Itanagar, Nov 8: The Centre for Earth Sciences & Himalayan Studies (CESHS), in collaboration with the National Centre for Polar & Ocean Research (NCPOR), today launched the 4th Khangri Glacier Expedition in the Mago Chu basin, situated beneath the majestic Gorichen Mountains of Arunachal Pradesh.
The mission (November 8-15) aims to study glacier mass balance, dynamics, and the impact of climate change on the Eastern Himalayan cryosphere. It will also assess the formation of glacial lakes and the risk of Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). The study will provide valuable insights into the Brahmaputra river’s headwater basins, supporting efforts to understand water security and climate change in the Arunachal Himalaya.
Announcing the expedition, CESHS Director Tana Tage expressed delight over the initiative, highlighting its importance in understanding the lesser-explored cryospheric regions of the Eastern Himalaya.
The multidisciplinary expedition team is being led by Dr Parmanand Sharma, Scientist-G and a distinguished Indian glaciologist. The team includes scientists and engineers from CESHS – Er Nyelam Sunil, Er Vikram Singh, Er Romik Tato, and Solai Yun; from NCPOR – Dr Sandeep Kumar Mondal and Talawar Raghavendra Chandrappa; from Nagaland University – Dr Manasi Debnath and Samikcha Rai; and from NERIST – Abhishek Pratap Singh and Chewang Thupte.
Despite the vast glaciated terrain of the Arunachal Himalaya, only a few glaciers have been studied in detail. The region remains one of the least explored “white spots” of the Indian cryosphere. Across the Himalaya, most studies are spatially limited and temporally short, leaving significant gaps in understanding long-term glacier mass balance, dynamics, and hydrological impacts.
Arunachal Himalaya hosts 161 glaciers covering nearly 223 sq km across four major basins – Manas, Subansiri, Kameng, and Dibang – yet none have been systematically monitored for long-term field-based studies.
Highlighting the hydrological significance, CESHS stated that these basins form the primary headwaters of the Brahmaputra River system, vital for sustaining water security and human settlements downstream. The findings from the expedition are expected to make a major contribution to understanding climate–cryosphere–hydrology interactions in one of India’s least explored Himalayan frontiers.