CollectHomepage AdvertisementContact usMessage

Arid Land Geography ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 1350-1364.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.05.16

• Earth Surface Process • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Characteristics of major glacial movements on the northern slope of K2, Karakoram

LI Haijuan(),LIU Shiyin(),WU Kunpeng   

  1. Institute of International Rivers and Eco-security, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, Yunnan, China
  • Received:2020-10-12 Revised:2021-03-05 Online:2021-09-25 Published:2021-09-22
  • Contact: Shiyin LIU E-mail:12018001101@mail.ynu.edu.cn;shiyin.liu@ynu.edu.cn

Abstract:

The surface velocity of 42 glaciers on the northern slope of K2 (Mount Qogir), Karakoram was extracted from ITS_LIVE and Landsat data. Combined with data regarding the characteristics of end and surface movements, the spatial and temporal variations of the surface velocity of glaciers with different movement types were analyzed and compared. The results show that (1) from 1989 to 2018, among the 42 glaciers in the study area, we observed 16 stable, 6 advancing, 1 retreating, and 19 surging glaciers. The velocity distribution in space is consistent with the general principle of glacier movement, and obvious high-value areas can be found in the accumulation area and upper region of the glacier tongue; these areas are mostly in the trunk or branch of the active glacier, and the velocity is generally >100.00 m·a -1. For example, in the southern branch of the Yengisogat glacier, the maximum velocity can reach 358.33 m·a-1. (2) The glacier velocity distribution is closely related to topographical factors. The maximum flow velocity (54.55 m·a-1) is between 4600 m and 5000 m, which is >10 times that of the end of the glacier. The average velocity of the 42 glaciers in the slope angle range of 0° to 5° is the highest, and the velocity decreases with the increase of the slope angle. Glaciers flowing toward the east have the greatest flow rate, and those that flow toward the southwest have the smallest. (3) The interannual variation of the velocity of the stable glacier is small, and the velocity values at the same location are consistent across different years. For advancing and retreating glaciers, the fluctuation in interannual velocity is large. The annual velocity variation of the surging glacier is found to be location dependent. The surface velocity of the glacier with a moving tip shows little change, but the change velocity of the glacier tip can be >100.00 m·a -1 and even up to 500.00 m·a-1. (4) Glaciers with longer lengths and larger areas are prone to surge. Climate, avalanches, and topography also play a major role in determining glacier speed.

Key words: glacier, the northern slopes of the Karakoram Mountains, ITS_LIVE data, Landsat data, surface velocity, the spatial and temporal variations