Glaciers and climate are known to exhibit positive feedbacks that are important for comprehending the overall glacier state. This relation is poorly understood in the relatively unexplored terrain like the Zanskar Himalaya. We have studied the impact of climate change regarding the past and present response of the Pensilungpa Glacier (PG), Zanskar Himalaya. Reconstructing the recent changes in the mass balance (2016–2019) along with the Little Ice Age (LIA) extent of the PG shows that the PG was joined by the five tributary glaciers during the LIA having an area of ~ 18 km² and extended ~ 3 km downstream from its present-day snout located at 4470 ± 1 m.a.s.l. Since the LIA, the PG has retreated ~ 2941 ± 75 m, at an average rate of 5.6 ± 0.15 m a⁻¹. Field observations for the last 4 years (2015–2019) show that the glacier now is retreating by ~ 27 ± 11 m at an average rate of 6.7 ± 3 m a⁻¹, which is similar to the one since the LIA. The glaciers in the study area (Suru River valley) are mostly nourished by the Western Disturbances (during the December, January, and February) with maximum solid precipitation, and melt during the ablation period (May–October). The observed recessional trends of the PG may, therefore, be attributed to an increase in the temperature and decrease in precipitation during accumulation period. The ablation data reveal the significant influence of debris-cover on the mass balance and terminus retreat of the PG. Furthermore, the mass balance data for the last 3 years (2016–2019) show a negative trend with a small accumulation area ratio (AAR) (43%). The average net annual mass balance is estimated to be ~ − 3.67 × 10⁶ m³ w.e. a⁻¹ with the − 0.36 m w.e. a⁻¹ specific balance between 2016 and 2019. During the period 2016–2019, the PG has lost ~ 11.03 × 10⁶ m³ w.e. ice volume. The slower retreat rate and low AAR of the PG, compared to other glaciers in the area, suggest that its terrain characteristics (hypsometry, size, aspect, and slope) control the glacier dynamics and the glacier continues to adjust geometrically in response to the negative mass balance.

众所周知，冰川和气候会表现出积极的反馈作用，这对于理解整个冰川状态非常重要。在诸如Zanskar Himalaya的相对未开发的地形中，对这种关系的了解很少。我们已经研究了气候变化对赞萨尔·喜马拉雅山Pensilungpa冰川（PG）过去和现在的反应的影响。重建PG的近期质量平衡变化（2016-2019年）以及PG的小冰期（LIA）表明，在LIA期间，PG由五个支流冰川合并，面积约为18 km ²并扩展了自今天的鼻子位于4470±1 masl的下游约3 km，自LIA以来，PG已以平均5.6±0.15 ma ^-1的速度向后退缩至2941±75 m。。最近4年（2015-2019年）的野外观测表明，冰川现在以平均6.7±3 ma ^-1的速度回退〜27±11 m，这与自LIA以来的情况相似。研究区（苏鲁河谷）的冰川大部分受到西部干扰（在12月，1月和2月期间）的滋养，固体降水最大，在消融期（5月至10月）融化。因此，观察到的PG的衰退趋势可能归因于积聚期间温度的升高和降水的减少。消融数据揭示了碎片覆盖对PG的质量平衡和终点撤退的重大影响。此外，最近三年（2016-2019年）的质量平衡数据显示出负趋势，堆积面积比（AAR）小（43％）。年平均净质量平衡估计为〜− 3.67×10 ⁶ m ³ we a ^-1在2016年至2019年期间，−0.36 m处我们有^-1的特定平衡。在2016–2019年期间，PG的结冰量减少了约11.03×10 ⁶ m ³。与该地区的其他冰川相比，PG的退缩速度较慢且AAR较低，这表明其地形特征（测压法，尺寸，纵横比和坡度）控制着冰川的动力学，并且冰川继续对负值做出几何调整。质量平衡。