Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Hydrological regimes under the conjunction of westerly and monsoon climates: a case investigation in the Astore Basin, Northwestern Himalaya

  • Published:
Climate Dynamics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In a changing climate, river basins with limited summer precipitation but abundant snow and glacier melt-water are affected severely by reductions and seasonal alterations in annual stream flows. However, high altitude glacio-hydrological observations and investigations to address the linkage between the timing of glacier changes and river runoff fluctuations remain ambiguous, particularly in the northwestern Himalayan region of Pakistan. In this context, the hydrological regime of the Astore Basin, a sub-catchment of the Upper Indus River Basin, was comprehensively investigated by employing in situ hydro-meteorological observations in combination with satellite remote sensing data. Two-thirds of the annual precipitation in the Astore Basin falls in winter and spring, mainly deposited by westerly winds, whereas summer and autumn precipitation deposited by the monsoon and local jet streams accounts for only one-third. Some 14 % of the basin area is covered by glaciers and, added to the accumulated seasonal snow deposited by westerly circulations, this can reach 80–85 % of the basin area. Therefore more than 75 % of the annual basin runoff depends on melt-water produced by the predominant seasonal snow and glacier ablation. The non-parametric Mann–Kendall trend test was applied to the whole time-series of hydro-meteorological data. This indicated a lowering of annual and summer mean temperatures during the period 1980–1995 and slight warming during the 1996–2010 period. Similarly, annual, winter and summer precipitation, and annual mean discharge, increased from 1980 to 1995 but, in contrast, a slight decrease in annual and summer precipitation was observed during the 1996–2010 period; however, discharge evidence is slight making any increase in this period insignificant. In addition, the Spearman and Mann–Kendall correlation results depict annual stream flow fluctuations during the 1980–2010 decades in the Astore River that were predominantly influenced by precipitation variations, but not by any alteration in catchment temperatures, and so not governed by enhanced glacier ablation and retreat. The results of the analysis presented here were also substantiated by satellite remote sensing investigation, which points to evidence of stable conditions in the Astore Basin glaciers during this period.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Azam MF, Wagnon P, Ramanathan A, Vincent C, Sharma P, Arnaud Y, Berthier E (2012) From balance to imbalance: a shift in the dynamic behaviour of Chhota Shigri glacier, western Himalaya, India. J Glaciol 58(208):315–324. doi:10.3189/2012JoG11J123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bagla P (2009) Climate change. No sign yet of Himalayan meltdown, Indian report finds. Science 326(5955):924–925. doi:10.1126/science.326.5955.924

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bajracharya SR, Mool PK, Shrestha BR (2007) Impact of climate change on Himalayan glaciers and glacial lakes. Case studies on GLOF and associated hazards in Nepal and Bhutan. In: Bajracharya SR, Mool PK, Shrestha BR (eds) Impact of climate change on Himalayan glaciers and glacial lakes case studies on GLOF and associated hazards in Nepal and Bhutan. ICIMOD, Kathmandu

    Google Scholar 

  • Barnett TP, Adam JC, Lettenmaier DP (2005) Potential impacts of a warming climate on water availability in snow-dominated regions. Nature 438(7066):303–309. doi:10.1038/nature04141

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrand NE, Murray T (2006) Multivariate controls on the incidence of glacier surging in the Karakoram Himalaya. Arct Antarct Alp Res 38(4):489–498

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhutiyani MR (1999) Mass-balance studies on Siachen Glacier in the Nubra valley, Karakoram-Himalaya. India 45(149):112–118

    Google Scholar 

  • Bishop MP, Bush ABG, Copland L, Kamp U, Owen LA, Seong YB, Shroder JF (2010) Climate change and mountain topographic evolution in the central Karakoram, Pakistan. Ann Assoc Am Geogr 100:1–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bliss A, Hock R, Radić V (2014) Global response of glacier runoff to twenty-first century climate change. J Geophys Res Earth Surf 119:1–14. doi:10.1002/2013JF002931.Received

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bocchiola D, Diolaiuti G (2012) Recent (1980–2009) evidence of climate change in the upper Karakoram, Pakistan. Theor Appl Climatol. doi:10.1007/s00704-012-0803-y

  • Bocchiola D, Diolaiuti G, Soncini A, Mihalcea C, D’Agata C, Mayer C, Smiraglia C (2011) Prediction of future hydrological regimes in poorly gauged high altitude basins: the case study of the upper Indus, Pakistan. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 15(7):2059–2075. doi:10.5194/hess-15-2059-2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T (2007) Climate change and glacier retreat in northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) using remote sensing data. Glob Planet Change 56(1–2):1–12. doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2006.07.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Pieczonka T, Benn DI (2010a) Longest time series of glacier mass changes in the Himalaya based on stereo imagery. Cryosphere Discuss 4(4):2593–2613. doi:10.5194/tcd-4-2593-2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Menounos B, Wheate R (2010b) Landsat-based inventory of glaciers in western Canada, 1985–2005. Remote Sens Environ 114(1):127–137. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2009.08.015

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bolch T, Kulkarni A, Kääb A, Huggel C, Paul F, Cogley JG, Stoffel M (2012) The state and fate of Himalayan glaciers. Science 336(6079):310–314. doi:10.1126/science.1215828

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chaudhry QZ, Mahmood A, Hyder KW, Dahe Q (2011) Glaciers and glacial lakes under changing climate in Pakistan. Pak J Meteorol 8(15):1–8

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen JL, Wilson CR, Tapley BD (2006) Satellite gravity measurements confirm accelerated melting of Greenland ice sheet. Science 313(5795):1958–1960. doi:10.1126/science.1129007

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG (2011) Present and future states of Himalaya and Karakoram glaciers. Ann Glaciol 52(59):69–73. doi:10.3189/172756411799096277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cogley JG, Kargel JS, Kaser G, van der Veen CJ (2010) Tracking the source of glacier misinformation. Science 337:522. doi:10.1126/science.327.5965.522-a

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Copland L, Sylvestre T, Bishop MP, Shroder JF, Owen LA, Bushi A, Kamp U (2011) Expanded and recently increased glacier surging in the Karakoram. Arct Antarct Alp Res 43(4):503–516

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Curry J (2014) Climate science: uncertain temperature trend. Nat Geosci 7(2):83–84. doi:10.1038/ngeo2078

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Douglas EM, Vogel RM, Kroll CN (2000) Trends in foods and low fows in the United States: impact of spatial correlation. J Hydrol 240:90–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler HJ, Archer DR (2006) Conflicting signals of climatic change in the Upper Indus Basin. J Clim 19:4276–4293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujita K, Nuimura T (2011) Spatially heterogeneous wastage of Himalayan glaciers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108(34):14011–14014. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=3161597&tool=pmcentrez&rendertype=abstract

  • Gardelle J, Berthier E, Arnaud Y (2012a) Impact of resolution and radar penetration on glacier elevation changes computed from DEM differencing. J Glaciol 208(58):419–422

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gardelle J, Berthier E, Arnaud Y (2012b) Slight mass gain of Karakoram glaciers in the early twenty-first century. Nat Geosci 5(5):322–325. doi:10.1038/ngeo1450

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall DK, Riggs GA (2007) Accuracy assessment of the MODIS snow products. Hydrol Process 21(12):1534–1547. doi:10.1002/hyp.6715

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall DK, Bayr KJ, Schöner W, Bindschadler RA, Chien JYL (2003) Consideration of the errors inherent in mapping historical glacier positions in Austria from the ground and space (1893–2001). Remote Sens Environ 86(4):566–577. doi:10.1016/S0034-4257(03)00134-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haritashya UK, Bishop MP, Shroder JF, Bush ABG, Bulley HNN (2009) Space-based assessment of glacier fluctuations in the Wakhan Pamir, Afghanistan. Clim Change 94(1–2):5–18. doi:10.1007/s10584-009-9555-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heid T, Kääb A (2012) Repeat optical satellite images reveal widespread and long term decrease in land-terminating glacier speeds. Cryosphere 6(2):467–478. doi:10.5194/tc-6-467-2012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hess A, Iyer H, Malm W (2001) Linear trend analysis: a comparison of methods. Atmos Environ. doi:10.1016/S1352-2310(01)00342-9

    Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt K (1998) Glaciers receive a surge of attention in the Karakoram Himalaya. EOS 79(8):104–105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt K (2005) The Karakoram anomaly ? Glacier expansion and the “elevation effect,” Karakoram Himalaya. Mt Res Dev 25(4):332–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt K (2007) Tributary glacier surges: an exceptional concentration at Panmah Glacier, Karakoram Himalaya. J Glaciol 53(181):181–188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hewitt K (2011) Glacier change, concentration, and elevation effects in the Karakoram Himalaya, Upper Indus Basin. Mt Res Dev 31(3):188–200. doi:10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-11-00020.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussain SS, Mudasser M, Munir M (2005) Climate change and variability in mountain regions of Pakistan implications for water and agriculture. Pak J Meteorol 2(4):75–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Immerzeel WW, Droogers P, de Jong SM, Bierkens MFP (2009) Large-scale monitoring of snow cover and runoff simulation in Himalayan river basins using remote sensing. Remote Sens Environ 113(1):40–49. doi:10.1016/j.rse.2008.08.010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Immerzeel WW, van Beek LPH, Bierkens MFP (2010) Climate change will affect the Asian water towers. Science 328(5984):1382–1385. doi:10.1126/science.1183188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Immerzeel WW, Beek LPH, Konz M, Shrestha AB, Bierkens MFP (2011) Hydrological response to climate change in a glacierized catchment in the Himalayas. Clim Change 110(3–4):721–736. doi:10.1007/s10584-011-0143-4

    Google Scholar 

  • IPCC (2007) Climate change 2007: an assessment of the intergovernmental panel on climate change. Assess Rep 446(November):12–17. doi:10.1256/004316502320517344

    Google Scholar 

  • Jacob T, Wahr J, Pfeffer WT, Swenson S (2012) Recent contributions of glaciers and ice caps to sea level rise. Nature 482(7386):514–518. doi:10.1038/nature10847

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kääb A, Berthier E, Nuth C, Gardelle J, Arnaud Y (2012) Contrasting patterns of early twenty-first-century glacier mass change in the Himalayas. Nature 488(7412):495–498. doi:10.1038/nature11324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kargel JS, Cogley JG, Leonard GJ, Haritashya U, Byers A (2011) Himalayan glaciers: the big picture is a montage. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 108(36):14709–14710. doi:10.1073/pnas.1111663108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kaser G, Cogley JG, Dyurgerov MB, Meier MF, Ohmura A (2006) Mass balance of glaciers and ice caps: consensus estimates for 1961–2004. Geophys Res Lett 33(19):1–5. doi:10.1029/2006GL027511

    Google Scholar 

  • Kayastha RB, Harrison SP (2008) Changes of the equilibrium-line altitude since the Little Ice Age in the Nepalese Himalaya. Ann Glaciol 48(1):93–99. doi:10.3189/172756408784700581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kulkarni AV, Bahuguna IM, Rathore BP, Singh SK, Randhawa SS, Sood RK, Dhar S (2007) Glacial retreat in Himalaya using Indian Remote Sensing satellite data. Curr Sci 92(1):69–74

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar K, Dumka RK, Miral MS, Satyal GS, Pant M (2008) Estimation of retreat rate of Gangotri glacier using rapid static and kinematic GPS survey. Curr Sci 94(2):258–262. http://www.ias.ac.in/currsci/jul102008/9.pdf

  • Liu S, Ding Y, Shangguan D, Zhang Y, Li J, Han H, Xie C (2006) Glacier retreat as a result of climate warming and increased precipitation in the Tarim river basin, northwest China. Ann Glaciol 43(1):91–96. doi:10.3189/172756406781812168

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lutz AF, Immerzeel WW, Gobiet A, Pellicciotti F, Bierkens MFP (2012) New climate change scenarios reveal uncertain future for Central Asian glaciers. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci Discuss 9(11):12691–12727. doi:10.5194/hessd-9-12691-2012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ma Y, Zhang Y, Yang D, Farhan SB (2014) Precipitation bias variability versus various gauges under different climatic conditions over the Third Pole Environment (TPE) region. Int J Climatol. doi:10.1002/joc.4045

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsuo K, Heki K (2010) Time-variable ice loss in Asian high mountains from satellite gravimetry. Earth Planet Sci Lett 290(1–2):30–36. doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2009.11.053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer C, Lambrecht A, Belo M, Smiraglia C, Diolaiuti G (2006) Glaciological characteristics of the ablation zone of Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan. Ann Glaciol 43(1):123–131. doi:10.3189/172756406781812087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer C, Lambrecht A, Mihalcea C, Belò M, Diolaiuti G, Smiraglia C, Bashir F (2010) Analysis of Glacial Meltwater in Bagrot. Mt Res Dev 30(2):169–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayer C, Fowler AC, Lambrecht A, Scharrer K (2011) A surge of North Gasherbrum Glacier, Karakoram, China. J Glaciol 57(204):904–916

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mihalcea C, Mayer C, Diolaiuti G, Lambrecht A, Smiraglia C, Tartari G (2006) Ice ablation and meteorological conditions on the debris-covered area of Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan. Ann Glaciol 43:292–300

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mihalcea C, Mayer C, Diolaiuti G, Agata CD, Smiraglia C, Lambrecht A, Tartari G (2008) Spatial distribution of debris thickness and melting from remote-sensing and meteorological data, at debris-covered Baltoro glacier, Karakoram, Pakistan. Ann Glaciol 48:49–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Minora U, Bocchiola D, D’Agata C, Maragno D, Mayer C, Lambrecht A, Diolaiuti G (2013) 2001–2010 glacier changes in the Central Karakoram National Park: a contribution to evaluate the magnitude and rate of the “Karakoram anomaly”. Cryosphere Discuss 7(3):2891–2941. doi:10.5194/tcd-7-2891-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mukhopadhyay B, Khan A (2014) Rising river flows and glacial mass balance in central Karakoram. J Hydrol 513:192–203. doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2014.03.042

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nüsser M (2000) Change and persistence: contemporary landscape transformation in the Nanga Parbat region, northern Pakistan. Mt Res Dev 20(4):348–355. doi:10.1659/0276-4741(2000)020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nüsser M, Clemens J (1996) Impacts on mixed mountain agriculture in the Rupal valley, Nanga Parbat, northern Pakistan. Mt Res Dev 16(2):117–133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nüsser M, Schmidt S, Dame J (2012) Irrigation and development in the Upper Indus Basin. Mt Res Dev 32(1):51–61. doi:10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-11-00091.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oerlemans J (2005) Extracting a climate signal from 169 glacier records. Science 308(5722):675–677. doi:10.1126/science.1107046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parajka J, Blöschl G (2008) Spatio-temporal combination of MODIS images—potential for snow cover mapping. Water Resour Res 44(3): n/a–n/a. doi:10.1029/2007WR006204

  • Quincey DJ, Braun M, Glasser NF, Bishop MP, Hewitt K, Luckman A (2011) Karakoram glacier surge dynamics. Geophys Res Lett 38(18):L18504. doi:10.1029/2011GL049004

    Google Scholar 

  • Racoviteanu AE, Paul F, Raup B, Jodha S, Khalsa S, Armstrong R(2009) Challenges and recommendations in mapping of glacier parameters from space. In: Results of the 2008 Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) workshop, vol 50. Boulder, Colorado, USA, pp 53–69)

  • Raper SCB, Braithwaite RJ (2009) Glacier volume response time and its links to climate and topography based on a conceptual model of glacier hypsometry. Cryosphere Discuss 3(1):243–275. doi:10.5194/tcd-3-243-2009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rasul G, Dahe Q, Chaudhry QZ (2008) Global warming and melting glaciers along southern slopes of HKH ranges. Pak J Meteorol 5(9):63–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Rees HG, Collins DN (2006) Regional differences in response of flow in glacier-fed Himalayan rivers to climatic warming. Hydrol Process 2169:2157–2169. doi:10.1002/hyp

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riggs G, Hall DK (2004) Snow mapping with the MODIS Aqua instrument. In: 61st EASTERN CONFERENCE. Portland, Maine, USA, pp 81–84

  • Sarikaya MA, Bishop MP, Shroder JF, Olsenholler JA (2012) Space-based observations of Eastern Hindu Kush glaciers between 1976 and 2007, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Remote Sens Lett 3(1):77–84. doi:10.1080/01431161.2010.536181

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherler D, Bookhagen B, Strecker MR (2011) Spatially variable response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change affected by debris cover. Nat Geosci 4(3):156–159. doi:10.1038/ngeo1068

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt S, Nusser M (2012) Changes of high altitude glaciers from 1969 to 2010 in the trans-Himalayan Kang Yatze Massif, Ladakh, northwest India. Arct Antarct Alp Res 44(1):107–121. doi:10.1657/1938-4246-44.1.107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt S, Nüsser M (2009) Fluctuations of Raikot Glacier during the last 70 years: a case study from the Nanga Parbat Massif, Northern Pakistan. J Glaciol 55(194):949–959

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sharif M, Archer DR, Fowler HJ, Forsythe N (2013) Trends in timing and magnitude of flow in the Upper Indus Basin. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 17(4):1503–1516. doi:10.5194/hess-17-1503-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheikh MM, Manzoor N, Adnan M, Ashraf J, Khan AM (2009) Climate profile and past climate changes in Pakistan, GCISC-RR-01. Global Change Impact Studies Centre (GCISC), Islamabad

    Google Scholar 

  • Shiyin L, Sun W, Shen Y, Li G (2003) Glacier changes since the Little Ice Age maximum in the western Qilian Shan, northwest China, and consequences of glacier runoff for water supply. J Glaciol 49(164):117–124

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tahir AA, Chevallier P, Arnaud Y, Ahmad B, Umr E (2011) Snow cover dynamics and hydrological regime of the Hunza River basin, Karakoram Range, Northern Pakistan. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 15(7):2275–2290. doi:10.5194/hess-15-2275-2011

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Treydte KS, Schleser GH, Helle G, Frank DC, Winiger M, Haug GH, Esper J (2006) The twentieth century was the wettest period in northern Pakistan over the past millennium. Nature 440(7088):1179–1182. doi:10.1038/nature04743

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vincent C, Ramanathan A, Wagnon P, Dobhal DP, Linda A, Berthier E, Gardelle J (2013) Balanced conditions or slight mass gain of glaciers in the Lahaul and Spiti region (northern India, Himalaya) during the nineties preceded recent mass loss. Cryosphere 7(2):569–582. doi:10.5194/tc-7-569-2013

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagnon P, Linda A, Arnaud Y, Kumar R, Sharma P, Vincent C, Chevallier P (2007) Four years of mass balance on Chhota Shigri Glacier, Himachal Pradesh, India, a new benchmark glacier in the western Himalaya. J Glaciol 53(183):603–611. doi:10.3189/002214307784409306

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wake CP (1989) Glaciochemical investigations as a tool for determining the spatial and seasonal variation of snow accumulation in the central Karakoram, Northern Pakistan. Ann Glaciol 13:279–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang X, Xie H, Liang T, Huang X (2009) Comparison and validation of MODIS standard and new combination of Terra and Aqua snow cover products in northern Xinjiang, China. Hydrolog Process 429:419–429. doi:10.1002/hyp

  • Williams RSJ, Hall DK, Sigurdsson O, Chien JYL (1997) Comparison of satellite-derived with ground-based measurements of the fluctuations of the margins of Vatnajokull, Iceland, 1973–92. Ann Glaciol 24:72–80

    Google Scholar 

  • Winiger M, Gumpert M, Yamout H (2005) Karakorum–Hindukush–western Himalaya: assessing high-altitude water resources. Hydrol Process 19(12):2329–2338. doi:10.1002/hyp.5887

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiang Y, Gao Y, Yao T (2014) Glacier change in the Poiqu River basin inferred from Landsat data from 1975 to 2010. Quat Int 1–10. doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.03.017

  • Xiaodong H, Xiaohua H, Wei W, Qisheng F, Tiangang L (2012) Algorithms for cloud removal in MODIS daily snow products. J Glaciol Geogryol 34(5):1118–1126

    Google Scholar 

  • Yao T (2004) Recent glacial retreat in High Asia in China and its impact on water resource in Northwest China. Sci China Ser D 47(12):1065. doi:10.1360/03yd0256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao T, Thompson LG, Mosbrugger V, Zhang F, Ma Y, Luo T, Fayziev R (2012a) Third pole environment (TPE). Environ Dev 3:52–64. doi:10.1016/j.envdev.2012.04.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yao T, Thompson L, Yang W, Yu W, Gao Y, Guo X, Joswiak D (2012b) Different glacier status with atmospheric circulations in Tibetan Plateau and surroundings. Nat Clim Change 2(7):1–5. doi:10.1038/nclimate1580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zemp M, Hoelzle M, Haeberli W (2009) Six decades of glacier mass-balance observations: a review of the worldwide monitoring network. Ann Glaciol 50(50):101–111. doi:10.3189/172756409787769591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Yingzhao M, Yanhong G, Farhan SB (2012) Hydrological changes during the past 50 years over Tibetan Plateau and its regional differences. Quat Sci 32(1):95–102. doi:10.3969/j.issn.1001-7410.2012.01.1

    Google Scholar 

  • Zou S, Yu Y-S, Whittemore D (1993) Non-parametric trend analysis of water quality data of rivers in Kansas. J Hydrol. doi:10.1016/0022-1694(93)90156-4

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are immensely grateful to Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) for their cooperation, and also highly indebted to PMD and WAPDA for their kind support of station data. The two anonymous reviewers are gratefully acknowledged for their insightful comments and suggested improvements on the manuscript. This study was funded by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (973 Program) under Grant No. 2010CB951701, and by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41071042 and 41190082). The researchers were supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Grant No. XDB01020300. Support by the Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-BR-22) is also acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Building 3, Courtyard 16, Lin Cui Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China

    Suhaib Bin Farhan, Yinsheng Zhang, Yingzhao Ma, Yanhong Guo & Ning Ma

  2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, China

    Suhaib Bin Farhan, Yingzhao Ma, Yanhong Guo & Ning Ma

  3. Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission, SUPARCO Headquarters, SUPARCO Road, P.O. Box No. 8402, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan

    Suhaib Bin Farhan

Authors
  1. Suhaib Bin Farhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yinsheng Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yingzhao Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yanhong Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ning Ma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suhaib Bin Farhan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Farhan, S.B., Zhang, Y., Ma, Y. et al. Hydrological regimes under the conjunction of westerly and monsoon climates: a case investigation in the Astore Basin, Northwestern Himalaya. Clim Dyn 44, 3015–3032 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2409-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-014-2409-9

Keywords