Gangotri Glacier Change

Stop Global Warming, Make Earth Cool

RAMAKRISHNA RAJU GANGARAJU

What is Glacier ?

Glaciers are large, thick masses of ice that form on land when fallen snow gets compressed into ice over many centuries.

They move slowly downward from the pull of gravity.

About 2 percent of all the water on Earth is frozen in glaciers.

Most glaciers today are remnants of the massive ice sheets that covered Earth during the Ice Age which ended more than 10,000 years ago.

Are Glaciers Important ?

Ice acts like a protective cover over the Earth and our oceans and these bright white spots reflect excess heat back into space and keep the planet cooler.

The poles remains colder than the equator because more of the heat from the sun is reflected off the ice, back into space.

Glaciers are living home region for many Chionophiles.

Gangotri Galcier Location

World map under Robinson projection with hillshade

Himalayan Glaciers are located at ASIA continent

Himalayan glaciers are surrounded with 8 countries and my story regions is located around India, Nepal, and China

Himalayan glaciers are surrounded with 8 countries and my story regions is located around India, Nepal, and China

And, Finally Here is the Gangotri Glacier, Which is going to show in next slides

Gangotri Glacier

The Gangotri Glacier is a 30 km (~18.6 miles) long glacier in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand, India and One of the largest in the Himalayas

It is the source of the river Ganga (0 -> In map) and the uppermost point of the Gangetic Plain and Situated at an elevation of 3,415 m (11,204 ft) above sea level

3D View of Glacier and could observe points view between top view hilshade & 3D projected view

Changes in gangotri glacier Over Years

USGS Landsat Image analyzed using ArcGIS Raster image analyses tool in ArcGIS to capture glacier changes over different decade time period

In 1991

In 2001

In 2011

In 2022

Swipe the bar to see diference between 1991 gangotri glacier image and 2022 gangotri glacier image

On Average, Gangotri Glacier Retreat was approximately 20 Meters (92 ft) per year since 1995.If this continues, then in next 80 years, could wreak havoc in multiple north Indian states. Such intense inundation will not only damage the environment, but also force the regional residents to migrate southward. ( TWC India)

Why Glaciers Melting ?

  1. Human activities are at the root of this phenomenon
  2. The industrial revolution, carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions have raised temperatures, even higher in the poles
  3. Therefore, Without doubt Rising Temperatures are responsible for melting glaciers Adjacent picture shows that annual temperature changes in Himalaya region between 1951 & 2016 and were measured in degree Celsius

Play around the full map. and press 'ctl' t0 view 3d

Plausible solution

Reducing black carbon deposits which are majorly originating from Factories & Gasoline Vehicle

Achieving Zero Emissions would decrease global warming and we could put one step forward in saving our Glaciers and Earth