Investigating the Relationship Between Debris Flow Risk and Spatial-Temporal Changes in Glaciers Using Remote Sensing (Case Study: Sioleh and Yakhar Glaciers of Damavand Peak)

Mehrabi, Ali

doi:10.22111/jneh.2025.52829.2128

Investigating the Relationship Between Debris Flow Risk and Spatial-Temporal Changes in Glaciers Using Remote Sensing (Case Study: Sioleh and Yakhar Glaciers of Damavand Peak)

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Author

Ali Mehrabi

Associate Professor, Department of Geography and Urban Planning, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

10.22111/jneh.2025.52829.2128

Abstract

The retreat of glaciers due to global warming reduces the volume of ice, which leads to many catastrophic glacier-related hazards, such as debris flows and floods. Infrastructure and local communities in the Damavand region are particularly exposed to glacier-related hazards. Climate change, glacial dynamics, and geomorphology regulate the nature and frequency of debris flows. To understand this concept, two glacial basins related to the Damavand peak, where debris flows and floods have occurred frequently, were selected. In this study, the relationship between climate change, glacial dynamics, and basin geomorphological characteristics with debris flows was investigated. In this regard, SL, HI, NDSI, and Mass Balance indices were used. According to the calculated geomorphological indices, the Yakhar glacier basin can be considered to be in the mature stage, and the Sioleh glacier basin to be in the transition to the late juvenile stage in terms of geomorphological evolution. Landsat satellite imagery processing over 30 years has shown that the glaciers have retreated at an average rate of 0.484 km2/year. Both glaciers have also experienced a negative mass balance of 0.03 (m w.e a-1) on average. Climatic data indicate that a period of extreme temperature increase preceding the debris flows, followed by heavy rainfall, triggered several debris flows in Mordad 1401. Glacier stability, particularly at their termini, is highly sensitive to melting rates, precipitation, temperature fluctuations, and changes in mass balance.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Environmental Hazards

References

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