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Scientists are currently analysingdeep ice cores extracted from the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap in Tajikistan to scientifically explain the Pamir–Karakoram anomaly, a rare glaciological phenomenon where glaciers have remained stable or even gained mass since the late 20th century, contrary to global trends of glacier retreat.

What is the Pamir–Karakoram Anomaly?

The Pamir–Karakoram anomaly describes the near-stability or slight expansion of glaciers in the Karakoram Range and parts of the Pamir Mountains, while glaciers in most other mountain systems, such as the Himalayas, Alps, Andes, and Rockieshave been rapidly shrinking due to rising global temperatures.

Geographical Extent

• Core region: Karakoram Range (notably Gilgit-Baltistan and parts of Ladakh)
• Extended region: Western Pamirs (Tajikistan and Afghanistan)
• This region lies at the junction of major mountain systems-Hindu Kush, Pamirs, Kunlun, and Himalayas.

Proposed Explanations

Several interacting factors are believed to contribute to this anomaly:

• Increased winter precipitation: Heavy snowfall during winters replenishes glacier mass and compensates for summer melting.
• Dominance of Western Disturbances: Unlike most of the Himalayas, this region receives moisture mainly from Western Disturbances rather than the Indian monsoon.
• High-altitude, steep topography: Promotes large accumulation zones and reduces exposure to solar radiation.
• Summer cloud cover: Limits incoming solar radiation, reducing melt rates.
• Debris-covered glaciers: Rock and sediment layers insulate underlying ice, slowing melting at lower elevations.

Recent Scientific Findings

• Satellite-based studies using ICESat-2 (altimetry) and GRACE (gravity data) suggest that the anomaly has weakened in recent years.
• However, field-based ice-core analysiswhich provides long-term climate records through trapped air bubbles, isotopes, and impuritiesis still underway and may offer deeper insights into historical snowfall and temperature patterns.

Significance for India

• Glaciers in the Karakoram are a major source of the Indus River system.
• Their relative stability ensures more reliable river flows into Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir, supporting agriculture, hydropower, and water security.
• Understanding this anomaly is crucial for climate modelling, water-resource planning, and disaster risk assessment in the western Himalayas.

Karakoram Range: Key Facts

• Location: Central Asia; spans Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan, and Tajikistan.
• Highest Peak:K2 (8,611 m), the world’s second-highest peak after Mount Everest.
• Known for extensive glaciation and some of the largest valley glaciers outside polar regions.