Glaciers in Everest region shrunk by 13 pc in 50 years: Research

Glaciers in the Everest region have shrunk by 13 per cent and the snow-line receded 180 meters higher during the past half century, says a study that is to be presented at a conference of the American Geophysical Union.

The study, led by Sudeep Thakuri of the University of Milan, is based on satellite imagery and topographic maps.

“Thakuri and colleagues reconstructed the glacial history of the region and concluded that ice retreat on Everest and the neighbouring Sagarmatha National Park is accelerating due to warming temperatures (a 0.6 degree Celsius rise) and declining snowfall (a 100 millimeter decrease) since the early 1990s,” reported Mongabay.com citing the research report.

It said that as per the findings of the study, glaciers have retreated by an average of 400 meters since 1962 while glaciers smaller than one square kilometer have experienced a 43 percent decrease in surface area.

The researchers speculate that rising carbon dioxide levels are driving the changes, but are yet to established a direct connection, said the environmental science news web portal.