Daily Current Affairs : 29-July-2023
Glaciers are a fascinating natural phenomenon, shaping landscapes over thousands of years through their slow but steady movement. One such glacier, the Parkachik Glacier in Ladakh, has recently been the subject of a groundbreaking study that sheds light on its unique features and potential implications for the region. The study’s key finding suggests that the glacier is likely to have three lakes of varying sizes due to a process called subglacial over-deepening. This essay delves into the context of the study and explores the significance of these findings.
Understanding Subglacial Over-Deepening
To comprehend the significance of the study’s findings, it’s essential to grasp the concept of subglacial over-deepening. This phenomenon occurs in basins and valleys that have been eroded by glaciers over time. As a glacier moves, it gradually carves out the underlying landscape, creating depressions and valleys. In certain cases, these depressions extend below the glacier’s surface, forming what is known as a subglacial over-deepening.
Exploring Parkachik Glacier
The Parkachik Glacier is situated in Kargil, Ladakh, and is a mountain glacier characterized by its slow, downward movement along the Nun-Kun slopes. Over time, this mass of ice makes its way down to the Suru River, where it eventually melts or breaks off into smaller pieces in a process known as calving.
The Role of Glacier Margin and Proglacial Lake
According to the study’s researchers, the accelerated retreat of the Parkachik Glacier can be attributed to two factors – the calving nature of its glacier margin and the formation of a proglacial lake.
1. Calving Nature of Glacier Margin
The “glacier margin” refers to the edge of the glacier, where it meets other landforms or bodies of water. In the case of the Parkachik Glacier, this margin has a calving nature. Calving occurs when chunks of ice break off from the glacier’s edge and fall into the surrounding water bodies. This process contributes to the glacier’s retreat and influences the overall ice dynamics in the region.
2. Formation of Proglacial Lake
A proglacial lake is a body of water that forms near the front of a glacier, usually caused by the melting of ice or the damming effect of moraines (accumulations of rock and debris carried and deposited by the glacier). The researchers propose that the presence of a proglacial lake near the Parkachik Glacier has also played a role in its accelerated retreat. The water in the lake interacts with the glacier, causing changes in its structure and movement.
Implications and Importance of the Study
The discovery of three potential lakes within the Parkachik Glacier has several implications for the region and beyond.
1. Environmental Impact
The presence of proglacial lakes can significantly impact the surrounding environment. As the glacier melts and contributes to these lakes, the increased water levels can lead to changes in local ecosystems, water availability, and even pose risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) if the lakes’ natural dams fail.
2. Hydroelectric Power Generation
Proglacial lakes can also offer opportunities for hydroelectric power generation. If managed sustainably and with consideration for environmental impacts, the water resources from such lakes can be harnessed to produce clean energy, benefiting local communities and industries.
Important Points:
- The Parkachik Glacier in Ladakh is the subject of a recent study, which reveals that it is likely to have three lakes of different dimensions due to subglacial over-deepening.
- Subglacial over-deepening occurs when glaciers erode basins and valleys over time, creating depressions that extend below the glacier’s surface.
- The Parkachik Glacier is a mountain glacier in Kargil, Ladakh, slowly moving down the Nun-Kun slopes and eventually melting or calving into the Suru River.
- The glacier’s accelerated retreat is attributed to its calving nature, where chunks of ice break off from its edge and fall into the surrounding water bodies.
- The formation of a proglacial lake near the Parkachik Glacier has also contributed to its accelerated retreat, as the lake’s water interacts with the glacier and influences its movement.
- The presence of proglacial lakes can have environmental impacts, affecting local ecosystems, water availability, and posing risks of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs).
- Proglacial lakes can offer opportunities for hydroelectric power generation if managed sustainably and with consideration for environmental impacts.
- Understanding glacial dynamics and behavior is essential in the context of climate change, as glaciers play a crucial role in the Earth’s climate system.
- The study contributes valuable insights into glacier behavior and its implications for the region and beyond, aiding in making informed decisions for the future.
Why In News
The recent study on the Parkachik Glacier in Ladakh reveals its potential to harbor not one, but three distinct lakes of varying dimensions, owing to the phenomenon of subglacial over-deepening. This discovery underscores the glacier’s remarkable geomorphic features and adds valuable insights into its dynamic behavior in response to changing environmental conditions.
MCQs about Parkachik Glacier Study in Ladakh
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What is the primary reason behind the accelerated retreat of the Parkachik Glacier in Ladakh?
A. Subglacial over-deepening
B. Formation of a proglacial lake
C. Calving nature of the glacier margin
D. Climate change
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What is subglacial over-deepening?
A. Formation of lakes near the glacier’s edge
B. Process of glaciers melting into proglacial lakes
C. Creation of depressions below the glacier’s surface due to erosion
D. Movement of glacier ice towards the Suru River
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What environmental impact can proglacial lakes have?
A. Increase in glacier movement
B. Reduced water availability
C. Risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)
D. Decrease in hydroelectric power generation
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How can proglacial lakes be utilized sustainably for the benefit of local communities?
A. Creating artificial glaciers
B. Promoting tourism around the lakes
C. Harnessing hydroelectric power
D. Constructing dams to regulate water flow
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