Gorichen Mountain in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district, an official said.

The week-long expedition, to be continued till November 15, is jointly organised by the Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CESHS) and the National Centre for Polar & Ocean Research (NCPOR), he said.

Led by scientist Dr Parmanand Sharma, one of India’s leading glaciologists, the expedition brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers from CESHS, NCPOR, Nagaland University, and North East Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), CESHS director Tana Tage said.

Despite the vast glaciated expanse of the Arunachal Himalayas, scientists point out that very few glaciers in the region have been studied in detail, making it one of the least explored ‘white spots’ of the Indian cryosphere.

While the state is home to 161 glaciers covering nearly 223 square kilometres across four major basins - Manas, Subansiri, Kameng, and Dibang- none has undergone long-term field-based monitoring to assess their mass balance or glacial dynamics, the official said.

The expedition’s primary objective is to conduct systematic studies on glacier mass balance and movement to understand their differential responses to the changing climate, he said.

Researchers will also examine the evolution of glacial lakes in the region and assess the potential risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which pose serious threats to downstream communities and infrastructure.

These glaciated basins are of critical hydrological importance as they form the headwaters of the Brahmaputra river system, a lifeline for millions across the northeastern region.

Scientists believe that insights from this expedition will play a key role in understanding the intricate linkages between climate, cryosphere, and hydrology in the Eastern Himalayas, Tage said.

By shedding light on one of the least understood glacial systems in the Indian Himalayas, the expedition is expected to make a significant contribution to the study of climate change impacts and to the long-term water security of the region, he added.