Okitsugu Watanabe

TOPOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS IN THE ABLATION AREA OF THE KHUMBU GLACIER, NEPAL HIMALAYA

Topographic sketch mapping of the whole ablation area of the Khumbu Glacier, East Nepal Himalaya, is performed, using a simple, stereo-photogrammetric method. This map shows that the surface morphology can be classified into II morphologic characteristics. Depending on their distribution and combination, the ablation area can be divided into four morphologic areas. Detailed maps, on a scale of I: I 000-2500, of these four areas indicate that the distribution and combination of these I1 morphologic characteristics result from thickness of the debris cover supraglacial streams and ponds, and glacier dynamics. Th~ irregularity in the ablation area of the Khumbu Glacier can be considered to be a consequence of the mass balance between rate of ice charge from upstream and irregular distribution of ablation rate, depending on debris-cover characteristics in situ.