Remote Detection of Surge-Related Glacier Terminus Change across High Mountain Asia

High Mountain Asia (HMA) hosts the largest glacier concentration outside of polar regions. It is also distinct glaciologically as it forms one two major surge clusters globally, and many glaciers there contradict globally observed recession trend. Surging are critical to our understanding HMA dynamics, threshold behaviour flow instability, hence have been subject extensive research, yet dynamical uncertainties remain. Using cloud-based geospatial data platform, Google Earth Engine (GEE) GEE-developed tool, GEEDiT, identify quantify trends in distribution phenomenological characteristics surging synoptically across HMA, we identified 137 between 1987–2019. Of these, 55 were newly identified, 15 underwent repeat surges, 18 with enhanced glaciological hazard potential, most notably from Glacier Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs). Terminus position time series analysis 1987–2019 facilitated development a six-part classification behaviour, well quantification variables including active phase duration, terminus advance distance rate, periodicity. This research demonstrates application remote sensing techniques GEE platform develop phenomenology large areas, their ability highlight potential geohazard locations, which can subsequently be used focus monitoring efforts.