Some Himalayan glaciers are more resilient to global warming than previously predicted, new research suggests.
Some Himalayan glaciers are more resilient to global warming than previously predicted, new research suggests.
Rock glaciers are similar to “true” ice glaciers in that they are mixtures of ice and rock that move downhill by gravity – but the enhanced insulation provided by surface rock debris means rock glaciers will melt more slowly as temperatures rise.
Rock glaciers have generally been overlooked in studies about the future of Himalayan ice.
The new study, led by Dr Darren Jones at the University of Exeter, shows rock glaciers already account for about one twenty-fifth of Himalayan glacial ice – and this proportion will rise as exposed glaciers continue to melt and some transition to become rock glaciers.
Read more at University of Exeter
Image: A rock glacier in the Khumbu Valley, Nepal. (Credit: Stephan Harrison)
