Image:Glacial lakes Bhutan.jpg

From Global Warming Art

Other sizes: 100, 200, 300, 450, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, Full Size (3000x1665, 2030KB)

This image from the ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite shows the termini of the glaciers in the Bhutan-Himalaya. Glacial lakes have been rapidly forming on the surface of the debris-covered glaciers in this region during the last few decades. USGS researchers have found a strong correlation between increasing temperatures and glacial retreat in this region. [1]

According to a joint press release [2] issued by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey, the great majority of the world’s glaciers appear to be declining at rates equal to or greater than long-established trends. Glaciers in the Himalaya are wasting "at alarming and accelerating rates", as indicated by comparisons of satellite and historic data, and as shown by the widespread, rapid growth of lakes on the glacier surfaces.

The rapid formation and expansion of such lakes can lead the phenomenon of glacial lake outburst flooding, wherein the growth of such lakes exceeds the limitations of natural barriers to contain them, and the failure of natural dams leads to catastophic flooding downstream. Such floods are becoming more commons in the Himalaya, and have already led to the loss of property and lives. [3]

Source: http://visibleearth.nasa.gov/view_rec.php?id=2876

This file is in the public domain because it was created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (NASA copyright policy page).

Images and pages linking to this file

Metadata

This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to create or digitize it. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details may not fully reflect the modified image.

Orientation	Normal
Horizontal resolution	72 dpi
Vertical resolution	72 dpi
Software used	Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows
File change date and time	17:18, 13 February 2006
Color space	65535