Current situation of glacier and snow glades in the southern mountain area of Lesser Caucasus province

Abstract

Problem definition. The rise in air temperature due to the impact of global warming causes the melting of glaciers in mountainous regions and accelerates freshwater scarcity in lowland areas. This process gradually reduces the annual duration of ice and snow cover in the Lesser Caucasus Mountains. The reduction in the area of ice and snowfields, along with the decline in precipitation, leads to an expansion of desertification and deforestation in lowland and foothill regions.

Formulation of the purpose. The research was conducted to determine the current state of perennial snowfields and glacier reserves located on the Karabakh volcanic plateau, Mixtoken, and Saribulag ridges, considered part of the southern mountainous region of the Lesser Caucasus.

Research methods. For this purpose, satellite imagery interpretation was conducted, utilizing the data archives of satellites such as Azersky, Landsat, Sentinel-1, and others. Analyses were carried out on the raster files obtained after decoding the satellite images, employing various measurement and processing methods. The study also addressed the region's physical geographical position and climatic conditions, examining the long-term variations in air temperature and precipitation levels. The analyses were conducted using observational data (air temperature and atmospheric precipitation) covering the years 1961–2023. Mathematical-statistical and cartographic methods were employed in the study. The interpretation of satellite images, their analysis based on various indices, and the mapping of data were carried out using GIS technology.

The main material. In comparison with the period 1981–2010, the average monthly temperature in this part of the Lesser Caucasus region increased by 0.9-1.4°C in January (0.9°C), May (1.4°C), and June (0.9°C) during 2011-2022, while it decreased by 0.5°C in February and 0.7°C in November. Between 2011–2015, the average annual precipitation in the region decreased by 1%, or approximately 7 mm, compared to the overall period. The results indicate that, depending on air temperature, the extent of snowfields in this region does not exceed 6.0 km². Firn ice in the region is distributed at elevations of approximately 3100–3300 meters. These glaciers are located on the eastern slope of the Gizilbogaz Heights, accumulating on rocky surfaces exposed on sloping terrain. The total area of firn ice, which is situated in small clusters, is 0.148 km², comprising five glacier clusters of varying sizes. Two of these are large, covering an area of 0.14 km², while the remaining three smaller glaciers have a combined area of approximately 0.005 km² (8.67 hectares).

Conclusions. The area of snowfields decreases during warm years as air temperature rises. In this mountainous region, the long-term average increase in air temperature has been 0.2°C. In other months, temperature fluctuations remained within climatic norms. The reduction in the period during which precipitation falls in solid form due to the effects of climate change prevents the formation of new glaciers and snowfields. In periods with higher average annual temperature, the process of glacier melting accelerates.