Glaciers of Asia—

GLACIERS OF CHINA

By Shi Yafeng, Mi Desheng, Yao Tandong, Zeng Qunzhu, and Liu Chaohai

SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Edited by RICHARD S. WILLIAMS, JR., and JANE G. FERRIGNO

U. S. G EO LO G I C A L SU RV EY P RO F E SSI O N A L PA P E R 1 3 8 6 –F– 2

CONTENTS III

CONTENTS

Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------127

Table 1. Commonly used transliterated Chinese terms for geographic 

 features -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 128

Table 2. Glacierized areas in China------------------------------------------------------------ 128

Figure 1. Map of glaciers and snowline altitude (elevation) in the 

 mountain ranges of western China and adjacent countries--------------- 129

Table 3. The parameters for three types of glaciers in West China -------------------- 130

Table 4. Locations of glaciers, glacierized regions, and other 

 geographic features in China -------------------------------------------- 131–132

Geographic Distribution of Glaciers in China----------------------------------------------132

Distribution of Glaciers in the Altay Shan ------------------------------------------132

Distribution of Glaciers in Tian Shan------------------------------------------------133

Distribution of Glaciers in the Qilian Shan-----------------------------------------133

Distribution of Glaciers in the Chinese Pamir-------------------------------------134

Glaciers in the Karakorum -------------------------------------------------------------134

Distribution of Glaciers in the Kunlun Shan ---------------------------------------134

Distribution of Glaciers on the Qiantan Gaoyuan---------------------------------135

Distribution of Glaciers in the Tanggula Shan-------------------------------------135

Distribution of Glaciers in the Nyainqêntanglha Shan --------------------------135

Distribution of Glaciers in the Gangdisê Shan-------------------------------------136

Glaciers of the Himalaya----------------------------------------------------------------136

Distribution of Glaciers in Hengduan Shan ----------------------------------------137

Ablation of Glaciers in China and Discharge of Meltwater into the 

Glacierized Drainage Basins-----------------------------------------------------------------137

Landsat MSS Images Used to Illustrate Selected Glacierized Areas-------------------138

Central Chinese Tian Shan Region---------------------------------------------------139

Figure 2. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the central Chinese 

 Tian Shan region -------------------------------------------------------------------- 139

Table 5. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the central Chinese Tian Shan region--------------------------------------- 140

Hantengri Feng and Tomur Feng Region of the Tian Shan-----------------------141

Figure 3. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the 

 western part of the Chinese Tian Shan region, including the 

 Hantengri Feng -Tomur Feng area ------------------------------------------------- 142

Table 6. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the western part of the Chinese Tian Shan region, including 

 the Hantengri Feng and Tomur Feng regions----------------------------------- 143

Western Qilian Shan Region-----------------------------------------------------------144

Figure 4. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the 

 western Qilian Shan region ------------------------------------------------------- 144

Table 7. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the western Qilian Shan region----------------------------------------------- 145

Qogir Feng (K2) of the Karakorum Shan Region --------------------------------147

Figure 5. Annotated Landsat 3 MSS false-color composite image of the 

 Qogir Feng (K2) area of the Karakorum Shan region---------------------- 148

Table 8. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the Qogir Feng (K2) of the Karakorum Shan region----------------- 149

Western Kunlun Shan Region ---------------------------------------------------------150

Figure 6. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the western Kunlun Shan 

 region----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 150

Table 9. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the western Kunlun Shan region --------------------------------------------- 151
IV CONTENTS

Tanggula Shan Region-------------------------------------------------------------------152

Figure 7. Annotated Landsat 1 MSS image of the Tanggula Shan region------------- 152

Table 10. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the Tanggula Shan region ------------------------------------------------------ 153

Western Nyainqêntanglha Shan Region---------------------------------------------154

Figure 8. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the western Nyainqêntanglha 

 Shan region --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 154

Table 11. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the western Nyainqêntanglha Shan region -------------------------------- 155

Eastern Nyainqêntanglha Shan Region ---------------------------------------------156

Figure 9. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the 

 eastern Nyainqêntanglha Shan region ----------------------------------------- 156

Table 12. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Shan region --------------------------------- 157

Central Himalaya Region---------------------------------------------------------------158

Figure 10. Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the 

 central Himalaya--------------------------------------------------------------------- 158

Table 13. Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features 

 of the central Himalaya region--------------------------------------------------- 159

Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Images of the Glacierized Regions 

of China -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 160

Table 14. Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glaciers 

 of China -----------------------------------------------------------------------160–163

Figure 11. Index map of optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the 

 glacierized areas of China---------------------------------------------------------- 164

References Cited ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------165
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F127

SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD 

GLACIERS OF ASIA— 

GLACIERS OF CHINA1

By Shi Yafeng, Mi Desheng, Yao Tandong, Zeng Qunzhu, and

Liu Chaohai2

Introduction

China is home to many of the major mountain-glacier systems of the 

world. Figure 1 shows the distribution of glaciers in China. Western China 

includes a series of major mountain ranges and plateaus, namely the Himalaya, 

Karakorum Shan, Kunlun Shan, Qilian Shan, Tian Shan, and Altay Shan, and 

the Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan3 (Qing Zang Gaoyuan) (Tibetan Plateau) where 

glaciers are located (table 1). Glaciers are widely scattered and cover an area of 

about 59,425 km2 (fig. 1). Table 2 and figure 1 show the generalized snowline 

elevations4 in China. The elevation of the snowline ranges from 2,800–3,000 m 

in the Altay Shan to 6,000–6,200  m in southern and western Xizang Zizhiqu 

(Tibet Autonomous Region). Isolines of snowline elevation make irregular, 

concentric circles centered near western Xizang Zizhiqu, where the snowline 

may reach the highest elevation in the world. This peculiar form of variation 

of snowline elevations is caused by the decrease in precipitation from the 

peripheral mountains to the interior of the Qing Zang Gaoyuan. The  annual 

precipitation is 800 to 3,000 mm in some of the outer mountains, but is only 

200 to 300 mm in the interior of the plateau. High elevations result in greater 

solar radiation on the Qing Zang Gaoyuan than on the surrounding lowlands 

and causes an increase in elevation of the interior snowlines.

1

This manuscript was originally written in 1981 to describe the glaciers of China during the benchmark 

period of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Because there was a delay in printing, the authors substantially 

updated the manuscript in 2005.

2

Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of 

Sciences, 260 West Donggang Road, Lanzhou 730000, China.

3

Chinese place-names are used throughout the Glaciers of China subchapter and transliterated English 

words have been added to assist those unfamiliar with Chinese terms for geographic features: Table  1 

provides a list of frequently used words. U.S. Government publications require that official geographic placenames for foreign countries be used to the greatest extent possible. In  the Glaciers of China subchapter, 

the spelling of geographic place-names is derived from the “Gazetteer of China — An Index to the Atlas of 

the People’s Republic of China” published by the Gazetteer Laboratory of Geodesy and Mapping Institute, 

National Bureau of Geology and Mapping, Beijing, China. Gazetteers of place-names in the Xizang Zizhiqu 

(Tibet Autonomous Region) and the Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu (Uygur Autonomous Region) were consulted. 

In  addition, note that the Government of China employs a different spelling system for geographic placenames in regions of China with large Han, Mongol, Tibetan, and Uygur nationalities; the spelling used 

combined the Chinese phonetic alphabet and the Wade System. The Chinese place-names were compared 

with the Gazetteer of the People’s Republic of China (U.S. Defense Mapping Agency, 1990) and the U.S. 

Board on Geographic Names website http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/index.html. Names not listed on the 

website are shown in italics and the spelling of the authors is used.

4

Snowline elevation is defined in this chapter as equivalent to the equilibrium line altitude (ELA) at which 

the annual glacier balance is zero, averaged over many consecutive recent years.
F128 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Figure 1.— (at right) Map of glaciers 

and snowline altitude (elevation) in the 

mountain ranges of western China and 

adjacent countries. The location of the 

Landsat images used for figures 2–10 is 

shown. The national boundaries and the 

geographic place names are taken from 

the 1:4M “Map of the People’s Republic of 

China,” published by China Cartographic 

Publishing House in 1989.

Table 1.—Commonly used transliterated Chinese terms for 

geographic features

Chinese word Transliterated* English word

bingchuan glacier

co (Tibetan term) lake

feng summit or peak of mountain, 

mountains

gaoyuan plateau

gou stream

he river, stream

hu lake

jiang large river

kangri summit or peak of mountain, 

mountains

kou pass

ling mountain range

pendi basin, depression

qu stream

shan mountain range

shankou mountain pass

*Chinese Pinyin characters transliterated into English.

Table 2.—Glacierized areas in China

[Units: m, meter; km2, square kilometer]

Mountains, region,

or glacier

Elevation of the 

snowline 

(m)

Area of 

glaciers 

(km2)

Source1 Investigator

Altay Shan (including Muztau Ling) 2,800–3,200 297 GIC 2, 1982 Liu Chaohai and others

Tian Shan 3,600–4,400 9,225 GIC 3, 1986–1987 Liu Chaohai and others (1987); 

Shi Yafeng and others (2005)

Qilian Shan (including Altun Shan) 4,300–5,200 2,206 GIC 1, 1981 Wang Zongtai and others

Pamir 5,500–5,700 2,696 GIC 4, 1988, (revised) 1999 Mi Desheng and others

Karakorum Shan 4,700–5,600 6,262 GIC 5, 1989 Yang Huian and others (1989); 

Shi Yafeng and others (2005)

Kunlun Shan 5,800–6,100 12,267 GIC 6, 1992–1994 Yang Huian and others

Qiantan Gaoyuan (Plateau) 5,600–6,100 1,802 GIC 7, 1988 Jiao Keqin and others

Tanggula Shan 5,300–5,800 2,213 GIC 8, 1994 Pu Jianchen and others

Nyainqêntanglha Shan 4,200–5,700 10,700 GIC 9, 2001 Pu Jianchen and others (2001); 

Mi Desheng and others (2002)

Gangdisê Shan 5,800–6,000 1,760 GIC 7, 1988 Jiao Keqin and others (1988); 

Shi Yafeng and others (2005)

Himalaya 4,300–6,200 8,418 GIC 11, 2002 Mi Desheng and others

Hengduan Shan 4,600–5,600 1,579 GIC 8, 1994 Pu Jianchen and others

 Total 59,425 Shi Yafeng and others (2005)

1

Data for glacier area are taken from Glacier Inventory of China (GIC) which was compiled by the staff of Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Geocryology and 

published by Science Press, Beijing, China. The inventory is also available digitally at World Data Center D for Glaciology and Geocryology, Lanzhou, China. The glacier 

areas were later revised and published in Concise Glacier Inventory of China (Shi Yafeng and others, 2005; Shi Yafeng, 2008).
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F129

3,800

4,000

4,000

3,600 3,800

3,200

3,400

4,000 4,200

4,400

5,000

5,400

5,600

5,800

6,000

5,400

5,200

4,800

4,600

4,400

4,800

5,000

4,4004,600

6,000

6,000

6,000

5,800

5,000

4,800

4,600

5,200

4,800

5,000

Q i l i a n S h a n

0 250 KILOMETERS

GLACIER

APPROXIMATE PROVINCE BOUNDARY

SNOW-LINE – Altitude, in meters

LANDSAT IMAGE – Path/Row number

Chief Editor, Shi Yafeng; Editor, Mi Desheng;

Cartographic fairdrawing and Platemaking, He Baoshan

151/40

6,000

EXPLANATION

50° N

45° N

40° N

35° N

30° N

25° N

20° N

75° E 80° E 85° E 90° E 95° E 100° E 105° E

K A Z A K H S T A N

R U S S I A

M O N G O L I A

KIRGHIZSTAN

INDIA

CHINA

BANGLADESH

NEPAL

BHUTAN

M Y A N M A R

THAILAND

L A O S

VIET

NAM

Xinjiang

Xizang

(Tibet)

Qinghai

Gansu

Sichuan

Yunnan

Shan

Altay

Qiantan Gaoyuan

Tian

Shan

K u n l u n

S h a n

Shan

Tanggula

S h a n

G a n g d i s ê

K u n l u n S h a n

Pamir

Nyainqentanglha

Shan

Chengdu

Chang

Jiang

INDIA

H i m a l a y a

S h a n

Ka rako rum Shan

Himalaya

Shan

Hengduan

Shan

154/30

146/33

158/31

156/35

159/35

149/37

149/39

151/40

144/40
F130 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Mountain glaciers in western China and central Asia may be classified 

into three types: maritime, subcontinental, and extreme continental (table 3). 

Glaciers of southeastern Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous Region), 

including the eastern Himalaya and Hengduan Shan, belong to the maritime 

type. The  majority of glaciers in Altay Shan, Tian Shan, eastern Qilian Shan, 

eastern Kunlun Shan, eastern Tanggula Shan, north slope of the middle and 

western Himalaya, Karakorum Shan, etc., belong to the subcontinental type. 

Glaciers in the western part of Qing Zang Gaoyuan including western Kunlun 

Shan, eastern Pamir, western Tanggula Shan, western Qilian Shan, Qiantan 

Gaoyuan, etc., belong to the extreme continental type. Their differences are 

mainly due to regional variation in climate (fig. 1, table 3).

Table 3.—The parameters for three types of glaciers in West China (Shi and Liu, 2000) 

[Abbreviations: E., eastern; N., northern; W., western; S.E., southeastern; km2, square kilometer; m, meter; mm, millimeter; ~, approximate]

Parameter

Glacier type

Maritime Subcontinental Extreme continental

Annual precipitation 1,000–3,000 mm 500–1,000 mm 200–500 mm

Average air temperature 

at snowline

a. Summer

b. Annual

 1 ~ 5 °C

 -2 ~ -6 °C

0 ~ 3 °C

 -6 ~ -12 °C

<-1 °C

 <-10 °C

Ice temperature within 

20-m depth

-1 ~ 0 °C -1 ~ -10 °C <-10 °C

Distribution region S.E. part of Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan, 

Hengduan Shan, E. Himalaya

Mid E. Part of Nyainqêntanglha Shan

Tian Shan, Altay Shan, E. Qilian Shan, 

E. Kunlun Shan, E. Tanggula Shan, 

N. slope of midwest Himalaya, 

N. slope of Karakorum Shan

W. part of Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan,

W. Kunlun Shan, E. Pamir, 

Tanggula Shan, W. Gangdisê Shan, 

W. Qilian Shan

Approximate area 13,200 km2 27,200 km2 19,000 km2

The earliest description of glaciers in Chinese literature was made by the 

Buddhist monk Xuazang during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 A.D.). Xuazang 

crossed the Muzart Bingchuan in 630 A.D, on the way to India in search of 

Buddhist Scriptures. In  the late 19th century and early 20th century, some 

western and Chinese explorers observed glaciers in western China. H. von 

Wissman (1959) made a comprehensive study of the glaciers and snowline 

elevation in High Asia (Gaoya). In  1958, an expedition called the “Alpine 

Ice and Snow Utilization Team” (1959), which was the forerunner of what 

was to become the Institute of Glaciology and Geocryology, was organized 

under the leadership of Shi Yafeng. In  2000, this institute was renamed the 

Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, 

Chinese Academy of Sciences. This team, and later the Institute, investigated 

glaciers in the glacierized regions of China: the Qilian Shan, the Tian Shan, 

the western Kunlun Shan, the Karakorum Shan, the Himalaya, the Hengduan 

Shan and other areas. Monitoring stations were set up on Ürümqi He No. 1 

Bingchuan in the Tian Shan, on the Hailuogou Bingchuan in the Gongga Shan, 

on the Tanggula Bingchuan in the Tanggula Shan and in the Yulongxue Shan. 

In  the 1980s, glaciologists from the United States, Japan, Europe, Australia, 

Russia, and many other countries came to China to cooperate and exchange 
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F131

information with Chinese glaciologists. From the middle 1980s, ice-core 

studies were performed in the Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan (Tibetan Plateau) to 

reconstruct past environments and climates (Thompson and others, 1989; 

Nakawo and others, 1990; Yao and others, 1995, 1996). A  comprehensive 

glacier inventory, begun in 1979 and completed in 2002, provides a detailed 

account of the distribution of glaciers in China. Most of the data contained 

in this report are derived from that inventory, the Glacier Inventory of China 

(table  2) (also available digitally from World Data Center D for Glaciology 

and Geocryology, Lanzhou, China). A  summary of the glacier inventory was 

published by Shi (2008).

This report first discusses the distribution of glaciers within each of 12 

glacierized regions. It then describes the ablation of the glaciers, and discharge 

of meltwater into the glacierized drainage basins. In the last part of the report, 

Landsat  2 MSS images and aerial photographs were used as a visual base to 

describe numerous glaciers in several of the glacierized regions and discuss 

their retreat or advance. The names of numerous geographic features are used 

in this report, and the locations (latitude and longitude) of many of the glaciers 

and glacierized regions, as well as a few other geographic features, are presented 

on table  4. Additionally, Landsat images (figs. 2-10) and their associated 

tables (tables 5-13) provide the locations of many of the glaciers, mountains, 

mountain ranges, lakes, rivers, and other geographic features. 

Table 4.—Locations of glaciers, glacierized regions, and other 

geographic features in China

Name Latitude Longitude

Altay Shan (Chinese part) 45°30′N.–50°10′N. 85°00′E.–91°10′E.

Youyi Feng 49°27′N. 87°56′E.

Kuitun Feng 47°00′N. 85°30′E.

Karaxi Bingchuan 49°25′N. 87°53′E.

Tian Shan (Chinese part) 41°00′N.–45°30′N. 76°00′E.–95°00′E.

Hantengri Shan 42°15′N. 80°15′E.

Harlertau Shan 42°00′N. 82°00′E.

Eren Habirga Shan 43°30′N. 85°00′E.

Bogda Feng 43°50′N. 88°40′E.

Muzart Bingchuan 42°18′N. 80°45′E.

Qilian Shan 36°00′N.–40°00′N. 94°00′E.–103°00′E.

Dangjin Shankou (pass) 39°05′N. 94°08′E.

Wushao Ling 37°30′N. 102°42′E.

Tuanjie Feng 38°30′N. 98°20′E.

Shule Nanshan 38°53′N. 97°16′E.

Laohugou Bingchuan 39°03′N. 96°40′E.

Daxue Shan 39°24′N. 96°36′E.

Lenglong Ling Bingchuan 37°38′N. 101°38′E.

Tergun Daba Shan 38°08′N. 96°21′E.

Chinese Pamir 38°00′N–39°30′N. 74°00′E.–76°00′E.

Muztagata (peak) 38°15′N. 75°10′E.

Kongur Shan 38°40′N. 75°20′E.

Karakorum Shan 35°30′N–36°30′N. 76°00′E.–77°30′E.

Qogir Feng (K2) 35°55′N. 76°30′E.

Yengisogat Bingchuan 36°03′N. 76°17′E.
F132 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Name Latitude Longitude

Kunlun Shan 33°15′N.–38°20′N. 75°00′E.–105°00′E.

A’nyêmaqên Shan 34°30′N.–33°40′N. 98°00′E.–102°10′E.

Bayan Har Shan 33°15′N.–35°40′N. 96°00′E.–99°40′E.

Yulong Bingchuan 35°27′N. 81°08′E.

Muztag Shan 36°30′N. 87°30′E.

Yaherung Bingchuan 34°54′N. 99°10′E.

Qiantan Gaoyuan (Plateau) 32°20′N.–34°30′N. 80°00′E.–90°00′N

Purog Kangri 34°20′N. 85°30′E.

Caixong Kangri 34°15′N. 80°05′E.

Tanggula Shan 31°30′N.–34°00′N. 89°00′E.–98°00′E.

Mitijangzhanm Co 33°24′N. 90°19′E.

Yushu 32°45′N. 97°00′E.

Zhag’yab 31°40′N. 97°55′E.

Geladaindong (peak) 33°29′N. 91°13′E.

Bija Shan 31°48′N. 94°40′E.

Bija Glacier Group 31°40′N.–31°55′N. 94°35′E.–94°50′E.

Puogou Bingchuan 31°43′N. 94°35′E.

Nyainqêntanglha Shan 28°00′N.–31°30′N. 90°00′E.–100°00′E.

Qungmo Kangri 29°52′N. 90°03′E.

Margyang He 29°48′N. 89°58′E.

Anjiula 29°40′N. 97°45′E.

Rawu 29°30′N. 97°45′E.

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang 29°20′N. 89°30′E.

Kyaggen Bingchuan 30°31′N. 94°42′E.

Yagnung Bingchuan 29°19′N. 96°42′E.

Geographic Distribution of Glaciers in China

There are 12 primary glacierized regions in China (fig. 1, table 2): Altay 

Shan, Tian Shan, Qilian Shan, Pamir, Karakorum Shan, Kunlun Shan, Qiantan 

Gaoyuan (Plateau), Tanggula Shan, Nyainqệntanglha Shan, Gangdisê Shan, 

Himalaya, and Hengduan Shan. Altay Shan, located in the northernmost part 

of China, has the smallest glacier coverage (297 km2), and Kunlun Shan has the 

largest (12,267 km2). 

Distribution of Glaciers in the Altay Shan

The Chinese Altay Shan (fig. 1, table 4) extends from the border between 

China and Russia on the west to the border between China and Mongolia on 

the east, between latitude 45°30′N. and 50°10′N. The  highest peaks are Youyi 

Feng (4,374 m) and Kuitun Feng (4,104 m). It is the northernmost glacierized 

area in China. The glaciers are concentrated in the upper course of Burqin He, 

a tributary of the Irtish He (Irtysh). There are 424 glaciers with a total area of 

297 km2 on the Chinese side of this range, also including Muztau Ling, to the 

south of Altay Shan (table 2, Liu and others, 1982). The Karaxi Bingchuan, at 

the head of Burqin He, is the longest, with a length of 10.8  km. Its terminus 

descends to 2,416 m, the lowest elevation of any glacier in China. 

Table 4.—Locations of glaciers, glacierized regions, and other geographic 

features in China—Continued
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F133

Distribution of Glaciers in Tian Shan

The Tian Shan (fig. 1, table 4) lies across the middle part of Asia; the part 

in China is called eastern Tian Shan, extending about 1,700 km in an east-west 

direction; it is higher in the west and lower in the east. Under the influence of 

the westerly circulation, precipitation in this region decreases gradually, and the 

snowline elevation rises gradually, from the west to the east.

A glacier inventory using aerial and ground photographs shows that there 

are 9,035 glaciers in eastern Tian Shan that cover an area of 9,225 km2 (table 2, 

Liu and others, 1987; Shi and others, 2005). This is 15.5 percent of the total 

glacierized area of China. The Hantengri-Tomur Feng area (fig. 3) is the largest 

glacierized center in the Tian Shan; 4,093 km2 of the glacierized area is concentrated here, including glaciers of Kyrgyzstan. Eren Habirga Shan (fig. 2) is the 

second glacierized center in the Tian Shan, and the glaciers cover an area of 

about 1,400 km2. Bogda Feng rises abruptly in the eastern part of the Tian Shan 

and is also a major center of glacierization. 

From the beginning of the 20th century to the 1950s, the glaciers of the 

Tian Shan were in a state of recession. For example, the Muzart Bingchuan was 

first described by the travelers of the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century and, at 

that time, its spectacular ablation scenery and dangerous passage were vividly 

written about in the famous book Records of the Western Regions of the Great 

Tang Dynasty. From 1909 to 1950, the glacier retreated 750 m (Shi and Wang, 

1979). Analysis of aerial photographs and Landsat images since the beginning 

of the 1970s indicates that the general glacier recession has been reduced; 

some glaciers are stagnant but some are advancing.

Distribution of Glaciers in the Qilian Shan

The Qilian Shan (fig. 1, table 4) is situated to the northeast of the QinghaiXizang Gaoyuan (Tibetan Plateau), extending from Dangjin Shankou (pass) in 

the west to the Wushao Ling (mountains) in the east. It is about 800 km long. 

The elevation of the mountains increases from east to west. The highest peak 

is Tuanjie Feng  (5,808  m) in the Shule Nanshan (fig.  4). Under the influence 

of the monsoon, the annual precipitation decreases from the eastern section 

(800 mm) to the western section (300 mm). The elevation of the snowline is 

4,300 m in the eastern section and 5,200 m in the west.

A glacier inventory shows 2,815 glaciers in the Qilian Shan with an area 

of 1,931 km2 (Wang and others, 1981). Glaciers in Altun Shan are sometimes 

also included in Qilian Shan; when included, the number and area of glaciers 

increases to 3,015 and 2,206  km2, respectively (table  2). The  largest valley 

glacier is Laohugou Bingchuan of Daxue Shan, 10.1  km long, with an area of 

21.9  km2 (fig.  4). Laohugou Bingchuan has been studied in more detail than 

other glaciers in the Qilian Shan. A  deep ice core from the Dunde Binggai

(ice cap) (lat 38°06′N., long 96°24′E.), which has an area of 57  km2 and is 

located at an elevation of 5,325 m, was analyzed to determine the glacial and 

climate history from the last glaciation to the present (Thompson and others, 

1989; Yao and Thompson, 1992).

Field investigations integrated with analyses of Landsat images during 

a period of 20 years shows that the Lenglong Ling Bingchuan, in the eastern 

section of Qilian Shan is receding at a rate of 12.5 to 22.5 m a–1. However, in 

the Tergun Daba Shan (fig. 4) in the southwestern section of the Qilian Shan, 

several valley glaciers >5  km long advanced 200–400  m from 1966 to 1977. 

During the past 5 years the recession of glaciers in the Qilian Shan has been 

reduced. On many glaciers the mass balance was positive during the 1970s 

(Xie Zichu, 1980) but became negative again during the 1980s and 1990s.
F134 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Distribution of Glaciers in the Chinese Pamir

The Chinese Pamir (fig. 1) are called the eastern Pamir; they are located 

to the south of the Tian Shan, to the east of the western Pamir in Kyrgyzstan 

and Tajikistan, to the west of Yarkant He, and to the north of the border 

between Afghanistan and Pakistan with China. The  glacierized area in this 

region is 2,696 km2 [table 2; Mi and others, 1988, 1999 (revised)]; 80 percent 

is located in the region of Muztagata peak and Kongur Shan.

In this part of the Pamir, glaciers are mostly situated on the leeward slopes. 

The snowline elevation reaches 5,500–5,700 m and the termini end at an elevation of 4,000–5,000 m. Ice ablation is relatively minor and the glacier motion is 

relatively slow. The glaciers are typically of the extreme continental type.

Glaciers in the Karakorum Shan

The Karakorum Shan (fig.  1, table  4) combines extreme ruggedness, high 

elevation, and extensive glacier-ice cover to a greater degree than any other 

mountain system in the world. There are four peaks more than 8,000 m in elevation, including Qogir Feng (K2) (8,611 m), the second highest peak in the world 

(fig. 5). The glaciers are larger than those in the Himalaya and rank among the 

longest valley glaciers in the world outside the polar regions. In  1959, the total 

area of Karakorum Shan glaciers was about 15,000  km2 (von Wissman, 1959), 

which is 37 percent of the mountain area. The snowline elevation lies at about 

4,700–5,600 m. There are six glaciers longer than 50 km in the Karakorum Shan.

The Chinese Karakorum Shan occupies a wide region in the northern 

part of the Karakorum Shan (fig.  1). Landsat images and aerial photographic 

maps show the area of glaciers in the Chinese Karakorum Shan to be about 

6,262  km2 (table  2; Yang and others, 1989; Shi and others, 2005). Several 

large valley glaciers stretch into the upper Yarkant He and its tributary, the 

Klejin He. The Yengisogat Bingchuan is 42.0 km long, with an area of 380 km2

and a terminus at 4,000 m; it is the longest glacier in China. Using data from 

a map by Shipton (1938), a 1968 aerial photomap, and 1978 Landsat images, 

it is seen that the debris-covered terminus of the Yengisogat Bingchuan was 

stable  from 1937–1978. However, the Skyang Bingchuan (northeast of Qogir 

Feng, 18.8  km long) receded 5.2  km from 1937 to 1978. Some glaciers in 

the Chinese Karakorum Shan are advancing; Landsat images of 1978 clearly 

show that a glacier has dammed the Klejin He and impounded a lake; serious 

flooding along the Klejin He occurred in 1961 and 1978.

Distribution of Glaciers in the Kunlun Shan

The Kunlun Shan (fig.  1, table  4), extending from the Pamir eastward 

to the A’nyêmaqên Shan and the Bayan Har Shan, has a total length of about 

2,500 km, and its elevation is higher in the west and lower in the east.

The area of the glaciers in this region is about 12,267 km2 as determined 

from the aerial photomaps and Landsat images (table  2; Yang and others, 

1992–94). About 70 percent of the glaciers are located between the upper 

reaches of the Kaxgar He and the Keliyar He in the western Kunlun Shan. There 

are 10 large glaciers more than 100 km2 in area, of which Dufeng Bingchuan, in 

the upper reach of Yulongkay He, 31 km long and 252 km2 in area, is the largest. 

The  snowline elevations in western Kunlun Shan are 5,800–6,100  m above 

sea level. The Guliya Binggai (ice cap) (fig.  6) is the coldest glacier in central 

Asia. The  lowest measured ice temperature was –19 °C at a depth of 10  m. 

The  longest ice core, 309  m long, was analyzed to determine the glacial and 

climate history for about 0.7 million years (Thompson and others, 1997).
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F135

Aerial photomaps and Landsat images show that 20 of the 37 glaciers 

measured have advanced in the 1960s and 1970s. Some glaciers in the Muztag 

Shan and A’nyêmaqên Shan have experienced major advances; for instance, the 

Yaherung Bingchuan in the A’nyêmaqên Shan advanced 1,800–2,000  m from 

November 1966 to July 1977.

Distribution of Glaciers on the Qiantan Gaoyuan

The Qiantan Gaoyuan region (fig.  1, table  4), a wide inland plateau, lies 

to the south of the Kunlun Shan, to the west of the Tanggula Shan, and to the 

north of the Gangdisê Shan. The  relative elevation of the mountains in this 

region is small. The snowline elevation is as high as 5,600–6,100 m. The area of 

the glaciers amounts to 1,802 km2 (table 2; Jiao and others, 1988). The glaciers 

are small and are scattered and distributed mainly near the highest peaks 

(>6,000 m); for example, No. 41 Bingchuan of Purog Kangri (6,482 m) is 13 km 

long and 5.3 km2 in area.

Distribution of Glaciers in the Tanggula Shan

The Tanggula Shan (fig. 1, table 4) extends for 500 km from Chilbuzhang 

Co in the west, eastward to the Yushu and Zhag’yab regions in Qinghai Sheng 

(Province) and Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous Region). The  general 

orientation of this mountain range is from west-northwest to east-southeast. 

The  crest of the range is the divide between the drainage areas of the Chang 

Jiang (Yangtze River) to the north and the Nu Jiang (Salween River) and some 

small inland water systems to the south.

The glaciers of Tanggula Shan have a total area of 2,213 km2 (table 2), and 

are concentrated around Geladaindong peak (6,621 m) (fig. 7) in the western 

section and around the Bija Shan in the eastern section (Pu and others, 1994). 

The snowline is higher in the west (5,820 m) and lower in the east (5,300 m).

The Bija glacier group exists on the transitional belt between the 

subcontinental- and maritime-type glaciers; mean temperature near the snowline is –6.0 to –7.0 °C. The Puogou Bingchuan on the southern slope of Bija 

Shan advanced from the beginning of the19th century to the 1920s; since the 

1930s, the glacier has retreated.

Distribution of Glaciers in the Nyainqêntanglha Shan

The Nyainqêntanglha Shan (fig.  1, table  4) extends westward from 

Qungmo Kangri (7,048  m) to the north to the Margyang He and ends in 

the east at Anjiula, north of Rawu, with a total length of 740  km in both the 

western (fig.  8) and eastern (fig.  9) sections. The  eastern section of the 

Nyainqêntanglha Shan is adjacent to the great bend of Yarlung Zangbo Jiang 

(fig.  9) (the upper reach of the Brahmaputra River), which is the passage for 

the warm, damp southwest monsoon of the Bay of Bengal into Qinghai-Xizang 

Gaoyuan (Tibetan Plateau) in summer (April to September). Precipitation 

here is abundant and hence the glaciers, all of the maritime type, are 

well developed.

The total area of all the glaciers in the Nyainqêntanglha Shan amounts to 

10,700 km2 (Pu and others, 2001; Mi and others, 2002). The elevation of the 

snowline ranges from 4,200 to 5,700  m. The Qiaqin Bingchuan is one of the 

largest glaciers in this region, 35  km long, with the snowline at an elevation 

of 4,850  m. Qiaqin Bingchuan terminates at an elevation of 2,900  m, in an 
F136 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

evergreen broadleaf forest amidst pawpaw and vegetable  gardens. At  present, 

most of the glaciers located in Nyainqêntanglha Shan are retreating. For 

example, during the late Holocene glacial advance, prior to 1000 B.P., the 

Zepu Bingchuan extended more than 5  km downvalley from the present-day 

position of its terminus; it extended 2  km downvalley of its present terminus 

during most of the past 600 years (Iwata and Jiao, 1993). The Roguo Bingchuan

has retreated about 20 km from its furthest glacial advance. Between 1940 and 

1975, it retreated 2  km, 62 percent of which occurred in 1959–1975 (Li and 

others, 1986). Since 1975, it has been stable.

Distribution of Glaciers in the Gangdisê Shan

The Gangdisê Shan (fig. 1, table 4), extending from Bangong Hu on the 

west to the west of Nyingchi Xian (county) in the east, has a glacierized area of 

1,760 km2 (table 2; Jiao and others, 1988; Shi and others, 2005). The glaciers 

are small and mostly of the cirque-hanging type; they are concentrated in the 

district of the Saint Shan around Kangrinboqê Feng (6,714 m). Precipitation is 

low and the snowline is high, around 5,800–6,000 m.

Glaciers of the Himalaya

The Himalaya (fig.  1, table  4) consists of high mountains lying along 

the southern border of the Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan (Tibetan Plateau) 

from Namjagbarwa Feng (7,782  m in China) to Nanga Parbat (8,114  m in 

Pakistan) and extends for a distance of about 2,400 km. Ten of the world’s 13 

highest mountains (greater than 8,000  m in elevation) are in the Himalaya; 

Qomolangma Feng (Mount Everest) (8,848  m) (fig.  10), the highest, is on 

the border between China and Nepal. According to von Wissman (1959), 

glaciers cover 30,000 km2 or 17 percent of the total mountain area. More recent 

work by Qin (1999) increased the glacierized area of the Himalaya to about 

20 percent.

Qin (1999), from analysis of 1975–1978 Landsat MSS 7 and false-color 

images and some aerial photographs, determined that the total glacierized 

area of the Himalaya was 35,110  km2 with a total volume of 3,734  km3 of 

glacier ice. A total of 18,065 glaciers were inventoried. The glacierized area of 

the Himalaya within China is 8,418  km2, or 24 percent of the total (table  2; 

Mi and others, 2002). The snowline elevation on the glaciers is at 4,300 m in 

the eastern Himalaya and 6,200 m on East Rongpu Bingchuan on the northern 

slope of Qomolangma Feng. The  climate of the Himalaya consists essentially 

of two seasons: a dry, cold winter and a wet, warm summer. From late May to 

September, the Indian Ocean monsoon affects the range, especially the eastern 

part and southern slope. Recent observations in the Qomolangma Feng area 

indicate that the glacierized area at an elevation of more than 5,000 m receives 

less than 1,000  mm  a–1 of precipitation. Glaciers of the eastern Himalaya 

(for example, on Namjagbarwa Feng and in the Assam Himalaya) may be of the 

maritime type with high monsoonal precipitation. Glaciers of the central and 

western Himalaya are of the subcontinental type, and glaciers are not more than 

30 km long. The Rongpu Bingchuan, which is 22.4 km long and has an area of 

85.4 km2, is the largest glacier on the north slope of the Himalaya.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F137

Distribution of Glaciers in Hengduan Shan

The Hengduan Shan region (fig. 1, table 4) extends from Chola Shan in 

the north to Yulongxue Shan in the south, and from the Gongga Shan in the 

east to the Baxoila Ling in the west. The glacierized area of this region is about 

1,579  km2, of which 40 percent is distributed in the Baxoila Ling (table  2; 

Pu and others, 1994).

Gongga Shan is the highest peak (7,556  m above sea level) in the 

Hengduan Shan system. Around the main peak are 74 glaciers with a total area 

of 256 km2, among which the Hailuogou Bingchuan is the longest valley glacier 

at 13.1 km; its terminus is at 2,980 m, and the snowline elevation is at 4,900 m 

above sea level (Xie and Kotlyakov, 1994).

With its main peak, Shanzidou (5,596  m), the Yulongxue Shan is the 

southernmost limit (lat 27°N.) where glaciers are found in China. There are 18 

glaciers in the Yulongxue Shan; most of these are distributed on eastern slopes 

and the snowline is about 5,000 m above sea level.

Because the Hengduan Shan is mainly affected by the Indian Ocean 

monsoon, precipitation is abundant and often reaches 2,500–3,000  mm  a–1

near the snowline. All of the glaciers are of the maritime type, with snowline 

elevations between 4,600 m and 5,600 m.

Ablation of Glaciers in China and Discharge of 

Meltwater into the Glacierized Drainage Basins

Glaciers in China are concentrated in the high mountain ranges and the 

Qinghai-Xizang Gaoyuan (Tibetan Plateau); all of the major river systems of 

China have their headwaters in this high plateau. In the arid regions of northwestern China, the upper courses of the inland rivers, such as the Shule He, the 

Manas He, and the Tarim He, are fed by meltwater from the glaciers to varying 

degrees. Therefore, the presence of glaciers in a drainage basin is important to 

agricultural production in these arid regions, a fact well known to the ancient 

cultures of China. According to records of more than a hundred years ago, in 

the spring of dry years the peasants living at the foot of the northern Qilian 

Shan blackened the surface of ice and snow to promote ablation to increase the 

discharge of the rivers (Alpine Ice and Snow Utilization Team, 1959). During 

1958–1961, Chinese scientists, using coal or other black powder, by hand 

or aircraft, artificially blackened the surface of snow, glaciers, and river ice to 

promote ablation and increase the amount of glacier meltwater from Qilian 

Shan and Tian Shan (Shi, 1961).

Research data from Chinese scientists suggest that the energy for ablation 

of continental glaciers in middle latitudes, such as in the Qilian Shan, the Tian 

Shan, the Kunlun Shan, the Karakorum Shan, and the central and western 

Himalaya (Kou and others, 1974), comes mainly from two sources: solar 

radiation and turbulent heat exchange between the surface of ice and snow and 

the air layer near the ground. It follows that the volume of meltwater from the 

glaciers can be estimated from radiation and temperature data of glacierized 

areas (Shi and Xie, 1964).

Many of the modern glaciers in China are of the continental type, 

which may be subdivided into subcontinental and extreme-continental 

types, according to the annual precipitation and air temperature (table  3). 

The temperature at the surface of the extreme-continental type glacier is very 

low, and the amount of annual ablation is 200–500  mm  a–1 (water equivalent) at the ice tongue of Gozhe Bingchuan region of western Kunlun Shan. 

The  general trend of the ablation of glacier ice decreases from southeastern 
F138 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Xizang in two directions, west-northwest and northwest (Zeng and others, 

1982). For example, the amount of ablation at the terminus of maritime 

glaciers, such as Abzha Bingchuan, in southeastern Xizang is 8,000 mm a–1, but 

at the termini of the subcontinental glaciers, such as the Bogda Shan glaciers 

in eastern Tian Shan and the western Qilian Shan glaciers, it is reduced to 

1,500 mm a–1 and 1,000 mm a–1, respectively, the lowest extreme of the annual 

ablation of glaciers in China. Ablation occurs mainly in midsummer; July and 

August ablation is more than 65 percent of the total (as much as 85 percent 

during certain times) (Yang, 1980).

Meltwater from glaciers indisputably contributes significantly to the 

seasonal discharge of rivers originating in glacierized regions. This is especially 

important in the arid region of northwestern China, where precipitation is 

very low and extremely variable. In dry years, precipitation is low, cloud cover 

is minimal, and solar radiation is extreme in the mountainous regions. In wet 

years, the situation is reversed. For example, during 1975–76, the temperature 

was low, and precipitation was abundant in the Qilian Shan region; at Laohugou

Bingchuan in the western Qilian Shan, the annual total volume of glacier meltwater was 61,420,000  m3

—only 25 percent of the mean annual runoff in the 

dry years (1959–1961). Based on analyses of the hydrologic data on the 

Ürümqi He No. 1 Bingchuan in the Tian Shan and the Laohugou Bingchuan in 

the Qilian Shan, the Cv (annual discharge variation) values of glacier-meltwater-fed rivers are relatively large compared to the Cv values of the rivers fed 

by both glacier meltwater and runoff from rainfall, but are smaller than those of 

rivers fed only by runoff from rainfall.

Glaciers in China cover less than 0.6 percent of the country, but the total 

volume of glacier meltwater is about 2 percent of the annual discharge of rivers 

throughout China. The  percentage of glacier meltwater in the total volume 

of river discharge is different for each drainage basin. The  general tendency, 

however, is for the percentage contribution from glacier-meltwater to increase 

from the periphery to the interior of mountain ranges. For example, it is only 

3.3 percent in the Shiyang He system of the eastern Qilian Shan, but increases 

to 35.7 percent in the Shule He region of the western Qilian Shan.

Glacier meltwater can be hazardous. In  midsummer, the volume of 

glacier meltwater increases the base flow of rivers, increasing the threat of a 

flood. Moreover, in summer the ablation of glacier ice is high, and the rivers 

carry large quantities of sediment, often resulting in high-volume debris flows, 

particularly in the maritime-glacier region of southeastern Xizang Zizhiqu (Du, 

1981). For example, a high-volume glacier-debris flow burst suddenly from the 

Guxiang Gully of Xizang Zizhiqu on the night of 29 September 1953, causing 

serious damage. Since then, the Guxiang Bingchuan glacier-debris flow occurs 

almost every year. In  1964, 85 of these sudden glacier debris flows occurred. 

Glacier-debris flows are also a major hazard in the Kunlun Shan, and along the 

China-Pakistan Highway in the Karakorum Shan.

Landsat MSS Images Used to Illustrate Selected 

Glacierized Areas

Landsat  1, 2, and 3 MSS Images acquired between 16  July 1973 and 

18  July 1978 were analyzed to identify glacial features in nine glacierized 

regions of China. These images were compared to earlier aerial photography 

and previous study results, to determine which glaciers are retreating, which 

are advancing, and the rate of change. 
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F139

Central Chinese Tian Shan Region

A Landsat 2 MSS image of the central Chinese Tian Shan (fig. 2, table 5) 

includes Ürümqi (1), the capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu (Autonomous 

Region), and the region to its southwest. This mountainous area belongs to the 

central section of the Tian Shan. Elevations of features on the Landsat image 

(fig.  2) range from about 700  m near Ürümqi to nearly 6,000  m. The  broad 

valley floors visible in the southwest corner of the Landsat image are about 

2,700  m in elevation. Precipitation in the region occurs mainly during the 

summer and decreases from west to east. Air temperatures remain below 0 °C. 

5829

20

19

18

17

16

15

E 86°30'

E 86°30'

N 43°30'

N 43°30'

Shan (5) Alagou

To Bosten Hu

(23)

To Turpan

Pendi

(24)

To Bosten Hu

(23)

Manas He (10)

Taxi He (9)

Ala Gou (11)

Hutubi He (8)

Ürümqi He (2)

Santun He (7)

Toutun He (6)

Habgih He (13)

Qingshui

He (12)

Eren Habirga

Shan (4)

Tianger Feng (21)

Tian Shan

Glaciological

Station (3)

Ürümqi (1)

4562

14

Eren Habirga

Shan (4)

Shan (5) Alagou

Tianger Feng (21)

Tian Shan

Glaciological

Station (3)

Ürümqi (1)

Junggar Pendi (22)

5829

20

19

18

17

4562

16

14

15

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River or stream

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 5

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS To Bosten Hu

(23)

To Turpan

Pendi

(24)

To Bosten Hu

(23)

Habgih He (13)

Qingshui

He (12)

Ala Gou (11)

Figure 2.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the central Chinese Tian Shan region. Drainage divides between 

glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; selected 

positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed to 

table 5. Landsat 2 MSS image (2971–03523, band 7; 19 September 1977; Path 154–Row 30) from the U.S. Geological 

Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.
F140 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

and glacier accumulation lasts for up to 10 months of the year. The  glaciers 

shown on the Landsat image (fig. 2) are mainly cirque and valley glaciers of the 

continental type. At the present time, most of them are retreating.

Chinese glaciologists established a glacier research station known as the 

Tian Shan Glaciological Station (3) situated on the upper Ürümqi He (2) at an 

elevation of 3,539 m, near Tianger Feng (21). At this Station, research has been 

conducted on glacier flow, mass balance, physics, chemistry, hydrology; radiation and heat balances, and the extent of Quaternary glaciations. The average 

annual temperature on the surface of upper Ürümqi He No. 1 Bingchuan (14) 

is –8.4  °C. at an elevation of 3,840  m. The  annual precipitation from 1959–

1962 was 530  mm (Xie and Ge, 1965). Radiation accounts for 84.4 percent 

of the total summer surface heat input (Bai and Xie, 1965). Data from the 

Table 5.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the central 

Chinese Tian Shan region

[See figure 2 for numbered locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Ürümqi (1) 43°46′N. 87°35′E.

Ürümqi He (2) 43°30′N. 87°19′E.

Tian Shan Glaciological Station (3) 43°00′N. 86°30′E.

Eren Habirga Shan (4) 43°30′N. 85°00′E.

Alagou Shan (5) 42°47′N. 86°53′E.

Toutun He (6) 43°35′N. 87°10′E.

Santun He (7) 43°41′N. 86°55′E.

Hutubi He (8) 43°48′N. 86°36′E.

Taxi He (9) 43°51′N. 86°14′E.

Manas He (10) 43°56′N. 85°56′E.

Ala Gou (11) 42°52′N. 87°30′E.

Qingshui He (12) 42°33′N. 86°53′E.

Habgih He (13) 42°44′N. 86°21′E.

Upper Ürümqi He No. 1 Bingchuan (14) 43°05′N. 86°49′E.

Santun He No. 99 Bingchuan (15) 43°21′N. 86°26′E.

Santun He No. 102 Bingchuan (16) 43°27′N. 86°27′E.

Langtekazheng Bingchuan (17) 43°23′N. 86°06′E.

Hutubi He Urcheng No. 21 Bingchuan (18) 43°26′N. 86°06′E.

Taxi He No. 44 Bingchuan (19) 43°29′N. 86°04′E.

Manas He Cailagol No. 17 Bingchuan (20) 43°26′N. 86°01′E.

Tianger Feng (21) 43°10′N. 86°49′E.

Junggar Pendi (22) 45°30′N. 86°00′E.

Bosten Hu (23) 42°00′N. 87°00′E.

Turpan Pendi (24) 42°45′N. 89°00′E.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F141

Eren Habirga Shan  (4)  indicates that the average annual air temperature of 

the glacierized areas ranges from –10 to –12 °C, and the annual precipitation 

is about 1,000  mm. Both conditions are favorable for glacier development, 

and the Eren Habirga Shan has the largest glacierized area of the Tian Shan, 

including 1,443 glaciers with a total of 1,566  km2. Glaciers are considerably 

smaller in the Alagou Shan (5), the highest elevation of which is 4,415 m.

The Junggar Pendi (Basin) (22) lies north of the Tian Shan. There are 

several interior drainages running from south to north: the Ürümqi He  (2), 

Toutun He  (6), Santun He  (7), Hutubi He  (8), Taxi He  (9), and Manas 

He  (10). The  Ala Gou (11) flows eastward into the Turpan Pendi  (24); the 

Qingshui He  (12) and the Habgih He  (13) flow southward into the Bosten 

Hu (23).

Investigation of upper Ürümqi He No. 1 Bingchuan shows that it retreated 

65.5  m during the period from September 1962 to August 1973, with an 

average recession of –6  m  a–1. Comparison of the aerial photograph acquired 

in August 1964 with the Landsat image acquired on 19  September 1977 

(fig.  2) indicates that the glacier retreated about –65  m, or –5  m a–1; for the 

same period, No. 99 Bingchuan  (15) on the Santun He advanced +84  m, or 

+7.5  m a–1; and No. 102 Bingchuan  (16) on the Santun He retreated –467  m, 

or –36 m a–1. A study of the variation of four glaciers in the Eren Habirga Shan 

[Langtekazheng Bingchuan  (17), Hutubi He Urcheng No. 21 Bingchuan  (18), 

Taxi He No. 44 Bingchuan (19), and Manas He Cailagol No. 17 Bingchuan (20)] 

using the same method shows that three glaciers  (17, 18, 20) retreated with 

a maximum recession of –154  m, averaging –11.6  m a–1; one glacier  (19) 

advanced +100 m, averaging +6.1 a–1.

Hantengri Feng and Tomur Feng Region of the Tian Shan

This area comprises Kyrgyzstan, the northwest corner of the Landsat  2 

MSS false-color composite image (fig. 3, table 6) acquired on 16 October 1976, 

and the western Chinese part of the Tian Shan. The highest peaks in the area 

are Tomur Feng  (2)  (7,435  m) and Hantengri Feng (1)  (6,995  m). The  ridges 

are often 6,500 m high, with 2,500–3,500 m of relief. There are 1,357 glaciers 

in this region, covering a total area of 4,093 km2.

Precipitation in this area is abundant; most of the water vapor comes from 

the west and northwest. About 70 percent of the precipitation occurs May 

through September, and 30 percent from October through April. Precipitation 

in the mountains increases with elevation and is 750–1,000 mm at the snowline 

(3,600–4,000 m elevation). Mean annual temperature at the snowline elevation is 

–7 to –11 °C, resulting in conditions favorable for glaciers (Liu and others, 1987).

The major mountain ranges are the north-south Ziwu Ling  (3), Halik 

Shan  (4), Hantengri Shan  (5), and Tomur Shan  (6). All of the south-flowing 

rivers drain inland into the Tarim Pendi: the Muzart He  (7), Karayulgun 

He (8), Terang He (9), Kokyar He (10), and Aksu He (11). 

Chinese glaciologists have investigated the Tomur Feng region along the 

Qongterang He watershed (Su and Wang, 1985; Su and others, 1985). There 

are 57 glaciers, with a total area of 266  km2. The  glaciers are an important 

water resource for agricultural areas to the south. Many of the glaciers in the 

area are retreating. The Karagul Bingchuan  (12) retreated 15  m a–1 between 

1964 and 1978; the Tugbeliqi Bingchuan (13) retreated 8 m a–1 between 1964 

and 1976; the Kiqikkuzbay Bingchuan  (14) retreated 15  m a–1 between 1942 
F142 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

and 1976; the East Qongterang Bingchuan (17) retreated 5 m a–1 between 1942 

and 1978, and the West Qongterang Bingchuan (18) retreated 18 m a–1 between 

1942 and 1976.

Other glaciers in the area are stable; including the Kiqikterang Bingchuan

(16) and North and South Engil’chek glaciers (24 and 23, respectively) on 

the west side of Ziwu Ling. The North Engil’chek glacier terminates in a large 

ice-dammed lake that periodically produces jökulhlaups down the Engil’chek 

valley. The  following glaciers are advancing: the Saysepil Bingchuan  (19), 

E 80°

E 80°

N 42°

N 42°

Sarydzhas (27)

Halik Shan (4)

Ziwu Ling (3)

Ziwu Ling (3)

Tomur Shan (6)

Tomur Shan (6)

Hantengri Shan (5)

Hantengri Shan (5)

Hantengri

Feng (1)

Tomur

Feng (2)

7435

6995

13

12

14

16 15

17

19

18

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

Halik Shan (4)

Terang He (9)

Kokyar He (10)

Asku He (11)

Muzart He (7)

Karayulgun He (8)

Terang He (9)

Kokyar He (10)

Asku He (11)

Karayulgun He (8)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River or stream

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 6

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Figure 3.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the western part of the Chinese Tian Shan region, 

including the Hantengri Feng -Tomur Feng area. Drainage divides between glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers 

shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; selected positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers 

indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed to table 6. Landsat 2 MSS image (2633–04315, bands 4, 5, 7; 

16 October 1976; Path 158–Row 31) from the U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak. 
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F143

which advanced 62 m a–1 between 1942 and 1976; the Aylonsu Bingchuan (20), 

which advanced 53 m a–1 between 1964 and 1976; and the Kayind Bingchuan

(22), which advanced 38 m a–1 between 1942 and 1976 (Su and Wang, 1985). 

Lednik Mushketova (25) advanced about +4,500 m in 1956 and 1957; this was 

likely a surge (Bakov, 1975).

Generally, glaciers in the western part of the region are stable or advancing, 

while those in the south are retreating. In  the last few years, the snowline 

elevation has been increasing and as a consequence, retreat has quickened.

Table 6.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the western part 

of the Chinese Tian Shan region, including the Hantengri Feng and Tomur Feng regions 

[See figure 3 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Hantengri Feng (1) 42°14′N. 80°10′E.

Tomur Feng (2) 42°02′N. 80°05′E.

Ziwu Ling (3)(Meridianal ridge) 41°48′N.–42°23′N. 80°15′E.–80°20′E.

Halik Shan (4) 42°15′N.–42°26′N. 79°45′E.–80°42′E.

Hantengri Shan (5) 42°11′N.–42°17′N. 79°40′E.–80°42′E.

Tomur Shan (6) 41°51′N.–42°03′N. 79°36′E.–80°46′E.

Muzart He (7) 41°49′N. 80°54′E.

Karayulgun He (8) 41°40′N. 80°43′E.

Terang He (9) 41°41′N. 80°28′E.

Kokyar He (10) 41°38′N. 80°15′E.

Aksu He (11) 41°09′N. 80°11′E.

Karagul Bingchuan (12) 42°16′N. 80°27′E.

Tugbeliqi Bingchuan(13) 42°09′N. 80°29′E.

Kiqikkuzbay Bingchuan (14) 41°54′N. 80°36′E.

Ajen Bingchuan (15) 41°58′N. 80°27′E.

Kiqikterang Bingchuan (16) 41°57′N. 80°25′E.

East Qongterang Bingchuan (17) 41°46′N. 80°17′E.

West Qongterang Bingchuan (18) 41°44′N. 80°17′E.

Saysepil Bingchuan (19) 41°49′N. 80°15′E.

Aylonsu Bingchuan (20) 41°49′N. 79°49′E.

Telekiqi Bingchuan (21) 42°01′N. 79°34′E.

Kayind Bingchuan (22) 42°04′N. 79°33′E.

South Lednik Engil’chek (23) 42°21′N. 79°48′E.

North Lednik Engil’chek (24) 42°13′N. 79°52′E.

Lednik Mushketova (25) 42°18′N. 79°49′E.

Lednik Semënova (26) 42°21′N. 79°54′E.

Sarydzhas (river) (27) 42°23′N. 79°30′E.
F144 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Hiagtin

Mongk Shan (15)

E 96°30'

E 96°30'

N 39°

N 39°

Gumubolidaling

Feng (17)

Gumubolidaling

Shan (13)

Danghe Nanshan (12)

Tergun Daba

Shan (16)

Gumubolidaling

Shan (13)

Danghe Nanshan (12)

Tergun Daba

Shan (16)

Yema Nanshan (10)

Tulai Nanshan (9)

Shule Nanshan (11)

Tulai Shan (6)

Daxue Shan (8)

5620

20 21

22

18

19

26

25 24

23

A

A

B

B

C 27 C

Harko Shan (14)

Haltang He (5)

Dang He (1)

Yemadaquon He (3)

Har Hu

(4)

Shule He (2)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 7

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Gumubolidaling

Feng (17)

5620

To Qaidam Pendi (7)

Figure 4.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the western Qilian Shan region. Drainage divides 

between glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; 

selected positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed 

to table 7. Landsat 2 MSS image (2819–03160, bands 4, 5, 7; 20 April 1977; Path 146–Row 33) from U.S. Geological 

Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

Western Qilian Shan Region

A Landsat  2 MSS false-color composite image (fig.  4, table  7) 

includes an area of the western Qilian Shan located in the boundary 

district between Gansu and Qinghai Provinces. Elevations range from 

2,000 m in the broad valley in the northwest corner of the image to peaks 

of 5,600 m.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F145

Table 7.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features

of the western Qilian Shan region

[See figure 4 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Dang He (1) 39°00′N. 96°00′E.

Shule He (2) 39°30′N. 97°00′E.

Yemadaquon He (3) 39°09′N. 97°36′E.

Har Hu (4) 38°18′N. 97°32′E.

Haltang He (5) 38°33′N. 96°00′E.

Tulai Shan (6) 39°30′N. 97°29′E.

Qaidam Pendi (7) 37°00′N. 93°00′E.

Daxue Shan (8) 39°24′N. 96°36′E.

Tulai Nanshan (9) 39°08′N. 97°23′E.

Yema Nanshan (10) 39°15′N. 96°13′E.

Shule Nanshan (11) 38°53′N. 97°16′E.

Danghe Nanshan (12) 39°00′N. 95°36′E.

Gumubolidaling Shan (13) 38°42′N. 96°00′E.

Harko Shan (14) 38°11′N. 96°52′E.

Hiagtin Mongk Shan (15) 38°15′N. 95°53′E.

Tergun Daba Shan (16) 38°08′N. 96°21′E.

Gumubolidaling Feng (17) 38°38′N. 96°08′E.

Laohugou No. 12 Bingchuan (18) 39°29′N. 96°31′E.

Laohugou No. 18 Bingchuan (19) 39°28′N. 96°29′E.

Zahelung Bingchuan (20) 38°45′N. 97°13′E.

Lungno’odang Bingchuan (21) 38°45′N. 97°15′E.

Yematan No. 2 Bingchuan (22) 38°48′N. 97°18′E.

Ih Xahalgou Gol No. 1 Bingchuan (23) 38°09′N. 96°30′E.

Mohalxalge Bingchuan (24) 38°12′N. 96°19′E.

Gurban Gol No. 1 Bingchuan (25) 38°12′N. 96°13′E.

Horbaxahige No. 10 Bingchuan (26) 38°10′N. 96°11′E.

Horbaxahige No. 13 Bingchuan (27) 38°13′N. 96°10′E.

Under conditions of continental climate, many large continental glaciers 

exist and are an important water resource for the Hexi Zoulang (Corridor) of 

Gansu Province and the Qaidam Pendi (7) of Qinghai Province. The drainage 

systems shown on the Landsat 2 MSS image (fig. 4, table 7) include the Dang 

He  (1), the Shule He  (2), and the Yemadaquon He  (3), a tributary to the 

Beida He; all drain inland and eventually northward into the Hexi Zoulang 

(Corridor). The Har Hu (4) is an independent inland drainage. The Haltang 

He (5) flows into the Qaidam Pendi (7).
F146 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

The mountain ranges from north to south are the Tulai Shan (6), the 

Daxue Shan  (8), Tulai Nanshan  (9), Yema Nanshan (10), Shule Nanshan 

(11), Danghe Nanshan (12), the Gumubolidaling Shan  (13) the Harko 

Shan (14), the Hiagtin Mongk Shan (15), and the Tergun Daba Shan (16); 

the highest peak is Gumubolidaling Feng (17) at an elevation of 5,620 m.

The glaciers are concentrated in the Daxue Shan  (8), the Shule 

Nanshan (11), the Gumubolidaling Shan (13), the Hiagtin Mongk Shan (15), 

and the Tergun Daba Shan  (16). Most of the glaciers of the Qilian Shan 

retreated between 1966 and 1977. Glaciers in the Hiagtin Mongk Shan, 

however, generally advanced during that period. 

Most Chinese glaciologic research has been done on the glaciers of the 

Daxue Shan (8). The Laohugou No. 12 Bingchuan (18), in the Daxue Shan, 

is 10.1  km long, the longest in the Qilian Shan. It is a typical continental 

type glacier with sub-freezing ice temperatures and a clean surface. Field 

surveys indicate that this glacier retreated –72 m (–5m a-1) from May 1962 

to August 1976. The Laohugou No. 18 Bingchuan (19) has a snowline at an 

elevation of 4,710 m and a terminus at 4,440 m; field surveys show a retreat 

of –30 m (–2 m a–1) from May 1962 to August 1976. For the period 1957 

through 1973, the Laohugou No. 12 and 18 Bingchuan retreated –150 m and 

–76 m, respectively, and exhibited a much greater rate of retreat during the 

late 1950s and early 1960s than later.

Three major glaciers in the Shule Nanshan all retreated between 1966 

and 1977, as determined from 1966 aerial photographs and a Landsat image 

acquired on 20  April 1977 (fig.  4). The  flat-topped Zahelung Bingchuan 

(20), with a snowline at 4,840  m and terminus at 4,540  m, retreated 

–250  m; the Lungo’odang Bingchuan (21), which heads in a 5,472  m peak, 

and has its snowline at 5,075  m and its terminus at 4,500  m, retreated 

–150 m; and the sloping Yematan No. 2 Bingchuan (22), with a terminus at 

4,550 m, retreated –70 m. 

Several termini position changes were also seen in the Hiagtin Mongk 

Shan  (15) between 1966 and 1977. The  Ih Xahalgou Gol No. 1 Bingchuan

(23) has a flat accumulation zone with three advancing ice tongues (A, 

B, and C): A advanced +1,000  m, B advanced +100  m, and C advanced 

+100 m. The lowest terminus is at an elevation of 4,700 m. The Mohalxalge 

Bingchuan (24) also has three ice tongues which are at 4,470  m or above; 

the glacier’s snowline elevation is 4,810 m. A advanced +100 m, B advanced 

+200  m, and C experienced a minor retreat. The  Gurban Gol No. 1 

Bingchuan (25) advanced +1,300 m, the Horbaxahige No.10 Bingchuan (26) 

was stable, and the Horbaxahige No. 13 Bingchuan (27), with its head at an 

elevation of 5,361 m and its terminus at 4,845 m, advanced +100 m.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F147

Qogir Feng (K2) of the Karakorum Shan Region

The northern two-thirds of a Landsat  3 MSS false-color composite 

image (fig.  5, table  8) shows the Chinese Xinjiang Region; to the south is 

the Kashmir of Pakistan and India. Physiographically, the area includes the 

western Kunlun Shan (19) and eastern Karakorum Shan (20). Precipitation 

south of the Karakorum Shan is much greater than north of the range, 

and, accordingly, glaciers are larger on the southern slopes. Because of 

the extremely high elevation, including Qogir Feng (K2) (18) at 8,611 m, 

many large glaciers have developed: the Yengisogat Bingchuan (1), Yulin 

Bingchuan  (2), Qogir Bingchuan  (3), Skyang Bingchuan  (4), Gasherbrum 

Bingchuan  (5), Urdok Bingchuan  (6), Sitager Bingchuan  (7), Teram 

Kangri Bingchuan  (8), Kyagar Bingchuan  (9), North, Central, and South

Rimo Glaciers (10, 11, 12), Siachen Glacier  (13), Baltoro Glacier  (14), 

Tatrugou Bingchuan (15), Sudikuwadigou Bingchuan (16), and Qiadijileg

Bingchuan (17).

Recent changes in many of these glaciers were determined using maps, 

aerial photographs, and Landsat images. The  Yengisogat Bingchuan  (1)  is 

the longest glacier in China. It is 42  km long, has a snowline elevation 

of about 5,450  m, and terminus at 4,000  m. Based on a map by Shipton 

(1938), a 1968 map, and Landsat images of 1973, the glacier was stable and 

the terminus did not move. From 1973 to 1978, the terminus position still 

did not change, but the clean ice zone moved 500 m downglacier (Shipton, 

1938; Zhang, 1980).

From 1937 to 1968, the Qogir Bingchuan (3) retreated –1,700 m, and 

the Skyang Bingchuan  (4)  retreated –4,200  m. From 1973 to 1978, the 

Skyang Bingchuan retreated an additional –1,000 m. From 1973 to 1978, the 

western part of the Teram Kangri Bingchuan (8) retreated –300 m, while the 

eastern part advanced +300 m.

In 1926, the Kyagar Bingchuan  (9) dammed the Shaksgam He  (25) 

(Mason, 1930). An ice-dammed lake again formed between 1976 and 

1978 (Hewitt, 1979), suggesting that a recession occurred between 1926 

and 1976; but since 1976 the Kyagar Bingchuan has advanced. Between 

3  September 1961 and 6  September 1978, repeated failures of the ice 

dam generated multiple jökulhlaups; the maximum flood discharges 

were 6,270 m3 s–1 and 4,700 m3 s–1 respectively (Zhang and others, 1990). 

Other glaciers have also recently advanced; from 1968 to 1978, the 

Tatrugou Bingchuan  (15), Sudikuwadigou Bingchuan  (16), and Qiadijileg

Bingchuan  (17) advanced +705  m, +500  m, and +60  m, respectively. 

In  general, the glaciers of the Karakorum Shan region of China have been 

advancing. During the recent warming, however, recession of the glaciers 

has occurred.
F148 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

E 77°

E 77°

N 36 ° N 36°

Qogir

Feng (K2) (18)

Karakorum Shan (20)

Kunlun Shan (19)

8611

2

3 4

5

6

15

16 17

7

8 9

10

11

12

13

14

1

Karakax He (21)

Shyok River (23)

Shyok River (23)

Yarkant He (22)

Kulqin (Shaksgam) He (25)

Kunlun Shan (19)

Karakax He (21)

Shyok River (23)

Yarkant He (22)

Kulqin (Shaksgam) He (25)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 8

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

To

Tarim Pendi 

(24)

Figure 5.—Annotated Landsat 3 MSS false-color composite image of the Qogir Feng (K2) area of the Karakorum Shan 

region. Drainage divides between glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected 

peaks shown in meters; selected positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic 

features that are keyed to table 8. Landsat 3 MSS image (30135–04492; bands 4, 5, 7; 18 July 1978; Path 159–Row 35) 

from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F149

Table 8.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the Qogir Feng 

(K2) of the Karakorum Shan region

[See figure 5 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Yengisogat Bingchuan (1) 36°03′N. 76°17′E.

Yulin Bingchuan (2) 35°58′N. 76°21′E.

Qogir Bingchuan (3) 36°04′N. 76°29′E.

Skyang Bingchuan (4) 36°02′N. 76°32′E.

Gasherbrum Bingchuan (5) 35°55′N. 76°46′E.

Urdok Bingchuan (6) 35°51′N. 76°45′E.

Sitager Bingchuan (7) 35°47′N. 76°49′E.

Teram Kangri Bingchuan (8) 35°46′N. 76°59′E.

Kyagar Bingchuan (9) 35°43′N. 77°11′E.

North Rimo Glacier (10) 35°32′N. 77°32′E.

Central Rimo Glacier (11) 36°22′N. 77°38′E.

South Rimo Glacier (12) 35°21′N. 77°37′E.

Siachen Glacier (13) 35°13′N. 77°10′E.

Baltoro Glacier (14) 35°42′N. 76°11′E.

Tatrugou Bingchuan (15) 36°20′N. 76°24′E.

Sudikuwadigou Bingchuan (16) 36°10′N. 76°40′E.

Qiadijileg Bingchuan (17) 36°11′N. 76°59′E.

Qogir Feng (K2) (18) 35°55′N. 76°30′E.

Kunlun Shan (19) 36°33′N. 77°13′E.

Karakorum Shan (20) 35°39′N. 76°46′E.

Karakax He (21) 36°22′N. 78°03′E.

Yarkant He (22) 36°25′N. 77°15′E.

Shyok River (23) 35°09′N.–35°15′N. 77°16′E.–76°24′E.

Tarim Pendi (24) 39°30′N. 83°30′E.

Kulqin (Shaksgam) He (25) 36°09′N. 76°24′E.
F150 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Western Kunlun Shan Region

A Landsat 2 MSS image (fig. 6, table 9) shows glaciers concentrated in the 

lower third of the image, in the western Kunlun Shan region (1) on the border 

of Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu and Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous Region). 

These glaciers comprise about 8,000 km2 of snow and ice — the largest glacier 

concentration in China. Kunlun Feng  (2), at 7,167  m, is the highest peak in 

the area; the valley floors in the south are at an elevation of 5,000 m, and the 

northern desert is at 1,500  m. The Guliya Binggai (ice cap) (9) is the largest 

(200 km2), highest (6,700 m), and coldest (–19 °C at 10 m depth) glacier in 

Central Asia.

Figure 6.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the western Kunlun Shan region. Selected rivers shown in blue; elevations 

of selected peaks shown in meters; selected positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names 

of geographic features that are keyed to table 9. Landsat 2 MSS image (2667–04204, band 7; 19 November 1976; 

Path 156–Row 35) from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

E 81°

E 81°

N 36 ° N 36°

Guliya

Binggai (9)

Kunlun 6288

Feng (2)

Western Kunlun

Glacier Group (1)

7167

4

5

6

7

8

Yurungkax He (3)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 9

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F151

The climate of this region is dry; annual precipitation is about 300  mm, 

of which the total on the southern slope is higher than that on the northern. 

The glacier meltwater from the southern slopes flows into the Guozha Co and 

the Tianshuihai basin, while that on the northern slopes empties mainly into 

the Yurungkax He (3).

The change over time in the positions of termini of several glaciers was 

determined using maps compiled from 1968–71 data and the 19  November 

1976 Landsat  2 MSS image (fig.  6). The  Yurungkax He Source South No. 51 

Bingchuan  (4)  retreated –160  m between 1968–76. Its snowline elevation 

is at 5,800  m, and its terminus is at 5,125  m. The Kunlun Bingchuan  (5) is a 

dendritic valley glacier with its snowline elevation at 5,920 m and its terminus 

at 4,880  m. The  terminus is covered with debris. From 1970–76, the Kunlun 

Bingchuan advanced +400 m. The Yakabaktak He No. 10 Bingchuan (7) has its 

snowline at an elevation of 6,000  m; its head is at 6,288  m, and its terminus 

is at 5,510  m. It advanced +100  m between 1970–76. The  Atedimu No. 13 

Bingchuan (8) has a piedmont terminus at 5,610 m and a snowline elevation at 

6,070 m. It retreated –90 m between 1971and 1976.

Typically, the northern slopes in this area are steep, making field investigations 

quite difficult; however, the southern slopes are gentle. This glacier group is an 

important water source for the Hetun region of the southern Xinjiang Region 

(fig. 1) (Li, 1975).

Table 9.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the western 

Kunlun Shan region

[See figure 6 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

West Kunlun Glacier Group (1) 35°26′N.–35°13′N. 80°07′E.–81°40′E.

Kunlun Feng (2) 35°21′N. 81°05′E.

Yurungkax He (3) 35°57′N. 80°28′E.

Yurungkax He Source South No. 51 Bingchuan (4) 35°35′N. 80°29′E.

Kunlun Bingchuan (5) 35°29′N. 80°51′E.

Upper Yurungkax He No. 20 Bingchuan (6) 35°30′N. 81°11′E.

Yakabaktak He No. 10 Bingchuan (7) 35°26′N. 81°21′E.

Atedimu No. 13 Bingchuan (8) 35°24′N. 81°38′E.

Guliya Binggai (9) 35°17′N. 81°29′E.
F152 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Tanggula Shan Region

A Landsat  1 MSS image (fig.  7, table  10) includes the area lying on the 

boundary between Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous Region) and Qinghai 

Sheng (Province) in China. This region includes the western section of the 

Tanggula Shan (15). The major glacier group of the region, the Geladaindong, is 

the source of the largest river in China, the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River). Subranges 

of the Tanggula Shan are seen at the northern and southern fringes of the Landsat 

image; the Jurhen Ul Shan (13) and Gyotangmaryo Shan (14), respectively.

Elevations in this region range from 3,000 m to over 6,000 m. The highest 

peak is Geladaindong (6) at 6,621  m. According to the data obtained from 

weather stations at an elevation of 4,900  m in an adjacent area, the average 

Figure 7.—Annotated Landsat 1 MSS image of the Tanggula Shan region. Drainage divides between glacierized basins 

shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; selected positions of glacier 

termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed to table 10. Landsat 1 MSS 

image (1358–04040, band 7; 16 July 1973; Path 149–Row 37) from U.S. Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux 

Falls, S. Dak.

Tug Co (8)

Mitijangzhanm

Co (7)

E 90°

E 90°

N 33°

N 33°

Geladaindong

(6)

6099

6621

5

3

2 1

4

Za’gya Zango (9)

Togton He (11)

Guor Qu (12)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 10

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Tanggula

Shan (15)

Jurhen Ul

Shan (13)

Gyotangmaryo

Shan (14)

0
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F153

annual air temperature is –5.5 °C; the monthly average air temperature in 

January is –16 °C and the maximum monthly temperature (5.5 °C.) is in 

July. The duration of the sub 0 °C period is as long as 8 months. As a result, a 

deep layer of permafrost has developed in this region. Meteorological satellite 

data show that warm and moist air from the Bay of Bengal frequently moves 

northward and affects this area during summer. Therefore, 80 to 90 percent 

of the annual precipitation (about 550–650 mm) is concentrated in June, July, 

August, and September. The  Landsat image was acquired on 16  July 1973 

(fig. 7), early in the rainy season, so the ground surface was rather wet.

The lakes shown on the Landsat image are the Mitijangzhanm Co  (7) 

and Tug Co  (8). Glaciers drain southward into Za’gya Zangbo  (9) and Siling 

Co (south of the image), westward into Mitijangzhanm Co (7), and northward 

into the Togton He (11) and eastward to the Guor Qu (12), two sources of the 

Chang Jiang.

The glaciers on Geladaindong (6) have a total area of 74.94 km2 (Glacier 

Inventory Basin No. 5Z213B16). These glaciers are typical continental 

type, and are developed on a planation surface in the shape of small ice caps 

with flow radiating from a central accumulation area. The  glacier surfaces 

are very clean, because there are no higher sources of rock debris. Most of 

the glaciers in the Geladaindong are currently advancing. In  comparing 

November 1969 aerial photographs with the 16  July 1973 Landsat image 

(fig.  7), several changes in glacier position can be observed. The  Sumeiqu

Bingchuan  (1)  terminates at 5,360  m, and has a snowline elevation of 

5,770  m — its terminus retreated about 260  m (–69 m a–1) for this period. 

The Guoriqu Bingchuan  (2)  advanced 190  m (about +50 m a–1). The Goluqu

Bingchuan  (4)  advanced 160  m (about +43 m a–1). The  Ganaqinmaqu

Bingchuan (5) advanced 140 m (about +37 m a–1). 

Table 10.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the 

Tanggula Shan region

[See figure 7 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Sumeiqu Bingchuan (1) 33°32′N. 91°03′E.

Guoriqu Bingchuan (2) 33°31′N. 91°09′E.

Gangjiaquba Bingchuan (3) 33°28′N. 91°10′E.

Goluqu Bingchuan (4) 33°09′N. 91°10′E.

Ganaqinmaqu Bingchuan (5) 33°20′N. 91°02′E.

Geladaindong (6) 33°29′N. 91°13′E.

Mitijangzhanm Co (7) 33°24′N. 90°19′E.

Tug Co (8) 33°23′N. 89°50′E.

Za’gya Zangbo (9) 32°33′N. 90°58′E.

Siling Co (south of the image) 31°50′N. 89°00′E.

Togton He (11) 33°49′N. 90°57′E.

Guor Qu (12) 33°34′N. 91°20′E.

Jurhen Ul Shan (13) 33°55′N. 90°37′E.

Gyotangmaryo Shan (14) 32°37′N. 89°47′E.

Tanggula Shan (15) 33°10′N. 90°20′E.
F154 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Western Nyainqêntanglha Shan Region

A Landsat  2 MSS image (fig.  8, table  11) features the western 

Nyainqêntanglha Shan  (2)  and Nam Co  (1)  in the Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet 

Autonomous Region). The Bopuri Shan (3) and the Nyainqêntanglha Shan form 

the divide between the inland-lake system to the north and the Indian Ocean to 

the south. The larger rivers of the inland-lake system are the Bo Qu (4), which 

drains into Nam Co, the Tarma Zangbo  (5), and Yougzhu Zangbo  (19), which 

drain into Muggen Co  (13), and the Chumbu Zangbo  (6) which drains into 

Yoqia Co. Other lakes are Sen Co (9), Quru Co (10), Ringco Ogma (11), Ringco 

Kungma (12), Muggen Co (13), and Gomang Co (14). The rivers of the inland 

Figure 8.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS image of the western Nyainqêntanglha Shan region. Drainage divides between 

glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; selected 

positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed to 

table 11. Landsat 2 MSS image (2696–03410, band 7; 18 December 1976; Path 149–Row 39) from U.S. Geological 

Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

E 89°30'

E 89°30'

N 30°30'

N 30°30'

Yangbajain He valley (21)

7111

18

15

16

17

Bo Qu (4)

Qomo Qu (7)

Nyangra Qu (8)

Tarma Zangbo (5)

Yougzhu

Zangbo (19)

Chumbu Zangbo (6)

Nam Co (1)

Sen Co (9)

Quru

Co (10) Muggen Co (13)

Gomang

Co (14)

Ringco Ogma (11)

Ringco

Kungma (12)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 11

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Bopuri Shan (3)

Nyainqêntanglha Shan (2)

Nyain Qêntanglha

Feng (20)

7111

Bopuri Shan (3)

Nyainqêntanglha Shan (2)

Qomo Qu (7)

Nyangra Qu (8)
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F155

regions have low erosive power. As a result, the surrounding areas have gentle 

relief and excellent highland pastures; the mean elevation is 5,200 m. The major 

rivers flowing to the Indian Ocean are the Qomo Qu (7) and the Nyangra Qu (8). 

Both are tributaries of the Yarlung Zangbo Jiang.

Under the influence of the Indian Ocean monsoon, the annual precipitation 

is 380 mm in a valley east of the Nyainqêntanglha Shan at 4,300 m; 79 percent of 

the precipitation occurs in June, July, and August. The mean annual temperature 

is 2.5 °C. The mean annual temperature at the snowline (5,700 m) is estimated to 

be –7.5 °C.

The major glaciers are concentrated around Nyainqêntanglha Feng  (20) 

(7,111); most are small cirque or valley glaciers, 4 to 5  km long. A  comparison of 1970 maps with the 18 December 1976 Landsat 2 MSS image (fig. 8) 

indicates that the Botang Bingchuan  (15) advanced +80  m, the Linggong 

Bingchuan  (16) retreated –100  m, and the Tarqongqu (17) and Pagnuqu (18) 

Bingchuan were stable.

Moraines of past Quaternary glaciation can be easily seen on the Landsat 

image (fig. 8). Evidence of a major prehistoric ice tongue can be seen north of the 

Bopuri Shan (3); a small lake now occurs in a depression near the terminus of the 

former glacier. Piedmont glaciers extended to the west and into the present Nam 

Co from the Nyainqêntanglha Shan, and, to the southeast, glaciers from straight 

valleys terminated at the edge of the Yangbajain He valley (21).

Table 11.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the 

western Nyainqêntanglha Shan region

[See figure 8 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Nam Co (1) 30°45′N. 90°30′E.

Nyainqêntanglha Shan (2) 30°18′N. 90°19′E.

Bopuri Shan (3) 30°13′N. 89°15′E.

Bo Qu (4) 30°29′N. 90°15′E.

Tarma Zangbo (5) 30°46′N. 89°26′E.

Chumbu Zangbo (6) 30°30′N. 89°02′E.

Qomo Qu (7) 29°45′N. 89°15′E.

Nyangra Qu (8) 29°37′N. 89°38′E.

Sen Co (9) 31°00′N. 90°28′E.

Quru Co (10) 30°59′N. 89°53′E.

Ringco Ogma (11) 30°55′N. 89°50′E.

Ringco Kungma (12) 30°56′N. 89°39′E.

Muggen Co (13) 31°02′N. 89°00′E.

Gomang Co (14) 31°11′N. 89°10′E.

Botang Bingchuan (15) 30°10′N. 90°29′E.

Linggong Bingchuan (16) 30°06′N. 90°18′E.

Tarqongqu Bingchuan (17) 30°00′N. 90°03′E.

Pagnuqu Bingchuan (18) 30°20′N. 90°33′E.

Yougzhu Zangbo (19) 30°58′N. 89°24′E.

Nyainqêntanglha Feng (20) 30°20′N. 90°31′E.

Yangbajain He valley (21) 30°05′N. 90°30′E.
F156 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Eastern Nyainqêntanglha Shan Region

A Landsat  2 MSS false-color composite image (fig. 9, table 12) 

includes the area at the junction of the Kangri Garbo Shan  (1)  in the eastern 

Nyainqêntanglha Shan region of the Xizang Zizhiqu (Tibet Autonomous 

Region) and Subola Ling (Mountains) (2) in the Hengduan Shan. Peaks in this 

region rise to 6,600 m and valleys generally are at about 2,000 m, thus relief is 

extreme and vertical zonality of environment is very distinct.

This area is strongly affected by the southwestern monsoon (Indian Ocean 

monsoon); monsoonal precipitation is extremely high, and clouds and fog are 

common. The major rivers are the Zayü Qu (13) and its tributary, the Gomrigarbu

Qu (3); the Dalung Qu (4) which joins the Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (8); the Parlung 

Zangbo (5); and the Sang Qu (6), a tributary of the Zayü Qu (13).

Figure 9.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Shan region. Drainage 

divides between glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in 

meters; selected positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that 

are keyed to table 12. Landsat 2 MSS image (2925–03020, bands 4, 5, 7; 4 August 1977; Path 144–Row 40) from U.S. 

Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

E 96°30'

E 96°30'

N 29°

N 29°

10

11

12

9

Gomrigarbu Qu (3)

Sang Qu (6)

Zayü Qu (13)

Darlung Qu (4)

Parlung Zangbo (5)

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (8)

Ra’og Co (7)

Gomrigarbu Qu (3)

Sang Qu (6)

Parlung Zangbo (5)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 12

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Subola Ling (2)

Kangri Garbo Shan (1)

6610

Roni

Feng (14)
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F157

Major maritime glaciers have developed in this area, and are characterized by 

temperate ice, intensive ablation, and high mass-exchange rate. It is estimated that 

average annual precipitation near the snowline is 2.5–3.0  m and average annual 

temperature is –2 to –4 °C (Li and Zheng, 1981). Annual ablation is the highest 

in China, 6.5–8.0  m of water equivalent. The  largest glacier in the area Kyaggen 

Bingchuan (30°31′N., 94°42′E.) is located west of figure 9. It is 35.3 km long and 

has an area of 206.7 km2. The snowline is at 4,900 m and the terminus at 3,900 m. 

It has a very broad accumulation area of about 165  km2 (Li and others, 1986). 

The  second largest glacier in the area is shown on figure 9 and is the Yagnung

Bingchuan (12); it is 32.5 km long, with the snowline at 5,040 m, the terminus at 

3,960 m, and an area of 191.45 km2 (Shi and others, 2005). The 60 km2 ablation 

area has three slightly contorted medial moraines, suggesting that it may have a 

surge history.

Because of the frequent cloud cover, aerial observations of these glaciers 

are rare. Landsat images from 1973 and 1977 show that the Yagnung Bingchuan

(12) advanced +230 m over that period. In the early 1930s, the Abzha (10) and 

Roni  (9) Bingchuan were joined (Kingdon-Ward, 1934). The  4  August 1977 

Landsat MSS image (fig.  9) shows a separation between these two glaciers of 

1,350  m, indicating major recession of the Roni Bingchuan. Roni Feng (14) 

(6,610 m) is at the head of the Abzha Bingchuan (10); the snowline elevation is 

4,600 m and its terminus lies at 2,550 m. Observations by a local resident suggest 

that the Abzha Bingchuan has receded –700 m in the last 50 years, and observations from 1973–1977 showed a –193 m recession (Li and Zheng, 1981). Field 

work in 1976, however, indicated that the glacier was thickening, and by 1978 the 

Abzha Bingchuan had advanced +200 m. A small glacier, the Zoqupu Bingchuan

(11), near the Abzha Bingchuan, advanced +350 m from 1973 to 1977.

Table 12.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the eastern 

Nyainqêntanglha Shan region

[See figure 9 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Kangri Garbo Shan (1) 29°25′N. 96°26′E.

Subola Ling (2) 29°04′N. 97°10′E.

Gomrigarbu Qu (3) 28°53′N. 96°48′E.

Dalung Qu (4) 28°30′N. 95°50′E.

Parlung Zangbo (5) 29°37′N. 96°18′E.

Sang Qu (6) 29°05′N. 97°22′E.

Ra’og Co (7) 29°30′N. 96°45′E.

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (8) 28°00′N. 95°42′E.

Roni Bingchuan (9) 29°08′N. 96°45′E.

Abzha Bingchuan (10) 29°07′N. 96°47′E.

Zoqupu Bingchuan (11) 29°10′N. 96°52′E.

Yagnung Bingchuan (12) 29°19′N. 96°42′E.

Zayü Qu (13) 28°21′N. 97°00′E.

Roni Feng (14) 29°09′N. 96°45′E.
F158 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Central Himalaya Region

A Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image (fig. 10, table 13) includes 

the area of Qomolangma Feng (Mount Everest) (1) (8,848 m), in the southeast corner, and Xixabangma Feng  (5) (8,012  m), in the southwest corner; 

both are in the central part of the Himalaya. Other major peaks are Lhotse 

Feng (2) (8,501 m), Makalu Shan (3) (8,470 m), and Cho Oyu (4) (8,153 m), 

all located near Mount Everest. Topographically, the northern slope tends 

to be gentle and the southern slope steep. Climatically, the northern slope of 

Himalaya is cold and dry, and the southern slope is warm and moist, indicating 

a general decrease, from south to north, in precipitation and temperature. 

Figure 10.—Annotated Landsat 2 MSS false-color composite image of the central Himalaya. Drainage divides between 

glacierized basins shown in red; selected rivers shown in blue; elevations of selected peaks shown in meters; selected 

positions of glacier termini shown in black; numbers indicate place-names of geographic features that are keyed 

to table 13. Landsat 2 MSS image (2662–03542, bands 4, 5, 7; 14 November 1976; Path 151–Row 40) from U.S. 

Geological Survey, EROS Data Center, Sioux Falls, S. Dak.

E 86°30'

E 86°30'

N 29°

N 29°

16 15

13 14

17

23

18

10

12

11

Pum Qu (7)

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (6)

Langgyang

Co (19)

Amjog

Co (20)

Baikü

Co (22)

Pum Qu (7)

Langgyang

Co (19)

Baikü

Co (22)

Ngamring

Gyemco (21)

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (6)

Glacier terminus

Glacial basin divide

River, stream, or lake

Mountain peak, elevation shown 

in meters above sea level

EXPLANATION

NOTE: Numbers refer to Table 13

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

APPROXIMATE SCALE

10 0 10 20 30 KILOMETERS

Ronpu Si Lamasery (24)

Cho Oyu (4)

Qomolangma Feng (1)

Xixabangma Feng (5)

Nyalam (8)

Tingri 

(9)

Lhotse Feng (2)

5027

8153

8848

8470

8012

Ronpu Si Lamasery (24)

Qomolangma Feng (1)

Xixabangma Feng (5)

Nyalam (8)

Lhotse Feng (2)

5027

8848

8470

8012

Makalu

Shan (3)
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F159

Precipitation in both areas is concentrated in summer. For example, annual 

precipitation at Nyalam  (8) (3,800  m), southeast of Xixabangma Feng  (5), 

is 422 mm; at the Rongpu Si Lamasery (24) (5,027 m), on the north side of 

Qomolangma Feng, annual precipitation is 335 mm, with 84 percent concentrated July through September; and further north at Tingri  (9) (4,300  m), 

annual precipitation is 243 mm, with 97 percent occurring from July through 

September. Moreover, because of the dry climate, low latitude, and high elevation, this region has the most abundant solar radiation in China. Annual global 

radiation may reach 199.9 Kcal cm–2 at the Rongpu Si Lamasery and annual 

radiation balance is 80–90 Kcal cm–2 (Zeng and Kou, 1975).

The major drainage basins of this region are the Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (6) 

(the upper Brahmaputra River), and the Pum Qu (7) (the upper Arun River); 

the Pum Qu joins the Sun Kosi southeast of Qomolangma Feng (1). The lakes 

are all internal (closed) drainage basins: the Langgyang Co  (19), Amjog

Co (20), Ngamring Gyemco (21), and Baikü Co (22). The glacier area shown on 

the Landsat 2 MSS image (fig. 10) amounts to about 2,000 km2 and is concentrated in the areas of Qomolangma Feng (1), Rongxar (23), and Xixabangma 

Table 13.—Selected place-names of glaciers and other geographic features of the 

central Himalaya region

[See figure 10 for number locations of the place-names on a Landsat image of the region]

Place-name of glacier or other geographic feature Latitude Longitude

Qomolangma Feng (1) 27°58′N. 86°54′E.

Lhotse Feng (2) 27°56′N. 86°56′E.

Makalu Shan (3) 27°56′N. 87°04′E.

Cho Oyu (peak) (4) 28°05′N. 86°42′E.

Xixabangma Feng (5) 28°21′N. 85°47′E.

Yarlung Zangbo Jiang (6) 29°13′N. 86°31′E.

Pum Qu (7) 28°34′N. 86°35′E.

Nyalam (8) 28°10′N. 85°58′E.

Tingri (9) 28°34′N. 86°35′E.

Yebokangjiale (Dasapu) Bingchuan (10) 28°24′N. 85°47′E.

West Kangboqen Bingchuan (11) 28°18′N. 85°41′E.

North Kangboqen Bingchuan (12) 28°25′N. 85°42′E.

West Rongpu Bingchuan (13) 28°02′N. 86°50′E.

Central Rongpu Bingchuan (14) 28°03′N. 86°52′E.

East Rongpu Bingchuan (15) 28°03′N. 86°55′E.

Juda Bingchuan (16) 28°05′N. 86°50′E.

Gyachungkang Bingchuan (17) 28°09′N. 86°36′E.

Gyarag Bingchuan (18) 28°01′N. 86°42′E.

Langgyang Co (19) 28°43′N. 85°53′E.

Amjog Co (20) 29°37′N. 86°13′E.

Ngamring Gyemco (21) 29°18′N. 87°11′E.

Baikü Co (22) 28°53′N.. 85°38′E.

Rongxar Region (23) 28°15′N. 86°15′E.

Rongpu Si Lamasery (24) 28°09′N. 86°49′E.
F160 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Feng (5). Glacier termini range from 4,400 to 5,200 m, and snowline elevations 

from 5,500 to 6,200  m  (fig.  1). Because of the intense solar radiation, ice 

pyramids are well developed on many of the glacier termini. 

Glaciers in the area of Xixabangma Feng  (5) are retreating, and the 

glaciers of the southern slopes in this region are retreating two or three times 

faster than those on the northern slope. For example, the lowest limit of clear 

ice of the Yebokangjiale (Dasupu) Bingchuan (10), on the northern slope of 

Xixabangma Feng (5), retreated –160 m from 1974 to 1976, while for the same 

period the West  (11) and North Kangboqen (12) Bingchuan retreated –460  m 

and –350 m, respectively. 

In the Qomolangma Feng area, the clean ice of the West Rongpu Bingchuan

(13) advanced +300  m from 1966 to 1976. During the same period, the 

Central Rongpu Bingchuan (14) and East Rongpu Bingchuan (15) retreated 

–60  m and –200  m, respectively. In  the same area, the Juda Bingchuan (16) 

advanced +150  m from 1969 to 1976; the Gyachungkang Bingchuan (17) 

retreated –1,340  m during the period from 1969 to 1976; and the Gyarag 

Bingchuan (18) retreated –870 m from 1957 to 1976.

Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 Images of the Glacierized 

Regions of China

The preceding sections discuss the use of selected Landsat images to 

describe glacierized areas of China. Table  14 and figure 11 list optimum 

Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images that cover all the glacierized areas of China.

Table 14.—Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glaciers of China

[Code column indicates usability for glacier studies; see figure 11 for explanation]

Path–Row Nominal scene center

latitude and longitude

Landsat

identification

number

Date Code Cloud cover

(percent) Remarks

ALTAY SHAN

152–27 47°20′N. 91°19′E. 2152027007718890 07 Jul 77 10

153–27 47°20′N. 89°53′E. 2153027007722590 13 Aug 77 10

154–26 48°44′N. 89°04′E. 2154026007719090 09 Jul 77 15

154–27 47°20′N. 88°27′E. 2154027007719090 09 Jul 77 50

155–26 48°44′N. 87°38′E. 2155026007720990 28 Jul 77 50

156–26 48°44′N. 86°12′E. 2156026007719290 11 Jul 77 25

TIAN SHAN

152–30 43°05′N. 89°38′E. 2152030007726090 17 Sep 77 10

153–29 44°30′N. 88°44′E. 2153029007722590 13 Aug 77 0

153–30 43°05′N. 88°12′E. 2153030007722590 13 Aug 77 0

154–30 43°05′N. 86°46′E. 2154030007625090 06 Sep 76 0

154–30 43°05′N. 86°46′E. 2154030007726290 19 Sep 77 0 Image used for fig. 2

155–30 43°05′N. 85°20′E. 1155030007224590 01 Sep 72 50

155–30 43°05′N. 85°20′E. 2155030007628790 13 Oct 76 15

155–31 41°40′N. 84°48′E. 2155031007722790 15 Aug 77 10

156–29 44°30′N. 84°26′E. 1156029007226490 20 Sep 72 0

156–29 44°30′N. 84°26′E. 2156029007719290 11 Jul 77 25

156–30 43°05′N. 83°54′E. 2156030007228290 08 Oct 72 5
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F161

Path–Row Nominal scene center

latitude and longitude

Landsat

identification

number

Date Code Cloud cover

(percent) Remarks

156–30 43°05′N. 83°54′E. 2156030007726490 21 Sep 77 70

157–29 44°30′N. 83°00′E. 2157029007724790 04 Sep 77 0

157–30 43°05′N. 82°27′E. 2157030007722990 17 Aug 77 5

157–31 41°40′N. 81°56′E. 2157031007722990 17 Aug 77 0

158–29 44°30′N. 81°34′E. 2158029007723090 18 Aug 77 15

158–30 43°05′N. 81°01′E. 2158030007723090 18 Aug 77 0

158–31 41°40′N. 80°30′E. 2158031007723090 18 Aug 77 5 Image used for fig. 3

159–29 44°30′N. 80°08′E. 2159029007522490 12 Aug 75 10

QILIAN SHAN

141–34 37°24′N. 103°25′E. 2141034007527890 05 Oct 75 5

142–34 37°24′N. 101°59′E. 2142034007517190 20 Jun 75 40

143–33 38°49′N. 101°01′E. 2143033007719790 16 Jul 77 0

143–34 37°24′N. 100°33′E. 2143034007719790 16 Jul 77 10

144–33 38°49′N. 99°35′E. 2144033007618690 04 Jul 76 50

144–34 37°24′N. 99°07′E. 2144034007718090 29 Jun 77 10

145–33 38°49′N. 98°09′E. 1145033007330190 28 Oct 73 10

146–33 38°49′N. 96°43′E. 2146033007711090 20 Apr 77 0 Image used for fig. 4

146–34 37°24′N. 96°15′E. 2146034007711090 20 Apr 77 0

147–33 38°49′N. 95°17′E. 2147033007712990 09 May 77 0

PAMIR

161–33 38°49′N. 75°12′E. 1161033007225190 07 Sep 72 10

KARAKORUM SHAN

159–35 35°58′N. 77°08′E. 3159035007819990 18 Jul 78 10 Image used for fig. 5

160–34 37°24′N. 76°10′E. 2160034007723290 20 Aug 77 0

160–35 35°58′N. 75°42′E. 2160035007721490 02 Aug 77 5

KUNLUN SHAN

143–35 35°58′N. 100°05′E. 2143035007719790 16 Jul 77 30

143–36 34°32′N. 99°39′E. 2143036007719790 16 Jul 77 30

144–35 35°58′N. 98°39′E. 2144035007723490 22 Aug 77 70

145–35 35°58′N. 97°13′E. 2145035007710990 19 Apr 77 10

146–35 35°58′N. 95°47′E. 2146035007611190 25 Apr 76 5

147–35 35°58′N. 94°21′E. 2147035007727390 30 Sep 77 20

148–35 35°58′N. 92°55′E. 2148035007713090 10 May 77 20

149–34 37°24′N. 91°57′E. 1149034007323390 21 Aug 73 0

149–35 35°58′N. 91°29′E. 1149035007319790 16 Jul 73 15

150–34 37°24′N. 90°30′E. 1150034007227690 02 Oct 72 0

150–35 35°58′N. 90°03′E. 2150035007635490 19 Dec 76 0

151–34 37°24′N. 89°04′E. 2151034007715190 31 May 77 0

152–34 37°24′N. 87°38′E. 1152034007325490 11 Sep 73 0

152–35 35°58′N. 87°11′E. 1152035007235090 15 Dec 72 0

Table 14.—Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glaciers of China—Continued

[Code column indicates usability for glacier studies; see figure 11 for explanation]
F162 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Path–Row Nominal scene center

latitude and longitude

Landsat

identification

number

Date Code Cloud cover

(percent) Remarks

153–34 37°24′N. 86°12′E. 2153034007726190 18 Sep 77 5

153–35 35°58′N. 85°45′E. 2153035007724390 31 Aug 77 5

154–34 37°24′N. 84°46′E. 2154034007724490 01 Sep 77 0

154–35 35°58′N. 84°19′E. 2154035007724490 01 Sep 77 0

155–35 35°58′N. 82°53′E. 2155035007726390 20 Sep 77 30

155–36 34°32′N. 82°26′E. 2155036007706590 06 Mar 77 0

156–35 35°58′N. 81°27′E. 2156035007632490 19 Nov 76 30 Image used for fig. 6

156–35 35°58′N. 81°27′E 2156035007721090 29 Jul 77 20

156–36 34°32′N. 81°00′E. 2156036007704890 17 Feb 77 10

157–35 35°58′N. 80°00′E. 2157035007632590 20 Nov 76 5

158–35 35°58′N. 78°34′E. 2158035007719490 13 Jul 77 10

159–34 37°24′N. 77°36′E. 1159034007326190 18 Sep 73 0

TANGGULA SHAN

145–38 31°41′N. 95°55′E. 2145038007721790 05 Aug 77 40

146–38 31°41′N. 94°29′E. 3146038008129690 23 Oct 81 5 Partial scene

147–37 33°07′N. 93°28′E. 2147037007705790 26 Feb 77 5

148–37 33°07′N. 92°02′E. 2148037007635290 17 Dec 76 5 Geladaindong

149–36 34°32′N. 91°03′E. 2149036007631790 12 Nov 76 0

149–37 33°07′N. 90°36′E. 2149037007705990 28 Feb 77 10 Geladaindong. Image used for fig. 7

150–36 34°32′N. 89°36′E. 2150036007635490 19 Dec 76 0

150–37 33°07′N. 89°10′E. 2150037007635490 19 Dec 76 0

NYAINQÊNTANGLHA SHAN

144–39 30°15′N. 96°56′E. 2144039007634890 13 Dec 76 0

144–39 30°15′N. 96°56′E. 3144039008129490 21 Oct 81 0 Partial scene

144–40 28°49′N. 96°31′E. 2144040007634890 13 Dec 76 0

144–40 28°49′N. 96°31′E. 2144040007721690 04 Aug 77 50 Image used for fig. 9

145–39 30°15′N. 95°30′E. 2145039007634990 14 Dec 76 30

146–39 30°15′N. 94°04′E. 2146039007635090 15 Dec 76 5

147–38 31°41′N. 93°03′E. 2147038007635190 16 Dec 76 0

147–39 30°15′N. 92°38′E. 2147039007635190 16 Dec 76 0

148–39 30°15′N. 91°12′E. 2148039007635290 17 Dec 76 0

149–39 30°15′N. 89°46′E. 2149039007635390 18 Dec 76 0 Image used for fig. 8

GANGDISÊ SHAN

151–39 30°15′N. 86°54′E. 2151039007633790 02 Dec 76 0

152–39 30°15′N. 85°28′E. 2152039007633890 03 Dec 76 0

153–38 31°41′N. 84°27′E. 2153038007632190 16 Nov 76 0

153–39 30°15′N. 84°01′E. 2153039007700990 09 Jan 77 0

154–38 31°41′N. 83°01′E. 2154038007632290 17 Nov 76 0

154–39 30°15′N. 82°35′E. 2154039007632290 17 Nov 76 10

155–38 31°41′N. 81°35′E. 2155038007628790 13 Oct 76 5

Table 14.—Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glaciers of China—Continued

[Code column indicates usability for glacier studies; see figure 11 for explanation]
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F163

Path–Row Nominal scene center

latitude and longitude

Landsat

identification

number

Date Code Cloud cover

(percent) Remarks

155–39 30°15′N. 81°09′E. 2155039007634190 06 Dec 76 5

156–37 33°07′N. 80°34′E. 2156037007632490 19 Nov 76 5

156–38 31°41′N. 80°09′E. 2156038007632490 19 Nov 76 0

HIMALAYA

144–40 28°49′N. 96°31′E. 2144040007631290 07 Nov 76 10

144–40 28°49′N. 96°31′E. 2144040007721690 04 Aug 77 0

145–39 30°15′N. 95°30′E. 2145039007634990 14 Dec 76 30

145–40 28°49′N. 95°95′E. 1145040007335590 21 Dec 73 10

146–40 28°49′N. 93°39′E 2146040007635090 15 Dec 76 10

147–40 28°49′N. 92°13′E. 2147040007635190 16 Dec 76 5

147–41 27°23′N. 91°49′E. 2147041007700390 03 Jan 77 20

148–40 28°49′N. 90°47′E. 2148040007635290 17 Dec 76 5

148–41 27°23′N. 90°23′E. 2148041007635290 17 Dec 76 10

149–41 27°23N. 88°57′E. 2149041007635390 18 Dec 76 15

150–40 28°49′N. 87°55′E. 2150040007635490 19 Dec 76 0

150–41 27°23′N. 87°31′E. 2150041007635490 19 Dec 76 5

151–40 28°49′N. 86°29′E. 2151040007631990 14 Nov 76 0 Image used for fig. 10

151–40 28°49′N. 86°29′E. 2151040007635590 20 Dec 76 5

151–41 27°23′N. 86°05′E. 2151041007635590 20 Dec 76 10

152–40 28°49′N. 85°03′E. 2152040007633890 03 Dec 76 5

153–39 30°15′N. 84°01′E. 2153039007700990 09 Jan 77 0

153–40 28°49′N. 83°37′E. 2153040007700990 09 Jan 77 10

154–39 30°15′N. 82°35′E. 2154039007632290 17 Nov 76 10

155–39 30°15′N. 81°09′E. 2155039007634190 06 Dec 76 5

156–38 31°41′N. 80°09′E. 2156038007632490 19 Nov 76 0

156–39 30°15′N. 79°43′E. 2156039007632490 19 Nov 76 0

157–38 31°41′N. 78°42′E. 2157038007632590 20 Nov 76 0

HENGDUAN SHAN

140–39 30°15′N. 102°40′E. 1140039007400390 03 Jan 74 10

140–40 28°49′N. 102°16′E. 1140040007402190 21 Jan 74 0

140–41 27°23′N. 101°52′E. 1140041007400390 03 Jan 74 0

141–39 30°15′N. 101°14′E. 1141039007400490 04 Jan 74 0

141–40 28°49′N. 100°50′E. 11410400074000490 04 Jan 74 0

141–41 27°23′N. 100°26′E. 11410410074000490 04 Jan 74 10

142–39 30°15′N. 99°48′E. 11420390074000590 05 Jan 74 0

142–40 28°49′N. 99°24′E. 11420400074000590 05 Jan 74 0

142–41 27°23′N. 99°00′E. 11420410074000590 05 Jan 74 0

143–39 30°15′N. 98°22′E. 2143039007631190 06 Nov 76 0

143–40 28°49′N. 97°57′E. 2143040007631190 06 Nov 76 0

Table 14.—Optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glaciers of China—Continued

[Code column indicates usability for glacier studies; see figure 11 for explanation]
F164 SATELLITE IMAGE ATLAS OF GLACIERS OF THE WORLD

Row

30

Path

160

Path

150

Path

140

Path

130

Row

40

Row

30

Row

40

Path

160

Path

150

Path

140

Path

130

85°E 90°E 95°E 100°E 105°E 110°E 115°E 120°E

45°N

40°N

35°N

25°N

75°E 80°E 85°E 90°E 95°E 100°E 105°E 110°E 115°E 120°E 125°E

45°N

40°N

35°N

30°N 30°N

80°E

25°N

70°E

500 MILES

0 500 KILOMETERS

0

Scale is approximate

EXCELLENT IMAGE – 0 to 5 percent cloud cover.

GOOD IMAGE – 5 to 10 percent cloud cover.

FAIR TO POOR IMAGE – 10 to 100 percent cloud cover.

NOMINAL SCENE CENTER

≤

> ≤

> <

– For a Landsat image

outside the area of glaciers of China.

EXPLANATION

CHINA

MONGOLIA

RUSSIA

NEPAL

BHUTAN

BANGLADESH

KAZAKHSTAN

Wuhan

Xi'an

Delhi

Urumqi

Beijing

Chengdu

Lanzhou

Shanghai

Figure 11.—Index map of optimum Landsat 1, 2, and 3 images of the glacierized areas of China.
GLACIERS OF ASIA — CHINA F165

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