Permafrost Studies in Kullu District, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Collaborative Indo-Swiss research on permafrost has thrown new light on this rarely studied component of the Indian Himalayan cryosphere. Under a pilot study, first maps of estimated permafrost distribution in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, India have been produced, using a combination of simple topographic and climatic principles, more sophisticated numerical modelling, and mapping of permafrost indicators. Overall, 9% (420 sq. km) of the land area in Kullu is classified as permafrost terrain, extending down to as low as ~4200 m amsl in isolated instances. Between ~4200 and 5000 m amsl, permafrost underlies a surface area comparable in size to that overlaid by glacier ice. Hence, permafrost is identified as a significant component of the local cryosphere. These results now provide a scientific basis for assessing the wide-ranging potential impacts, hazards and risk associated with warming and thawing of frozen ground, with relevance for climate change adaptation studies across the entire Himalaya.