Home / Environment / Tajikistan Ice Cap Thrives Amidst Warming
Tajikistan Ice Cap Thrives Amidst Warming
7 Jan
Summary
- A rare high-altitude ice cap in Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains is growing larger.
- Scientists are analyzing ice cores from the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap for climate data.
- Even this resilient ice cap is now threatened by decreasing snowfall and warming.
Glaciers across the globe are rapidly disappearing, serving as stark evidence of climate change. However, the Kon-Chukurbashi high-altitude ice cap in Tajikistan's Pamir Mountains has defied this trend, exhibiting growth for decades. This anomaly has prompted international scientists to collect extensive ice core samples for analysis, seeking to understand its unique resilience.
An expedition successfully secured two 100-meter ice cores. One is preserved in Antarctica's Ice Memory Foundation, while the other is undergoing analysis in Japan. Scientists, including Professor Yoshinori Iizuka, hope that understanding this ice cap's growth mechanism could offer insights for preserving other glaciers worldwide. The ice cores contain up to 30,000 years of atmospheric data.
Despite its past resilience, recent research suggests the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap and the broader Pamir region are now under severe threat. A study published earlier this year indicated a significant tipping point for glaciers like Kyzylsu, noting a decrease in recent snowfall. This indicates that even the world's glacial strongholds are struggling to withstand the rapid warming driven by climate change.
