First study on soot imprint at Satopanth glacier begins

The Pioneer , Monday, October 17, 2011
Correspondent : PNS | DEHRADUN

Scientists have started the first-ever study in India to measure the impact of carbon soot on Himalayan glaciers, with tests being conducted at the Satopanth glacier in Uttarakhand.

According to Uttarakhand Space Application Centre (USAC) director MM Kimothi, scientists from Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Space Application Centre (SAC), Ahmedabad, the Space Physics Laboratory (SPL), Thiruvananthapuram and USAC conducted tests using spectral radiometer and global positioning system at the Satopanth glacier in Garhwal.

Scientists will conduct similar tests on select Himalayan glaciers in Nepal and Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

Kimothi said that at Satopanth, scientists measured aerosols and other aspects using spectral radiometer and GPS. The data collected has already been sent to SAC and SPL for analysis.

Though it will take some time for conclusions of the tests and the subsequent release of results, it will be possible to gain some idea in about a month, he added. According to Kimothi, this is the first scientific study being undertaken in India to ascertain the proportion of effect exerted by global factors and regional factors on melting of glaciers and other repercussions of climatic change.

This study aims to ascertain the impact of regional factors on the melting rate of glaciers by measuring the effect of carbon soot on snow glaciers in the Himalayas.

In developing countries, burning of wood, animal dung, vegetable oil and other biomass fuels creates carbon soot, whereas in most developed nations, burning of diesel is a major producer of this substance. The soot absorbs sunlight and consequently heats the surrounding air and reduces the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground, resulting in a cooler surface.

The heated air creates an unstable atmosphere with rising air forming clouds and rainfall in areas heavily concentrated with soot. The rising air is often balanced by an increase in sinking air in neighboring regions, which tends to prevent cloud formation and rainfall.

Soot is also seen to cause climate changes in higher latitude areas, where ice and snow are more common.

 
SOURCE : http://www.dailypioneer.com/state-editions/dehradun/13681-first-study-on-soot-imprint-at-satopanth-glacier-begins.html
 


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