Climate Change Impact on the Glaciers of the Rioni River Basin (Georgia)

Since the beginning of the 21^st century, studies of glaciers in Georgia have become more important, because the degradation of glaciers causes an increase in the intensity and frequency of natural disasters of a glacial and hydrological nature, an increase in water levels in the Black Sea, and a changes in river water regime. Studying the current state of the ice sheet in Georgia is an important national economic task, and to obtainobtaining a scientifically sound answer on modern conditions of the glaciers, due to the impact of current climate change is an urgent task. To solve this task, high-resolution satellite remote sensing (SRS) is used. The r. Rioni basin (West Georgia) is one of the most important glacier basins in Georgia, where the powerful glaciers are spread and their change is of great interest. In this work there are presented the results of the study of r. Rioni glasiers glaciers degradation due to the influence of current climate change including the expected time of their full melting.