Brief Communication: On the magnitude and frequency of Khurdopin glacier surge events

摘要

The return periods of Karakoram glacier surges are poorly quantified. Here,we present evidence of an historic surge of the Khurdopin Glacier that beganin the mid-1970s and peaked in 1979. Measured surface displacements reached>5 km a?1, two orders of magnitude faster than duringquiescence. The Khurdopin Glacier next surged in the late 1990s, equating toa return period of 20 years. Surge evolution in the two events showsremarkable similarity suggesting a common trigger. Surge activity in theKarakoram needs to be better understood if accurate mass balance assessmentsof Hindu-Kush–Karakoram–Himalaya glaciers are to be made.