Joint Indo–Chinese Scientific Expedition to the sources of the Satluj and Brahmaputra 2007–2012

The entire global community is facing a major crisis caused by the alarming rise in global warming, the resultant melting of hitherto permanent ice shelves and glaciers and the ominous threat to human habitats. The crisis is particularly grave in the Himalayas, where the glaciers are receding at such an alarming rate, that within the next decade or two, the Indus, the Satluj, the Ganges and the Brahmputra, perennial rives that have been sustaining life for centuries, are likely to become seasonal rivers instead.

Keeping in mind the impacts of drastic climate changes in the Himalayas being caused by Green House Gas Emissions and Aerosol Emissions, receding glaciers, rise in rate of melting of ice resulting in significant increase in the flow of many rivers, thereby posing a threat of floods and drying up of the sources of rivers, the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) has decided to undertake scientific and exploratory expeditions. For the last one year, Maj HPS Ahluwalia, president, IMF had been interacting with Mr Liang Limin, Director of the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of Chinese Academy of Sciences for exploring the feasibility of launching an Indo-Chinese Joint Expedition to study the effects of global warming on the mountain glaciers and the sources of the Brahamputra and the Satluj. The last known and recorded exploration to the sources of these two mighty rivers had been undertaken more than a century ago by the famous British Explorer, Young Husband.

As a sequel to this interaction between IMF and Chinese Academy of Sciences, a three member delegation from the Chinese Academy of Sciences led by the Director Mr Liang Limin has come to India for discussing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for launching a joint scientific expedition with the IMF. The duration of this study is expected to be 4-5years.

Study Areas

Study area is mainly restricted in the Pulan and Zhada regions in Tibet, where there are two famous mountains. The most famous is the Mt Kailash(or Gang Rinpoche), and many Indian rivers (especially the Satluj river) originate from this mountain, the other mountain is called Mt Jiemayangzong, where glaciers are widespread, and this area is regarded as the real river source of the Brahamputra River.

Indian Compliment of the Expedition

Indian participation is likely to be that of six members who would be top experts in the field.

Methodology

1. It is proposed to carryout detailed investigation of the glaciers in the catchments of Satluj and Brahamputra rivers. The field expedition will study in details the sediment transfer and rate of retreat and isotope studies to study rate of recession in last two to three decades.
2. The proposed Five Year data sets will help in developing a model for glacier recession forecasting in the present climate change scenario.
3. This study is very important because this is the largest catchment area outside the polar regions, meeting the water needs of over a billion people.
4. These regions are facing not only strong climate effects like monsoon oscillations or El Nino phenomenon but also increasingly high pressure by human population and Asian brown cloud.
5. It is proposed to launch the first joint Indo-Chinese expedition of the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Sep 2007. The duration of this expedition would be 25 days, staring and terminating at Lhasa.