Precipitation conditions for the development of the present glaciers on the Norhtern Slope of Karakorum

Many of the present glaciers were perfectly developed on the northern slope of the Karakorum mountains. Different explanations of the material foundation of the glaciers’ development are given owing to limitation of the data measured. This paper analyses the changes of precipitation with altitude and the relation between precipitation and glacier distribution. The study shows that precipitation increases rapidly with altitude from the valley floor at about 4000 m asl, which results in higher precipitation in the firn area. Annual accumulation at equilibrium line comes up to 800 to 900 mm in the head of the Yarkant valley and 1500 to 2000 mm around Qogir area.