This contribution examines glacier changes on the south side of Mt. Everest from 1962 to
2011 considering five intermediate periods using optical satellite imagery. The investigated
glaciers cover~ 400 km 2 and present among the largest debris coverage (32%) and the
highest elevations (5720 m) of the world. We found an overall surface area loss of
13.0±3.1%(median 0.42±0.06% a− 1), an upward shift of 182±22 m (3.7±0.5 ma− 1) in snow-
line altitude (SLA), a terminus retreat of 403±9 m (median 6.1±0.2 ma− 1), and an increase …

We contribute to the debate on glacial shrinkage in the Himalaya by analyzing glaciers in
southern slopes of Mt. Everest that are characterized by extensive debris coverage and the
highest elevation in the world. In this paper, we make a complete analysis from 1962 to
2011, considering five intermediate periods using optical satellite imagery. 5 We found an
overall surface area shrinkage of 13.0±3%, an upward shift of 182±9m in snow-line altitude
(SLA), a terminus retreat of 403±9m, and an increase of 17.6±3% in debris coverage. The …