Degradation of the glaciers of the Western and Central Tien Shan: spatio-temporal trends and factors (according to Remote Sensing of the Earth)

Abstract

This article presents a comparative analysis of mountain glacier degradation in the Western and Central Tien Shan under contemporary climate warming. The study aims to identify regional differences in the rate and direction of glacier change, taking into account morphological structure, slope aspect, and orographic settings. The analysis is based on data from the USSR Glacier Inventory, the Kyrgyzstan Glacier Inventory, Earth observation imagery (Landsat and Sentinel), and published and original research results for glaciers in the Pskem River basin. The methodological framework combines GIS-based spatial analysis, morphological glacier classification, and a comparative assessment of spatio-temporal changes in glacier area.

The results indicate that glaciers in the Western Tien Shan exhibit higher sensitivity to climatic forcing and undergo more rapid degradation, accompanied by glacier fragmentation and pronounced aspect-related differentiation. In contrast, glacier change in the Central Tien Shan is more inertial and is expressed primarily through ice-thickness reduction and the gradual retreat of termini of large valley glaciers. These findings highlight the importance of morphological and orographic controls in shaping regional patterns of glacier degradation and can inform assessments of ongoing and future changes in water resources across the mountain regions of Central Asia.