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Growing glaciers of Pakistan
12/Sep/2006: A new study in the Upper Indus River Basin in Pakistan seems to tell a completely different story about global warming. Climate change fuelled by global warming is recognized as a main reason for shrinking glaciers all over the world, but this new study suggests that climate change is actually making glaciers in Pakistan to grow.
The findings of this study will throw light on the varying effects of climate change in different regions around the world.
The winter temperature in Western Himalayas, Karakoram and Hind Kush mountain ranges has been steadily increasing, according to the meteorological records of this region from the last century. But the records also reveal that the winter snowfall in this region, which feeds the glaciers is increasing and the average summer temperatures has been decreasing during the same period, taking many scientist who are studying the effects of climate change in this region by surprise. Melting of snow and glaciers in this region dropped along with the average summer temperatures and this effect coupled with increased snowfall during the winter is making the glaciers in this region to grow.
The findings of this study will be published by Mr. David Archer, co-author of the study and his colleagues in an upcoming issue of the American Meteorological Society’s ‘Journal of Climate’. The study involved analysis of the climate data of this region including data in documents from 19th Century A.D, when the British were ruling this region.
Apart from explaining the reason behind the growing glaciers, this study could help the Pakistani government to predict the melting of glaciers, which is essential for this agriculture based economy as the glaciers remain the main source of water for the Indus River and its tributaries that irrigate millions of acres of farmland in this region.
Kesavan Siva
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