Changjiang Daily, Wuhan Client, July 25th (Reporter Yang Jiafeng)
strong>From July 24th, the 2nd Yangtze River Source Scientific Expedition Team of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) began to choose an opportunity to conduct scientific research on the main peak of the Yangtze River source, Gladandong, with the goal of completing the measurement and peak ice core sampling.
Gladandong towers over the Qinghai-Tibet border in the southwest of Qinghai Province. It is located at 91° east longitude, 33.5° north latitude and 6621 meters above sea level.
The source of the Yangtze River is the Tuotuo River in Zhengyuan, Dangqu in the south, and Chumar River in the north. The Geladandong Snow Mountain is the birthplace of the Zhengyuan Tuotuo River and one of the most distinctive glacial snow-capped mountains in my country. At the same time, the expansion and contraction of glaciers in Gladandong Snow Mountain clearly reveals the changes of the local and even the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the global climate, which is of great scientific value. In May 2002, the mountaineering team of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) reached a height of 6500 meters.
It is reported that Gladandong will adopt the method of measuring the height of Mount Everest two years ago, sending people to the top, setting up GNSS receivers on the top of the peak, and relying on the Beidou system and the GNSS monitoring of Mount Everest and the surrounding areas Simultaneous online observation to obtain accurate values. The most eye-catching is taking ice cores at the top of Gladandong Peak.
Alpine Ice Core Sampler. Photo by Special Correspondent He Xiaogang
How to get the ice core? On the 21st, a reporter from Changjiang Daily visited and climbed the base camp of Gladandong Snow Mountain. The natural landscape around Gladandong Peak is peculiar and spectacular. The mountaineering base camp is located on the south side of Gladandong Peak, with an altitude of about 5,300 meters. As far as the eye can see, the mountain is covered in silver, the grass below the mountain is full of purple and bright red, and the grassland is dotted with flocks of cattle and sheep. .
“Sampling with our own alpine ice core sampler.” At the mountaineering base, Professor Dou Bin of China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) moved out his baby bump. He told the Changjiang Daily reporter that the ice core was taken at the top of the main peak of the Gladandong Snow Mountain. The ice and snow on the peak was harder than a stone. The reason for using human power instead of power was because the gasoline engine could not catch fire at a distance of more than 6,000 meters; if a lithium battery was used, not only Heavy, and the lithium battery is also quickly dead. After comprehensive consideration, they designed and processed this alpine ice core sampler. The main part weighs only 8 kilograms, and the auxiliary equipment can be disassembled and taken to the top of the mountain, which is relatively easy to operate. The equipment can take ice cores with a diameter of 5 cm and a length of 1 m.
“Comparatively speaking, the biological activity in the ice core is much weaker than that in the living water.” Feng Liang, the leader of the ecological team of the scientific expedition team and associate professor at the School of Environment, China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), said that the ice core exists. Some microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, have them and can reflect some environmental significance.
[Editor: Ding Hui]
[Source: Changjiang Daily-Changjiang Net]