What new discoveries have been made in the scientific expedition to the Amnye Machen Glacier in Qinghai?

Recently, a research team from the Yangtze River Conservancy Commission conducted a three-day glacier scientific survey at the Animaqing Mountain in the Yellow River Source Park of the Sanjiangyuan National Park. What changes have there been in the local glaciers? What new discoveries have been made in the scientific survey? Follow the CCTV reporter to take a look.

The highest elevation of the Amnye Machen Mountain is 6,282 meters. It is a snow-capped mountain at the source of the Yellow River that never melts. "Ani" means ancestor or old man, and "Machen" means the largest mountain at the source of the Yellow River. The Weigeledangxiong Glacier is located in the Amnye Machen Snow Mountain. It is the longest and largest glacier in the Yellow River Source Park of Sanjiangyuan National Park. Looking down from the air, the ice tongue twists and spreads between the two mountains, trending northeast. The huge ice tongue has a lot of ridges under the action of the wind, which is very spectacular.

According to experts, the Weigeler Dangxiong Glacier is a huge water resource reservoir. The main purpose of this scientific expedition is to use satellite remote sensing, drones and other technical means to build a three-dimensional observation system to comprehensively evaluate the impact of glacier changes on the ecological environment of the Yellow River and the geological and climate disasters in the basin.

Zhang Yong, researcher at the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission: We first retrieved big data images from remote sensing satellites of the area, remodeled them using drones, and conducted ground observations using factors such as hydrology, meteorology, and the environment. Then we went into the interior of the glacier to conduct scientific research on its structure and surface mechanisms.

The picture above is the glacier data map observed by the scientific research team using the satellite remote sensing system. The tongue-like white area in the picture is the Weigeler Dangxiong Glacier, and the different colors around the glacier represent different locations of the glacier.

Zhang Yong, researcher at the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission: We used six colors, including red, yellow and green, to represent the patterns of glacier changes over the past 34 years.

Reporters visit the glacier to see the wonders inside

The accumulation and melting of glaciers is a long process, and in this slow change, various glacier wonders such as ice needles, ice towers, ice funnels, and ice mushrooms are created. Silent glaciers tell scientists a lot of information with their shapes.

Experts told reporters that just like the annual rings of trees, ice also has its own mark of time.

Zhang Yong, a researcher at the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of the Yangtze River Conservancy Commission: It has four layers of contaminated layers. What do these four layers of contaminated layers represent? It means that the ice tongue has experienced four ice advances and four ice retreats in this place. This is a major process of ice advance and ice retreat. Its accumulation, this layer is relatively thick, and the more black contaminated layers indicate that there is less ice accumulation during this period, which is relatively warm. This layer is very thick, and the ice is very clean, what does it mean? In this year, the glacier is an accumulation period. So through our more than 30 years of monitoring, we found that there were 10 ice advances and 24 ice retreats. These strata provide the answer.

There is a tunnel-like entrance inside the Weigeler Dangxiong Glacier, called the Ice Tunnel. The Ice Tunnel was formed by continuous erosion of rainwater in the summer.

There are various shapes and sizes inside the ice cave, and there are also different wonders outside the ice cave.

Zhang Yong, a researcher at the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of the Yangtze River Conservancy Commission: This ice surface reconstructed the evolution mechanism of ice mushrooms for us. The moraine gradually formed such a shape on the ice needles. We call this shape ice mushrooms. Ice mushrooms, ice needles, frozen ice, glaciers, and moraine surface lakes have built a very beautiful Weigeler Dangxiong Ice Park for us.

Herders under the snow-capped mountains spontaneously protect glaciers

Over the years, in addition to the scientific research teams regularly conducting glacier scientific research in the Amnye Machen Mountains, more often than not, local herdsmen use the most primitive methods to record the changes in the glaciers after receiving simple training from the scientific research teams.

In 2008, local herders spontaneously formed an ecological environment protection group, and they used paint to mark the location of the glaciers. This work has been going on for 13 years. Those early marks have become blurred after years of wind and sun.

Over the past 13 years, herders have used the simplest methods on the moraine to obtain a lot of real data on glacier changes, and supported glacier protection with simple actions.

Herder Ang Bojia told reporters that in recent years, as the country has continuously increased its publicity and policy efforts to protect glaciers, more and more herders have joined the ecological environment protection group. In addition to insisting on recording data on the Animaqing Glacier, they also spontaneously pick up garbage on icebergs and grasslands, regularly patrol the mountains, and preach firefighting knowledge.

Local herder Zhuomaji said: We grew up in this place. We can say that Amnye Machen Mountain is our nurturing mountain, or our sacred mountain. The water here nourishes us, our children, and our cattle and sheep.

Zhang Yong, researcher at the Yangtze River Scientific Research Institute of the Yangtze River Water Conservancy Commission: This entire glacier plays a role in water resource security for the ecology of the Yellow River basin. Its changes have profound significance for the ecological protection of the Yellow River, geological disasters, and climate disasters.

Editor in charge: Lu Kaili

Source: CCTV News Client