Inter- and Intra-Annual Glacier Elevation Change in High Mountain Asia Region Based on ICESat-1&2 Data Using Elevation-Aspect Bin Analysis Method

Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate change and have a significant influence on regional water cycle, human survival social development. Global warming has led to great changes in glaciers over the High Mountain Asia (HMA) region. Glacier elevation is measure glacier mass balance driven by processes energy exchange between surface atmosphere which influenced climatic factors properties. In this study, we estimated inter-annual intra-annual HMA region 2003–2020 using Ice, Cloud land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) data Shuttle Radar Terrain Mission (SRTM) digital model (DEM) developing an “elevation-aspect bin analysis method” that considered difference different elevations aspects topography. The results showed that: (1) had large spatial heterogeneity. reduction mainly occurred marginal with maximum decline Nyainqentanglha region, while increase West Kunlun inner regions 2003–2020. rate accelerating trend most regions, except west where slowdown tendency. Specifically, entire was ?0.21 ± 0.12 m/year 2003–2008 ?0.26 0.11 2003–2020, respectively. (2) 2019 2020 obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity, thickening period gradually delayed from area HMA. western part (the Tienshan Mountains, Pamir Hindu Kush Spiti Lahaul) Karakoram thickened winter or spring, Mountains exhibited spring accumulation. accumulated two time periods, i.e., March June July September. Inner Tibetan Plateau Bhutan Nepal areas experienced summer accumulation, especially July. Moreover, found could be explained temperature precipitation. A similar can extended mountain other world, trends further explored longer span continuous operation ICESat-2.