Tawang: The Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS) and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) have successfully installed an Automatic Weather Station with satellite communication and Automatic Water Level Recorder on Khangri Glacier during a joint scientific expedition in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang district.
The joint scientific expedition to Khangri Glacier was flagged off by Arunachal Pradesh Chief Secretary Manish Kumar Gupta on October 17.
The team consisted of scientists, research associates and technical officers from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) in Goa, the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CES&HS) in Itanagar, and research scholars from IIT Roorkee (IITR).
Hailing the expedition team, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, “It is of paramount importance to understand the health, movement, and long-term viability of glacier’s weather patterns and hydrological parameters for more accurate predictions of water availability for ecosystems and human use.”
I heartily congratulate the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies and the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research for successfully installing an Automatic Weather Station and an Automatic Water Recorder on Khangri Glacier.
It is of paramount importance to… pic.twitter.com/soOrHS56H3
— Pema Khandu པདྨ་མཁའ་འགྲོ་། (@PemaKhanduBJP) October 26, 2024
The expedition aimed at addressing critical questions regarding glacier dynamics, hydrological changes and their broader impact on the region’s ecosystem.
The team carried out several key scientific activities, including measuring glacier flow discharge, riverbed profiling, steam ice drilling, and the installation of water level markers and stacks for long-term observation.
Tana Tage, director of CES&HS, said the scientific expedition was part of an ongoing initiative to conduct in-depth glaciological and cryosphere studies in the Himalayan range of Arunachal Pradesh.
The field activities during the expedition also include hydrological investigations and the collection of snow and sediment samples for lab analysis.
Additionally, the team will identify a suitable location to establish a permanent base camp as part of the Polar and Cryosphere Studies (PACER). This camp will serve as a logistical hub for future glaciological studies, focusing on Khangri Glacier and other glaciers in Arunachal Pradesh.
