This work provides the data that were generalized and synchronized for four time samples (1961, 1980, 1991, 2000, and 2020) on changes in glacial area in the basins of tributaries of the AmuDarya and SyrDarya Rivers in Central Asia. The data for 1961 and 1980 were taken from the USSR Glacier Catalogue, assessments for 1991 and 2020 were made using the author’s methodology, and the data for 2000 were derived from LANDAST 7 (scanner ETM +) and TERRA (scanner ASTER) satellite images. The glacial area srank by 14% to 33% in this area over 1961-2000. By 2020, the glacial area is expected to decrease further. The work gives examples of the long-term monitoring over glacial area in Central Asia based on glacier inventory over 1955-2000 and remote sensing since 2000.   

Source: Contemporary Issues of Remote Sensing of the Earth from Space. 2012. Vol. 9. №1. pp. 281-288