Inherent ability of mountain glaciers to respond rapidly (on decadal scale) to any variation in regional environment makes them a reliable indicator of climate change. The Himalaya stores the largest number of mountain glaciers with varying geometry that serve as the prime source of fresh water for habitations downstream. Considerable areas of the Himalayan glaciers are covered with supraglacial debris. Debris is added to the glacier system primarily through headwalls, sidewalls and glacial bed erosion. The properties (thickness, composition, size, porosity and moisture content) of debris cover induce sizable heterogeneity in surface ablation and geomorphic evolution of the DCGs. The presence of supraglacial debris complicates the interplay of processes linking climate change, topography and glacier dynamics. DCGs, thus, differ significantly from their clean counterparts, as they exhibit a complex system with many forcing factors, couplings and feedback mechanisms that are yet to be fully understood. Resolving the uncertain response and evolution of the DCGs is vital for devising sustainable management strategies for freshwater availability, glacier-related hazards, hydro-power generation, and also for more precise estimation of their contribution to the global eustatic changes.
