Global warming has affected the permanent snow on Mount Everest
at the heart of the Himalayas, according to the results of a new
study carried out by Chinese, French and American researchers and
published in the European journal Climate of the Past.
The Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau are among world regions
whose climatic changes are not well documented.
Nevertheless, in 2000 and 2002, Chinese scientists managed to
drill three ice cores into the snow at the summit of the East
Rongbuk glacier covering the northern collar of Mount Everest, with
an altitude of 6,518 meters.
The analysis of these ice cores, carried out by the Chinese
researchers in collaboration with their French counterparts, leads
to the discovery of the existence of a new climatic indicator, the
content of gas in the ice, and therefore it was possible to retrace
the evolution of summer temperatures at the site with such a high
altitude.
By accurately measuring the gas content of the two of the three
cores, the researchers were able to learn about its evolution going
back 2,000 years and they were able to observe a very profound
reduction in the amount of gas trapped in the 20th century snow
compared with the oldest snow at the site.
These results point to a recent escalation in the melting of
snow during summer on the surface of the glacier.
This research clearly indicates that climatic warming has also
affected the permanent snow on the roof of the world, according to
the researchers.
(Xinhua News Agency February 23, 2007)
