ИСТИНА

The ongoing reduction in the size of glaciers is attracting widespread attention, as it leads to a change in landscapes in the glacial zone and to an increased risk of natural hazards and natural disasters associated with melting glaciers. These processes affect subarctic regions as well. On the territory of Russia, 10 glacial systems are located in subarctic latitudes. These are the Khibiny, the Urals, the Putorana plateau, the Byrranga mountains, the Orulgan, Chersky ranges, the mountains of Suntar-Khayat, the Koryak, Chukchi and Kolyma highlands. Detailed information on the state of glaciers in these systems for the second half of the 20th century is given in the Glaciers Inventory of the USSR (1965–1982) and in the Atlas of Snow and Ice Resources of the World (1997). Now freely distributed high-resolution images (Sentinel-2) significantly expand the capabilities for analyzing the state of small-sized glaciers. The report presents the results of the assessment of changes in glaciers in the Chersky mountains and the Orulgan ridge in the 20th and 21st centuries, based on satellite images obtained from Sentinel-2 satellites in 2017 and 2018. Over a period of 47 years (1970-1917), the glaciation of the Chersky Mountains reduced its area by 42.2%. During the same period 51 glaciers disappeared. Over 48 years, the area of glaciers of the Orulgan ridge decreased by 47%, 14 glaciers disappeared. The presentation includes the results obtained in the framework of the following research projects: № 0148-2019-0004 of the Research Plan of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences and № 05/2019/RGS-RFBR supported by the Russian Geographical Society.