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Remote Sensing
Volume 18
Issue 9
10.3390/rs18091293
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Article

Detecting Glacier Dynamics During 2016–2024 Using Planet Imagery in the Upper Zarafshon River Basin, Tajikistan

by
Ardamehr Halimov
1,2,3,
Junli Li
1,2,*,
Mustafo Safarov
1,4,
Nazrialo Sheralizoda
3,
Ruonan Li
1,2,
Farhod Nasrulloev
1,3,
Shobegim Shoergashova
1,2 and
Murodov Murodkhudzha
1,3
1
Key Laboratory of Ecological Safety and Sustainable Development in Arid Lands, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China
2
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
3
State Scientific Institution “Center for the Study of Glaciers of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan”, Dushanbe 734025, Tajikistan
4
Research Center for Ecology and Environment of Central Asia, Dushanbe 734063, Tajikistan
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Remote Sens. 2026, 18(9), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18091293
Submission received: 2 April 2026 / Revised: 20 April 2026 / Accepted: 21 April 2026 / Published: 24 April 2026
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Abstract

The Upper Zarafshon River Basin (UZRB) in Tajikistan hosts numerous glaciers, of which the Zarafshon glacier is the largest and most important source of meltwater for both Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. In this study, we analyzed glacier retreat, surface displacement, and the evolution of supraglacial features from 2016 to 2024 using multi-temporal, high-resolution satellite imagery from Gaofen-2 and PlanetScope (80 cm and 3 m spatial resolution). We selected five representative glaciers-№ 168, 178, 185, 202, and 203 based on their size (greater than 1 km2) and hydrological significance. Our comprehensive investigation of the glaciers in 2024 includes data on glacier area, length, supraglacial lakes, and morphological classification. The results show a decrease in total glacier area from 254.1 km2 in 2016 to 252.8 km2 in 2024. Surface movement patterns, derived from visual and geomorphological assessments, reveal spatially heterogeneous displacement, especially in debris-covered areas. Supraglacial lakes and ponds showed dynamic changes, with the most significant expansion in 2022, driven by increased surface melt and subglacial hydrological reorganization. These findings highlight the need for ongoing glacier monitoring in the Zarafshon River Basin (ZRB) due to the significant implications that cryospheric changes hold for regional hydrology, water security, and the frequency of climate-induced natural hazards.
Keywords: glacier retreat; surface velocity; supraglacial lake evolution; multi-temporal satellite imagery; UZRB glacier retreat; surface velocity; supraglacial lake evolution; multi-temporal satellite imagery; UZRB

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MDPI and ACS Style

Halimov, A.; Li, J.; Safarov, M.; Sheralizoda, N.; Li, R.; Nasrulloev, F.; Shoergashova, S.; Murodkhudzha, M. Detecting Glacier Dynamics During 2016–2024 Using Planet Imagery in the Upper Zarafshon River Basin, Tajikistan. Remote Sens. 2026, 18, 1293. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18091293

AMA Style

Halimov A, Li J, Safarov M, Sheralizoda N, Li R, Nasrulloev F, Shoergashova S, Murodkhudzha M. Detecting Glacier Dynamics During 2016–2024 Using Planet Imagery in the Upper Zarafshon River Basin, Tajikistan. Remote Sensing. 2026; 18(9):1293. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18091293

Chicago/Turabian Style

Halimov, Ardamehr, Junli Li, Mustafo Safarov, Nazrialo Sheralizoda, Ruonan Li, Farhod Nasrulloev, Shobegim Shoergashova, and Murodov Murodkhudzha. 2026. "Detecting Glacier Dynamics During 2016–2024 Using Planet Imagery in the Upper Zarafshon River Basin, Tajikistan" Remote Sensing 18, no. 9: 1293. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18091293

APA Style

Halimov, A., Li, J., Safarov, M., Sheralizoda, N., Li, R., Nasrulloev, F., Shoergashova, S., & Murodkhudzha, M. (2026). Detecting Glacier Dynamics During 2016–2024 Using Planet Imagery in the Upper Zarafshon River Basin, Tajikistan. Remote Sensing, 18(9), 1293. https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18091293

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