Comprehensive Assessment of Debris-Covered Glacier of Kinnaur District,Himachal Pradesh

Ipshita P. Pradhan

Debris-covered glaciers play a significant role in glacierized regions, exerting considerable influence on water resources and geomorphic processes. The precise mapping and identification of debris-covered glaciers play a pivotal role in comprehending their dynamics and evaluating their impact on water resources. The interconnection between glaciers, debris-covered glaciers, and rock glaciers is evident within a continuum, whereby the transformation of debris-covered glaciers into rock glaciers occurs gradually as a result of ice melt and the downslope movement of debris. In the fields of glacial research, a considerable amount of attention has been directed towards the mapping and characterization of debris-covered glaciers. These glaciers, which are covered by a layer of rock and sediment, present unique challenges and complexities that necessitate a thorough understanding. However, it is worth noting that despite an extensive amount of research in this field, no previous studies have explored the utilisation of rock glaciers as an input parameter for the mapping. Our Cryosphere team conducted a comprehensive mapping of debris covered glaciers in the North-western Himalayas. This study employed a variety of machine learning algorithms to analyse the data, incorporating rock glaciers as a proxy. Additionally, multispectral data and topographical data were utilised in the analysis. Their analysis is carried out for Kinnaur district of Indian Himalayas and shows around 9-10% (600-700 sq. km) area of the district is covered by debris-covered

glaciers. This study aims to enhance the understanding of debris-covered glaciers in the Kinnaur district. The findings of this study contribute significantly to the current state of knowledge on debris-covered glaciers in the region, thereby advancing our understanding in this field. This significant work of reporting of remarkable landforms is under preparation as a reputed journal article

GIS based forest fire susceptibility mapping of Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary, Mizoram, India

Priyanka Gupta

The escalation of forest fires over recent years has not only captured headlines but has also ignited a global sense of urgency. Instances of catastrophic fires in diverse regions like Australia, Russia, the United States, and even India have underscored the profound consequences these events can unleash. Forest fires stand out as one of the most prominent indications of the influence of climate change, presenting themselves as a natural peril. Among the severely impacted areas in India is the ecologically delicate region of UNESCO's Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, primarily located in Mizoram, within North-East India. This research strives to construct a wildfire susceptibility map utilizing the RF Machine Learning (ML) algorithm, targeting the Lengteng Wildlife Sanctuary, an alpine forest region in Mizoram, for the year 2023. The outcomes divulge that a significant 18.95% of the study area demonstrates an extremely elevated susceptibility to wildfires, while an additional 22.15% falls within the category of high susceptibility. Notably, the regions marked as highly susceptible on the map correspond with documented instances of fire occurrences. The above work is submitted to reputed journal.