Ngozumpa glacier

The core of Ngozumpa glacier, and emerging Spillway lake

The Ngozumpa glacier, below the sixth highest mountain in the world Cho Oyu in Nepal, at 36 kilometres (22 mi), is the longest glacier in the Himalayas.[1] Ngozumpa Glacier is a large persistent body of ice. It flows slowly due to stresses induced by its weight.

Ngozumpa Spillway lake

The Nepali Himalayas are warming significantly in recent decades. Ngozumpa glacier is showing signs of shrinking and thinning, producing melt water. Some of this water pools on the surface where an enormous lake is growing. This lake, called Spillway, has the potential to be about 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) long, 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) wide and 100 metres (330 ft) deep. [2] [3] In the future this might be a threat to the Sherpa villages down the valley.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Glacial research frozen". Nepali Times, 30 December 2005 – 5 January 2006. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
  2. ↑ Taking the pulse of Ngozumpa, Jonathan Amos, BBC News
  3. ↑ Images of Ngozumpa glacier core and Spillway lake VascoPlanet™ Nepal Photography

Coordinates: 27°59′24″N 86°41′24″E / 27.99000°N 86.69000°E / 27.99000; 86.69000

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