Hamta Glacier Cave

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A -glacier ice cave- (?) of Hamta glacier (Indus - Hamta basin) mentions SRIVASTAVA (1999: 160) while summarising SWAROOP, SHUKLA & OBEROI (1966: 161-163), who, however, refer only to the glacier's snout limit without mentioning any cave at all.SWAROOP, SHUKLA & OBEROI (1966: 161-163) say the snout limit of Hamta glacier (Indus - Chandra - Hamta basin, Lahaul and Spiti district, Himachal Pradesh State) had receded between 1963 and 1998 by 0.6 km from 3980 to 4020 m asl: Hamta (5Q212-12-180), a north-westerly flowing valley glacier, lies in [a] fifth order Chandra basin of [the] Indus basin. It is about 6 km in length with an average width of 0.5 km. The glacier originates at an elevation of 5000 m asl and descends towards south terminating at 4020 m asl. The glacier melt drains into the Chandra river, near Chhatru. The glacier has significant avalanche fed accumulation. Relatively thin cover of supraglacial moraines characterises its ablation zone. GLACIOMETRY: Measurements taken beween 21.07.1998 and 16.08.1998 resulted 575,000 cubic metres of daily discharge. 10.6 cubic metres per second maximum discharge (17h00, 2nd August 1998), 4.55 cubic metres per second minimum discharge (09h00 to 10h00, 25th July 1998). 8.5°C to 12°C daily mean air temperature. 18 mm total precipitation, 74% average relative humidity, 4 octas average cloud cover.