TAG: GS 3: GEOGRAPHY
THE CONTEXT: A recent study has shed light on the presence of permafrost structures called ‘rock glaciers’ in the Kashmir Himalayas.
EXPLANATION:
- These rock glaciers, containing substantial ice volumes, are crucial components of the region’s geography.
- However, the study emphasizes that over 100 of these structures exhibit signs of movement or melting, labeled as ‘active glacial rocks,’.
- It raises concerns about potential natural disasters as the region experiences warming.
Characteristics and Formation of Rock Glaciers:
- Rock glaciers form in mountainous areas where permafrost, rock debris, and ice converge.
- Typically, they originate from pre-existing glaciers accumulating debris and rocks, transforming into rock glaciers when the ice recedes or thaws.
- Climate change has accelerated this process, intensifying warmer periods and influencing the formation and movement of rock glaciers.
Identification Challenges and Geomorphological Significance:
- Despite their importance, rock glaciers can appear indistinguishable from regular ground.
- It will lead to unsuspecting human settlements being planned atop them.
- Proper identification requires a geomorphological perspective, highlighting the need for comprehensive studies and mapping efforts.
- The warming climate triggers permafrost melting, destabilizing areas with rock glaciers and posing risks to nearby settlements and critical infrastructure.
- Similar situations have been observed globally, such as in Canada’s Nunavik region, where permafrost thawing has led to increased mudslides and hazards, potentially rendering areas uninhabitable.
Specific Concerns in the Kashmir Region:
- The Kashmir valley is experiencing deglaciation, especially in its southwestern parts, transitioning from glaciers to rock glaciers.
- This transition signifies a critical stage in the region’s glaciation process, with implications for future environmental stability and hazards.
- Rock glaciers’ proximity to glacial lakes, like Chirsar and Bramsar Lakes, heightens the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
- If the upper debris layers fail and expose underlying permafrost, subsequent melting could lead to GLOFs, causing extensive damage to surrounding areas.
- Additionally, increased occurrences of landslides due to loose land atop melting ice pose further risks.
Water Reserves and Future Research Recommendations:
- Despite the dangers posed by rock glaciers, they hold immense volumes of frozen water.
- Given the declining water sources, these reserves become crucial.
- The study suggests the urgent need for more research to comprehensively map permafrost distribution in mountainous regions like the western Himalayas.
- It utilizes remote sensing and modeling techniques due to the challenging terrain and limited accessibility for field investigations.
Conclusion and Urgency for Further Investigation:
- The study underscores the urgency to understand permafrost distribution and associated risks in mountainous areas.
- It emphasizes the complex topography and the need for advanced techniques to study and mitigate potential hazards arising from rock glaciers in the Kashmir Himalayas.