Monitoring and mapping of snow cover variability using topographically derived NDSI model over north Indian Himalayas during the period 2008–19

Abstract The Himalayas is an essential component of the cryosphere due to the large extent of snow or ice cover. The mapping and monitoring of snow cover variability over the Himalayas is the focus of many scientific studies due to the major source of water for Asian countries and equally important for climate change studies. This study describes the analysis of snow cover variability over North Indian Himalayas (NIH) covering Western Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges. The snow cover area (SCA) has been analyzed in three different climate zones such as upper Himalayan zone (UHZ) (Ladakh and Karakoram range), middle Himalayan zone (MHZ) (Great Himalaya and Zanskar) and lower Himalayan zone (LHZ) (Pir Panjal and Shamshbari range) at various elevation levels as well as aspect levels during the past decade (2008–2019). The snow cover maps have been generated for NIH and its climate zones from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. Experimental outcomes have represented that mean annual SCA over LHZ, MHZ, and UHZ has been observed as ~40,000 ​Km2, ~60,000 ​Km2, and ~1,00,000 ​Km2 and also, shown a shift of one month of snow accumulation and snowmelt since the past decade. This study delivers the essential information regarding the present status of snow cover area estimation over NIH. The study has many applications in climatology, hydrology, cryosphere, and glaciology.