Mass Balance of Glacier №139 in the Eastern Pamir’s Lake Karakul Basin

Mountain glaciers, including the poorly examined ones in the Lake Karakul Basin, are considered the most vulnerable part of the cryosphere directly reacting to the changing climatic conditions. The most recent aerial imaging and single field surveys of the Lake Karakul Basin glaciation were carried out as late as in 1953. The investigation of the basin’s glaciers thus is of high scientific relevance, including in terms of glaciology and climatology. The article describes the calculations of the surface mass balance (SMB) of Glacier No.139 in the Lake Karakul Basin allowing, based on the findings, to assess the degree of climate change impact on the glaciation in the target zone, as well as the potential changes in the state of glaciers in the future. During 2018-2019, the mass balance of Glacier No.139, located in the basin’s southwestern section, amounted to -0.26 mwe. The data obtained from the Karakul Weather Station allowed establishing that the climate in the target watershed is harshly cold with little snow in winter and mild summer, and the bulk of precipitation occurring in the warm season. Due to the fact that in the past and until recently no glacier mass observations were conducted in the target zone, the research findings can serve as initial data to expand the scientific and applied knowledge, as well as contribute to enhancing the accuracy of glacier dynamics modeling in the area.