Abstract: The glacial debris flow is a widespread geomorphologic phenomenon.Due to the unique characteristics of the flow formation at glacier heads,it would be difficult to conduct a comprehensive control of glacial debris flows.Therefore,effectively forecasting the flow occurrence will provide us with an miportant preventative measure for mitigating the flow disaster.Although,some progresses have been made on the subject in recent years,the development of effective measures for disaster prevention and mitigation has been hampered by the lack of understanding of basic mechanisms that contribute to the formation of glacial debris flows.Recent progresses in the study of glacial debr is flow smechanisms are systemically reviewed,and the current states of the flow mechanism are reported on.Future prospects of research on the subject are put forwarded at last.Our result can provide a scientific basis for the flow mechanism study and the disaster prevention and mitigation.