When thefirst virulent avalanchestruck the Aru Range in Tibet on July 17th , scientists were puzzled . But when a second tremendous ice slide occur just a few kilometer in the south and two month later on , they were dismayed .
Two of the largest glacial avalanche on track record have transport rock’n’roll and ice disgorge down a valley in Tibet and left scientists scrambling for answer . Climactic conditions have been average this summertime , and the terrain itself is comparatively flat . But something is causing a stir beneath the ice .
“ Even one of these mammoth glacier avalanche is very unusual , ” glaciologist Andreas Kääb of the University of Oslotold NASA ’s Earth Observatory . “ Two of them within close geographical and temporal vicinity is , to our skilful knowledge , unprecedented . ”
As researcher pore over orbiter images to try and sympathize the event , a working possibility is starting to come forth . NASA explicate that crevices in the ice hint at a process called “ surge ” , wherein methamphetamine hydrochloride flows rapidly from the top to the bottom of the glacier , get it to advance at 10 to 100 times its usual speed .
information processing system pretending indicate that this surge process , which appeared to be chance last fall before it stall out , could have led to a buildup of water inside the glacier , lubricating its groundwork , and prime it for collapse . Long - term thaw in Tibet , as well as a late uptick in precipitation , may be accelerate the buildup of meltwater .
Of course , if the two events have the same underlying lawsuit , it raises an unsettling question — when will it happen again ?
[ NASA Earth Observatory ]
AvalancheClimateClimate changecryospheregeosciences
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