Sohom Roy, 
Application Scientist at Picarro

 

Picarro Spotlight is a new blog series showcasing important scientific work from our customers around the world. Each blog is selected and summarized by our team. Enjoy! 

In the paper Impact of Geothermal Activity on the Anomalous Retreat of Changmolung Glacier in the Karakoram (Tiwari et al., 2025) published in Science of the Total Environment, researchers from the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology report the discovery of a geothermal spring beneath the glacier’s terminus during a 2022 expedition in northern India’s Karakoram range. The spring, erupting at 8 to 10 °C, is melting the glacier from below, a hidden heat source that has gone unnoticed for decades. This marks the first documented evidence of geothermal influence on glacier retreat in the region, challenging the long-standing “Karakoram Anomaly,” where glaciers were believed to be largely stable or even gaining mass despite global warming.

To identify the source of this heat-driven melt, the researchers used Picarro’s L2140-i isotopic water analyzer to measure the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) in spring water, ice, and meltwater. The geothermal spring displayed a unique isotopic fingerprint that clearly distinguished it from surrounding glacial sources, confirming a deep hydrothermal origin.

Combining satellite data, field observations, and isotopic measurements, the team demonstrated how geothermal heat is driving localized melting. Over five decades (1969 to 2022), the glacier receded by almost 500 m, with rapid thinning of up to 3.9 m per year along the geothermal vent. 

By integrating high-precision Picarro isotope data with geospatial analyses, the study shows how subsurface heat can reshape glacier dynamics. It also raises a new question: how many other glaciers in High Mountain Asia are quietly melting from below? Future research combining isotope mapping, geophysical imaging, and continuous CRDS monitoring may provide the answer.

Meet the Researchers:

Sameer K. Tiwari, Jairam Singh Yadav, Kalachand Sain, Arindam Chowdhury, Sarmistha Halder, Rakesh Bhambri are leading voices in glacier research. Their collaboration with Picarro technology exemplifies how advanced tools can unlock new perspectives in geothermal science. 

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