Occurrence and Characteristics of Rock Glaciers in Western Tien Shan

Researchers have identified 741 rock glaciers in the Western Tien Shan, covering over 70.5 km², with a significant concentration on north-facing slopes due to reduced solar radiation. These rock glaciers, acting as resilient water reservoirs in arid mountains, exhibit varying kinematic activity influenced by elevation, slope, aspect, and local topography. The study, the first of its kind in this region, reveals that while most are active or transitional with mean seasonal displacement rates of ~15 cm/year, their distribution and behavior suggest a lower permafrost boundary at approximately 1922 m above sea level. This inventory not only establishes a benchmark dataset for global permafrost models but also highlights the importance of rock glaciers in permafrost monitoring and water resource assessment in data-scarce mountain regions.

Merekeyev, A., Nurakynov, S., Bolch, T., Iskaliyeva, G., Talgarbayeva, D., & Sydyk, N. (2026). Occurrence and Characteristics of Rock Glaciers in Western Tien Shan. Water, 18(3), 367. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18030367