Geography students from Altai State University are exploring one of the most underexplored glaciers in the Altai Republic
Although scientists and students of Altai State University had previously been to this glacier, they began to really study it only last year – then the foundations were laid and instrumental research began.
This year, a small group of students climbed the glacier, led by Galina Dyakova, a senior lecturer at the Department of Physical Geography and Geographic Information Systems at the Institute of Geography of Altai State University. They worked at an altitude of more than 3 thousand meters in extreme weather conditions – even in summer, a strong cold wind blows on the glacier, and at times it snows. Only the most experienced and physically fit guys climbed the glacier. The rest of the group camped nearby, ready to come to assistance at any moment.
“It was not easy to climb the glacier – there is a lot of snow there this year. And at the flat edges, where we could easily pass last year, it is surrounded by snowfields – about 80 cm of loose snow. Therefore, we had to climb in the lower part, and this is about 15 meters of a very steep climb. In addition, we needed to lift our equipment up,” said Galina Dyakova.
The guys did a very important job. Firstly, the surface of the glacier was photographed using a drone; as a result, valuable images were obtained, which will later be compared with last year’s ones, this will make it possible to estimate the amount of glacier melting over the year. Secondly, most of the glacier was surveyed using ground penetrating radar. It “visualizes” the glacier in the depths and provides information about the thickness of the ice underneath. Scientists and students will compare these results with the data obtained by Tomsk glaciologists in the 2000s – then the first and only studies of this glacier were carried out. According to preliminary data, in just over 20 years the thickness of the glacier has decreased by 30 meters – this is the height of a nine-story building.
“On a global scale, studying glaciers is an important task. They melt and provide fresh water, which is important in our daily lives, in agriculture and industry. Over the past 170 years, glaciers have been actively degrading and transforming. You can find quite a lot of different publications and statements about this, and we find confirmation of this – glaciers have been transforming. Our task is to find out what state they are in now, what is happening to them and how long these resources will last. During field studies, this object always attracts special attention of students. When we go on an expedition, the guys always ask if we will visit glaciers. This is an object that captures their minds, captivates them with its unusual state – to see snow, to see ice in the summer. These are remarkable impressions you can never forget,” said Oleg Ostanin, an associate professor of the Department of Physical Geography and Geographic Information Systems, Candidate of Geographical Sciences.
Processing of the data obtained as a result of work on the glacier will begin in the near future. They will be published in the specialized journal “Ice and Snow” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and also presented at a conference at Altai State University.