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Space-Based Observation of a High-Altitude Red-Coloured Glacial Lake in Ladakh, Northwest Himalaya, India


Affiliations
1 Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization, Dehradun 248 001, India
2 Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleosciences, Lucknow 226 007, India
 

The present study reports the existence of a unique and unusual feature of the Zanskar valley, Ladakh, India – a proglacial ‘red/brown-coloured lake’ observed from space-based remote sensing data. The lake has not changed in colour and size over the years. Here we report observations from 2004 onwards till recently. The local geology plays an important role, and iron-dominated lithology of the region interacts with snow and glacial meltwaters and subsequently deposits red/brown-coloured suspended silt in this proglacial lake. Spectral analysis of reflectance data from Sentinel-2 images in visible–infrared region of electromagnetic spectrum suggests that the colour of the lake is due to high concentration of suspended solids, having dominant reflectance at 660–700 nm and thus causing the red/brown colour of the water.

Keywords

Proglacial Lake, Remote Sensing, Spacebased Observations, Suspended Solids.
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  • Space-Based Observation of a High-Altitude Red-Coloured Glacial Lake in Ladakh, Northwest Himalaya, India

Abstract Views: 219  |  PDF Views: 80

Authors

Pratima Pandey
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization, Dehradun 248 001, India
Prakash Chauhan
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization, Dehradun 248 001, India
S. Nawaz Ali
Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleosciences, Lucknow 226 007, India
Mamta Chauhan
Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Indian Space Research Organization, Dehradun 248 001, India

Abstract


The present study reports the existence of a unique and unusual feature of the Zanskar valley, Ladakh, India – a proglacial ‘red/brown-coloured lake’ observed from space-based remote sensing data. The lake has not changed in colour and size over the years. Here we report observations from 2004 onwards till recently. The local geology plays an important role, and iron-dominated lithology of the region interacts with snow and glacial meltwaters and subsequently deposits red/brown-coloured suspended silt in this proglacial lake. Spectral analysis of reflectance data from Sentinel-2 images in visible–infrared region of electromagnetic spectrum suggests that the colour of the lake is due to high concentration of suspended solids, having dominant reflectance at 660–700 nm and thus causing the red/brown colour of the water.

Keywords


Proglacial Lake, Remote Sensing, Spacebased Observations, Suspended Solids.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv120%2Fi2%2F429-431