GENERAL GEOMORPHOLOGICAL FIELD OBSERVATIONS AROUND SATOPANTH GLACIER AREA, GARHWAL HIMALAYA, UTTARAKHAND
Upper Alaknanda valley from the head wall of Satopanth glacier, till village Mana houses distinct geomorphology which is full of glacical, glacio fluvial and peri glacial features. Starting from village Mana a distinct Ushaped valley is observed, the valley wall has a sharp contact with the glacial trough line making vertical cliffs over which there are hanging valleys from which waterfalls pour their water into the valley floor. The trough line roughly denotes first glacial advancement stage of the valley. Moving further in the valley various features like fluvial terraces are observed along the river bank concealed under thick veneers of slope wash material forming talus fans through which river Alaknanda has carved a V shaped valley. The glacier out wash plain is filled with erratic boulders and other glaciogenic material like terminal and recessional moraines. The erosional and depositional features in this area indicate two more glacial advancements in this area. Further the valley takes sharp left turn with relatively steeper slope of 200 300 m after which snout and front of Satopanth glacier can be observed. Besides this numerous other features like lateral moraines, recessional moraines, supra glacial moraines, ablation valleys, lateral basins, supra glacial ponds, pro glacial lake, lateral basin lakes, crevasses and Patterned ground etc. are observed which were formed due to various glacial and peri glacial activities.