This study assessed changes in the snout, area, and mass of the largest glacier, Zemu, located in Sikkim Himalaya using earth observation data of 87 years from 1931 to 2018. GlabTop model was used to estimate the glacier thickness and potential lakes that could develop in the future. The study assumes importance since massive hydropower infrastructure is being set up without incorporating any knowledge about the retreating glaciers in the region. Between 1931 and 2018, the glacier lost 30.67% (± 2.87%) at a rate of 0.35% per year. The snout of the glacier retreated by ~ 797 m (± 19.7 m) between 1931 and 2018 at a rate of 9.1 m a⁻¹. The rate of retreat increased to ~ 20 m a⁻¹ very recently from 2014 to 2018. The geodetic mass balance estimates suggest that the glacier lost 6.78 Gt (± 2.05 Gt) of mass at a rate of 84.8 Mt a⁻¹ between 1931 and 2012. The mass loss accelerated at 276.5 Mt a⁻¹ between 2000 and 2012. The GlabTop results suggest a mean glacier thickness of 117 m and the formation of a potential future proglacial lake with an area, volume, and peak discharge capacity of 25.3 ha, 3.53 million m³, and 3522 m³s⁻¹, respectively, by the end of this century.

这项研究使用了1931年至2018年的87年地球观测数据，评估了位于锡金喜马拉雅山的最大冰川Zemu的鼻子，面积和质量的变化。GlabTop模型用于估算冰川厚度和可能发育的湖泊在将来。该研究具有重要意义，因为正在建立大规模的水电基础设施，而没有纳入有关该地区后退冰川的任何知识。在1931年至2018年之间，冰川以每年0.35％的速度损失30.67％（±2.87％）。在1931年至2018年之间，冰川的口鼻以9.1 ma ^-1的速度缩回了797 m（±19.7 m）。撤退速度增加至〜20 ma ^-1从2014年到2018年最近。大地测量的质量平衡估计表明，冰川在1931年至2012年之间损失了6.78 Gt（±2.05 Gt）的质量，速率为84.8 Mt a ^-1。质量损失加速了276.5 Mt a ^-1 2000和2012年之间的GlabTop结果表明117微米的平均厚度冰川和一个潜在的未来proglacial湖泊的，面积，体积，和25.3公顷峰放电容量的形成，3530000米³，和3522米³小号^-到本世纪末分别为¹。