Cryospheric Sciences

Geosciences Column: The dangers of an enigmatic glacier in the Karakoram

Laura Roberts-Artal April 5, 2017

Kyagar as seen from the observation station upstream of the glacier’s terminus during the surge. The dashed line indicates the ice dam height from 2012, highlighting the dramatic thickening at the glacier's snout. Credit: V.Round et al., 2017

Nestled among the high peaks of the Karakoram, in a difficult to reach region of China, lies Kyagar Glacier. It’s trident-like shape climbs from 4800 to 7000 meters above sea level and is made up of three upper glacier tributaries which converge to form an 8 km long glacier tongue. Until recently, it’s remoteness meant that studying its behaviour relied heavily on the acquisition of data by satel ...[Read More]

Imaggeo On Mondays: Halo

Tatiana Matveeva April 3, 2017

Halo . Credit: Tatiana Matveeva (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu)

One of the main perks of being a geoscientist is that, often, research takes scientists all around the globe to conduct their work. While fieldwork can be hard and challenging it also offers the opportunity to see stunning landscapes and experiencing unusual phenomenon. Aboard the Akademik Tryoshnikov research vessel, while cruising the Kara Sea (part of the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia) Tatiana ...[Read More]

Imaggeo on Mondays: Concord at midnight

Alessandro Lechmann March 13, 2017

Concord at midnight . Credit: Alessandro Lechmann (distributed via imaggeo.egu.eu).

The high peaks of the Alps are always awe inspiring, but this midnight shot, captured by Alessandro Lechmann, a PhD student at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the University of Bern, further enhance their fragile beauty. With a warming climate threatening snow availability to even the highest peaks, it has never been more important to appreciate the importance of the glaciers which drape t ...[Read More]

February GeoRoundUp: the best of the Earth sciences from around the web

Laura Roberts-Artal March 1, 2017

A size comparison of the planets of the TRAPPIST-1 system, lined up in order of increasing distance from their host star. The planetary surfaces are portrayed with an artist’s impression of their potential surface features, including water, ice, and atmospheres. Comparing the TRAPPIST-1 planets. Credit:NASA/R. Hurt/T. Pyle

Drawing inspiration from popular stories on our social media channels, as well as unique and quirky research news, this monthly column aims to bring you the best of the Earth and planetary sciences from around the web. Major story Undoubtedly the story of the month is the discovery of a star system of seven Earth-sized planets just 40 light-years away from our own. What makes the finding so excit ...[Read More]