Geodetic glacier mass balance and its hydrological implications in the Upper Indus Basin: Insights into the Karakoram Anomaly

{"Study":[0,26],"Region":[1,94],"The":[2],"Upper":[3],"Indus":[4],"River":[5],"Basin":[6],"(UIB)":[7],"is":[8,187,219],"the":[9,30,38,69,93,118,141,171,183,240,252],"most":[10,231],"vulnerable":[11],"water":[12,86],"tower":[13],"in":[14,117,230],"High":[15],"Mountain":[16],"Asia":[17],"(HMA),":[18],"yet":[19,108],"its":[20,177],"glacier-hydrology":[21],"interactions":[22],"remain":[23],"poorly":[24],"understood.":[25],"Focus":[27],"To":[28],"assess":[29],"glacier":[31,47,134],"imprint":[32],"on":[33],"streamflow":[34,209],"trends":[35,191],"and":[36,61,121,136,176,217,233],"quantify":[37],"depletion":[39],"of":[40,228],"non-renewable":[41],"meltwater,":[42],"we":[43],"reconstructed":[44],"multi-decadal":[45],"geodetic":[46],"mass":[48],"balance":[49,87],"(":[50,72,80,192],"MB":[51],"Geodetic":[52],")":[53,75,82,107,155,166],"for":[54,92],"1973–2018":[55],"from":[56,145,189,214],"KH-9":[57],"Hexagon":[58],"imagery,":[59],"DEMs,":[60],"d":[62],"h":[63],"products":[64],"using":[65],"a":[66,84,146,157],"photogrammetric-geodetic":[67],"approach;":[68],"resulting":[70],"fluxes":[71],"∆":[73],"S":[74,127,186,194,202],"were":[76],"compared":[77],"with":[78,129,197,205,251],"discharge":[79,229],"Q":[81,131,199,207],"within":[83],"simplified":[85],"framework.":[88],"New":[89],"Hydrological":[90],"Insights":[91],"UIB":[95,241],"glaciers":[96,245],"remained":[97],"near":[98],"equilibrium":[99],"(−0.06":[100],"±":[101,150,161],"0.02":[102],"m":[103],"w.e.":[104],"yr":[105,153,164],"−1":[106,154,165],"exhibited":[109],"pronounced":[110],"spatiotemporal":[111],"heterogeneity.":[112],"Severe":[113],"ice":[114,223],"loss":[115],"persisted":[116],"Hindu":[119],"Kush":[120],"western":[122],"Himalaya,":[123],"where":[124],"negative":[125],"Δ":[126,185,193,201],"coupled":[128],"increasing":[130,198],"indicates":[132],"sustained":[133],"overdraft":[135,256],"high":[137],"vulnerability.":[138],"By":[139],"contrast,":[140],"southern":[142],"Karakoram":[143,253],"shifted":[144],"slight":[147],"gain":[148],"(+0.82":[149],"0.01":[151,162],"Gt":[152,163],"to":[156,237],"moderate":[158],"deficit":[159],"(−0.63":[160],"around":[167],"2000,":[168],"indicating":[169],"that":[170,244],"\\"Karakoram":[172],"Anomaly\\"":[173],"has":[174,179],"weakened":[175],"core":[178],"migrated":[180],"westward.":[181],"Within":[182],"Karakoram,":[184],"decoupled":[188],"runoff":[190],">":[195],"0":[196,204],";":[200],"<":[203,226],"decreasing":[206],");":[208],"variability":[210],"therefore":[211],"stems":[212],"mainly":[213],"non-glacial":[215],"sources,":[216],"vulnerability":[218],"correspondingly":[220],"lower.":[221],"Non-renewable":[222],"meltwater":[224],"supplied":[225],"5%":[227],"sub-basins,":[232],"this":[234],"share":[235],"fell":[236],"~2%":[238],"at":[239],"outlet,":[242],"suggesting":[243],"modulate":[246],"rather":[247],"than":[248],"dominate":[249],"runoff,":[250],"buffering":[254],"glacial":[255],"elsewhere.":[257]}

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies
Published
2026-09-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2026.103975
Primary Topic
Cryospheric studies and observations
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
article

Geodetic glacier mass balance and its hydrological implications in the Upper Indus Basin: Insights into the Karakoram Anomaly

Suhaib Bin Farhan, Xiaojuan Zou, Yinsheng Zhang, Haifeng Gao
Journal of Hydrology Regional Studies
Cryospheric studies and observations
article

Geodetic glacier mass balance and its hydrological implications in the Upper Indus Basin: Insights into the Karakoram Anomaly

Suhaib Bin Farhan, Xiaojuan Zou, Yinsheng Zhang, Haifeng Gao
article en

Abstract

Study Region The Upper Indus River Basin (UIB) is the most vulnerable water tower in High Mountain Asia (HMA), yet its glacier-hydrology interactions remain poorly understood. Study Focus To assess the glacier imprint on streamflow trends and quantify the depletion of non-renewable meltwater, we reconstructed multi-decadal geodetic glacier mass balance ( MB Geodetic ) for 1973–2018 from KH-9 Hexagon imagery, DEMs, and d h products using a photogrammetric-geodetic approach; the resulting fluxes ( ∆ S ) were compared with discharge ( Q ) within a simplified water balance framework. New Hydrological Insights for the Region UIB glaciers remained near equilibrium (−0.06 ± 0.02 m w.e. yr −1 ) yet exhibited pronounced spatiotemporal heterogeneity. Severe ice loss persisted in the Hindu Kush and western Himalaya, where negative Δ S coupled with increasing Q indicates sustained glacier overdraft and high vulnerability. By contrast, the southern Karakoram shifted from a slight gain (+0.82 ± 0.01 Gt yr −1 ) to a moderate deficit (−0.63 ± 0.01 Gt yr −1 ) around 2000, indicating that the "Karakoram Anomaly" has weakened and its core has migrated westward. Within the Karakoram, Δ S is decoupled from runoff trends ( Δ S > 0 with increasing Q ; Δ S < 0 with decreasing Q ); streamflow variability therefore stems mainly from non-glacial sources, and vulnerability is correspondingly lower. Non-renewable ice meltwater supplied < 5% of discharge in most sub-basins, and this share fell to ~2% at the UIB outlet, suggesting that glaciers modulate rather than dominate runoff, with the Karakoram buffering glacial overdraft elsewhere.

Journal of Hydrology Regional StudiesVol. 68
Huanggang Normal University (CN), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN), Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (PK), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (CN), Satellite Application Center for Ecology and Environment (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 15%
Cryospheric studies and observations
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.