DEHRADUN: A study by Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun revealed that the Gangotri glacier receded 63m in last 360 years.
"Winter warming in the western Himalayan region has been found to be relatively higher … Warming in the Himalayan region has also been reported to be altitude-sensitive, higher elevations showing a higher rate of warming," said the report.
The report also warns that the Gangotri glacier might face accelerated recession at an unprecedented rate than ever experienced in the past 447 years.
The report also added that so far, only 11 Himalayan glaciers have been studied for mass balance and some 100 are being monitored for fluctuations.
Earlier this year, a study led by Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun about glaciers in Nanda Devi and central Himalayan region revealed that the glaciers have significantly receded in their areal extent during the past 37 years (1980–2017).
Concluding the correlation between glacial behaviour with climatic changes, the study stated that the dynamic response of glaciers to climate is strongly dependent on the glacier size and geometry.
"It can be suggested that besides global warming, the local climate and non-climatic factors like aspect and slope etc. play an important role in variable loss and dynamics of glacier snouts even in the same valley," said the study.
The study further added that based on the variability in the recession rate, ELA shift, percentage of area loss etc, it can be concluded that the glacier regime has appeared as one of the complex systems which has responded both for precipitation and temperature.