Distribution of dead ice inside moraine dam body of Imja Glacial Lake, Khumbu region, Nepal

internal structure of moraine dam of Imja Glacial Lake

Abstract

determine the internal structure of the dam body of Imja Glacial Lake, authors carried out electrical resistivity tomography and field observation in May 2008. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the spatial distribution of dead ice in the dam body. The result of analyses indicates that a) dead ice appears to exist along the lake shore connecting both lateral moraines, and b) the base of dead ice reaches the deepest point of the underground portion of the dam body. Authors conclude that the dead ice currently dams the lake water e ectively. The heat conduction from water flow and the surface of the dam could result in gradual melting of dead ice from the top part. The melting may allow for the gradual drainage of lake water from the spillway. This process may continue until the lake water level becomes low enough to avoid the danger of a GLOF event.