IIT Ropar takes lead in Cryosphere studies

In a challenging attempt to reduce water scarcity and allied problems, Geomatics Engineering Laboratory, (GEL) IIT Ropar has started working in the field of Cryosphere studies.

The Cryosphere is a place on the Earth that contains the frozen parts of the planet. It includes snow and ice on land, ice caps, glaciers, permafrost, and sea ice. This sphere helps maintain Earth’s climate by reflecting incoming solar radiation into space. The researchers mainly focus on understanding glaciers’ temporal changes and current status in the Himalayas using satellite imagery. Although, the present need is to undertake Crysophere studies to know exactly what is required to be done to contain the melting of glaciers other than reducing pollution which is leading to climate change resulting in the melting of glaciers at an alarming pace.

The GEL faculty in charge, Dr. Reet Kamal Tiwari says, “Glaciers are melting at an alarming pace and to slow down the melting we do not have a quick fix apart from mitigating the climate change through reducing the emissions. But, glaciological studies are essential for making proper policy to prevent future water scarcity-induced problems. Also, glaciological studies are important to minimize the hazards associated with the glacier such as Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), a type of outburst flood caused by the failure of a dam containing a glacial lake. “One recent example is the Chamoli floods of 7th February 2021. Although the flood was not directly due to GLOF, the role of changing climate, snow, and glacial cover cannot be ignored.”, claims Dr. Tiwari.

In a recently published scientific research article by Dr. Supratim Guha, a Ph.D. scholar, and Dr. Tiwari in Geocarto International, a prestigious academic journal focusing on remote sensing, GIS, geoscience, and environmental sciences, both the researchers have mentioned that they have monitored the glaciers of Sikkim for more than 30 years using satellite remote sensing techniques. The research found that all the glaciers in Sikkim are melting rapidly throughout the study period

A maximum of 73 meters of melting per annum in the length is observed in the Changsank glacier here. Dr. Guha has warned that “After the year 2014, the rate of melting has been increased in the entire Sikkim glaciers which is a serious threat for all. Such studies for the entire Himalayan range are essential to understand the status of the glaciers in the other part of Himalayas.” In another study, researchers at the IIT, Ropar have also explored the legacy and application of Scatterometer satellite sensors in the cryosphere, hydrology, and climate studies. A scatterometer is often mounted on weather satellites and has many functions. One of the researchers, Dr. Sartajvir Singh, a Teacher Associateship for Research Excellence (TARE) Fellow at the IIT said that the Scatterometer plays a very important role in the monitoring of snow cover extent, glacial ice melt, and predictions of flash floods and snow avalanches over the Indian Himalayas. The north Indian Himalayan region is frequently affected by snow avalanches and the southern part has a threat of flash floods. Therefore, with the help of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)’s Scatterometer Satellite (SCATSAT-1), the continuous and accurate monitoring of the snow and glacial cover can be done.

This study, which has been completed by Dr. Singh along with Dr. Vishakha Sood and GIL faculty in-charge Dr. Tiwari has been funded by the Science and Engineering Research Board, Government of India and was published in the June 2022 issue of ‘IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Magazine.

(By Rajesh Bali, Field Publicity Officer, Central Bureau of Communication, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Govt. of India – Jalandhar)