Fourth Khangri Glacier Expedition Launches in Arunachal to Study Climate Impact

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ITANAGAR: The fourth Khangri Glacier Expedition, a major scientific mission to study the response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change, began on Saturday in the Mago Chu basin under the towering Gorichen Mountain in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

The week-long expedition, which will continue till November 15, is jointly organized by the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), an official said here. Led by scientist Dr Parmanand Sharma, one of India's leading glaciologists, the expedition brings together a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers from CESHS, NCPOR, Nagaland University, and the North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST), CESHS Director Tana Tage informed.

The CESHS team comprises Nyelam Sunil, Vikram Singh, Romik Tato, and Solai Yun, while NCPOR is represented by Dr Sandeep Kumar Mondal and Talawar Raghavendra Chandrappa.

Dr Manasi Debnath and Samikcha Rai from Nagaland University, along with Abhishek Pratap Singh and Chewang Thupte from NERIST, are also part of the expedition team.

Despite the vast glaciated expanse of the Arunachal Himalaya, scientists point out that very few glaciers in the region have been studied in detail, making it one of the least explored 'white spots' of the Indian cryosphere.

While the state is home to 161 glaciers covering nearly 223 square kilometres across four major basins - Manas, Subansiri, Kameng, and Dibang - none have undergone long-term, field-based monitoring to assess their mass balance or glacial dynamics, the official said.

The expedition's primary objective is to conduct systematic studies on glacier mass balance and movement to understand their differential responses to changing climatic conditions.

Researchers will also examine the evolution of glacial lakes in the region and assess the potential risks of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs), which pose serious threats to downstream communities and infrastructure.

These glaciated basins are of critical hydrological importance as they form the headwaters of the Brahmaputra River system - a lifeline for millions across the northeastern region.

Scientists believe that insights from this expedition will play a key role in understanding the intricate linkages between climate, cryosphere, and hydrology in the Eastern Himalaya, Tage said.

By shedding light on one of the least understood glacial systems in the Indian Himalaya, the expedition is expected to make a significant contribution to the study of climate change impacts and to the long-term water security of the region, he added.

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