Recession and reconstruction of Milam Glacier, Kumaon Himalaya, observed with satellite imagery

The Himalaya is the adobe of one of the world's largest and mostly inaccessible area of glaciers outside the polar regions and provides glacier-stored water to the major Indian river basins. Various studies suggest that many of the Himalayan glaciers have receded in recent decades due to climate forcing. Temporal satellite data analysis shows that the Milam Glacier in Goriganga Basin, Kumaon Himalaya receded 1328 m laterally and 90 m vertically during 1954–2006. The enhanced satellite imagery helps in establishing the extent of the glacier in inaccessible terrains like the Himalaya.