Understanding Glacial-tectonic Interactions Can Be Helped By Changes In The Course Of Himalayan Glaciers

Understanding glacial-tectonic interactions can be helped by changes in the course of Himalayan glaciers

New Delhi, Nov 22, : .Indian scientists have discovered that a glacier has abruptly altered its course.

 Understanding Glacial-tectonic Interactions Can Be Helped By Changes In The Cour-TeluguStop.com

This is a new discovery in the Himalayas.
It is the first time such a shift in course was reported by a Himalayan glacier.

Researchers attribute this change to both climate and tectonics,” a Ministry of Science & Technology release stated.

The Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun was an independent institute that falls under the Department of Science & Technology.

It found out that the North-east-moving glacier, which had not been named, had abruptly stopped moving and moved towards the South-east.

Researchers stated that the abnormal behavior of this glacier suggests not just climate as a controlling factor but also that tectonics play an important part in glacial catchments.

The study and this example are significant given the recent disaster at Rishiganga Valley in February 1.This was an example that suggests the rocks on which the glacier is sitting became more fragile over time.

The scientists concluded that it showed the Himalaya was an active mountain range, highly fragile and where climate and tectonics play a crucial role.

This study, which was based upon the unique and tectonically sculpted glacier landform, was published in Geoscience Journal.

The study was based on remote sensing data and an older survey map.It concluded that climate change and active fault had affected the glacier.Changes in climate and tectonic activity had altered the glacier’s course and morphology.A fault scarp was formed by an active fault.

It measures approximately 250m in height and has a northern dip.It is approximately 6.2km long and tends towards NW-SE.

WIHG’s team noticed that the unnamed 5km long glacier covered approximately 4 km of Kuthi Yankti Valley (a tributary to Kali river) has changed abruptly its main course.As a result, it moved and truncated and eventually merged with Sumzurkchanki the adjoining glacier.This was due to tectonic forces during the Last Glacial Maxima (19-24 Ka) and Holocene.

This is one of the most unique glacier behaviors, but no similar observation has been made on any other type of glacier-kinematics.While the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), occurred approximately 20,000 years ago, the Holocene was the present geological epoch that began around 11,650 years prior to the present.

According to the release, climate does not cause disasters only in the Himalayas.

It also revealed that the study could open up new avenues for glacier research, focusing on glacier-tectonic interaction and the evolution of landforms.

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Disclaimer : TeluguStop.com Editorial Team not involved in creation of this article & holds no responsibility for its content..This Article is Provided by IANS, Please contact IANS if any issues in Article .


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