KATHMANDU, April 12: A seven-member team of international researchers departed on Friday to investigate the melting point of the Khumbu Glacier on Mount Everest.
The scientists from the University of Leeds, University of Aberystwyth, Lancaster University, King’s College London, and the University of Bergen in Norway will conduct a month-long field study in the region. Led by Professor Duncan Quincey from the University of Leeds, the team will study the "Western Cwm" area at an altitude of 6,000 meters. Meanwhile, another team, led by Professor Lee Brown from the University of Leeds, will examine the impact of glacier retreat on aquatic biodiversity at the base camp and the lower reaches of the glacier.
Quincey’s team will study the impact of climate change on the snow at an altitude of 6,000 meters in the Western Cwm area of Mount Everest. They will drill 15 meters into the snow to examine how climate change affects the deeper layers of snow.
The team will place a 360-degree video camera in the drilled hole to study the structural layers of the snow and ice at various depths. As surface meltwater enters the lower layers and refreezes, forming distinct layers, the team will analyze through video imagery how much meltwater has reached the deeper layers, according to Prof. Quincey.
Melting glaciers spell trouble for millions in Asia
The team will place sensors in these holes to measure temperature, and they will collect data daily via satellite for the next 12 months. If any issues arise, the scientific team will visit the site next spring to gather the data recorded by these instruments.
This data will reveal how warm the snow and ice layers on the surface are, how quickly meltwater infiltrates the snow and refreezes, and the rate of melting. According to Prof. Quincey, the weather station on the surface will provide data that will clarify the relationship between solar radiation power at that altitude and the glacier's melting process.
Prof. Quincey told Republica before heading to Mount Everest, "This process of melting and refreezing will make it easier to assess how much the snow and ice have warmed."
Prof. Quincey and his team, who have conducted seven study visits to Mount Everest, previously drilled into the snow layers at Everest Base Camp and below, placing temperature sensors at a depth of 190 meters. They discovered that even at that depth, the coldest ice had a temperature of only minus 3.3 degrees Celsius. This result surprised the scientists.
"We expected the ice to be much colder than that, especially considering the extremely cold environment we found it in. This was surprising and didn’t align with the local climate," he said.
He explained that this ongoing study aims to unravel this result and will provide a foundation to model or simulate how glaciers will develop in the future. "The study on how long snow can remain in the high mountainous regions in the changed conditions will be important," he said. Scientific studies have shown that climate change has intensified the melting of glaciers in regions like Mount Everest and the Himalayas.
Prof. Quincey explains that while snow on the ridges of Everest provides stability, it becomes unstable and leads to snow avalanches when it melts. "From a scientific perspective, Mount Everest is currently in a crisis. Immediate action is necessary to preserve it," he says. "Everest is a global heritage, a treasure. The international community must unite to protect it."
Fossil fuel use for energy production is the primary cause of carbon emissions driving climate change. G-20 nations contribute over 80 percent of the world’s total carbon emissions. “These nations must shift away from fossil fuels, the main source of energy production, and transition to renewable energy. Only then can we combat the climate crisis,” he says.
Prof. Quincey stresses that countries like Nepal, which suffer from the carbon emissions of others, deserve compensation. "This issue directly relates to climate justice. Climate justice is Nepal's inherent right," he says.
He cited climate change as primarily a political issue and suggested that Nepali politicians engage in dialogue with their counterparts in other nations. While discussing Nepal's status as home to the world’s most beautiful mountain range, he said, "I urge tourists from around the world to visit Nepal and enjoy its environment. In a few generations, the mountain regions will look very different."
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