Remote Sensing Monitoring of Advancing and Surging Glaciers in the Tien Shan, 1990–2019

A study using Landsat TM/ETM+/OLI remote sensing images identified 48 advancing glaciers in the Tien Shan region, including 10 surging glaciers, between 1990 and 2019. These glaciers are primarily located in the Central and Western Tien Shan, indicating active glacial instability in this area. The research found that 34 terminal advancing glaciers experienced a total of 169 advances during the study period, with the highest frequency occurring in July. Surging glaciers in the region exhibit longer surge cycles (35–60 years) compared to other high-latitude Asian regions, suggesting complex thermal and hydrological controls driving their behavior. While temperature and precipitation increases appear to influence surging activity, the exact mechanisms remain unclear.

Zhou, S., Yao, X., Zhang, D., Zhang, Y., Liu, S., & Min, Y. (2021). Remote Sensing Monitoring of Advancing and Surging Glaciers in the Tien Shan, 1990–2019. Remote Sensing, 13(10), 1973. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13101973