Adorned in an orange quilted jacket, Japanese researcher Yoshinori Iizuka ventured into a sub-zero storage unit to retrieve an ice sample, with the hope that it will aid experts in safeguarding the planet’s diminishing glaciers.
This specimen, roughly the size of a clenched fist and extracted from a high-altitude location, is a component of a significant international initiative aimed at deciphering the reasons behind the resilience of glaciers in Tajikistan against the rapid thaw observed virtually everywhere else globally.
“Should we be fortunate enough to unravel the mechanism dictating the augmented ice volume in that specific locale, we might then be able to extrapolate that understanding to all other glaciers worldwide,” potentially even facilitating their regeneration, posited Iizuka, a distinguished professor at Hokkaido University.
“While that assertion might verge on being overly ambitious, it is my sincere hope that our ongoing investigation will ultimately prove beneficial to humanity,” he conveyed.
A substantial number of glaciers are projected to disappear annually over the ensuing decades, leaving only a scant proportion intact by the century’s conclusion unless the escalating global warming trends are effectively curtailed, according to a study disseminated on Monday in the esteemed journal Nature Climate Change.
Earlier this year, an exclusive report by AFP documented Iizuka and fellow researchers navigating arduous conditions to reach an operational site situated at an elevation of 5,810 meters (approximately 19,000 feet) atop the Kon-Chukurbashi ice cap within the formidable Pamir Mountains.
This particular geographical area stands as the sole mountainous expanse on Earth where glaciers have not only withstood the process of melting but have even experienced a marginal increase in volume, a phenomenon commonly referred to as the “Pamir-Karakoram anomaly.”
The scientific expedition succeeded in extracting two cylindrical ice cores, each measuring approximately 105 meters (328 feet) in length, directly from the glacier.
One of these invaluable samples is currently preserved within a subterranean repository in Antarctica, managed by the Ice Memory Foundation, an organization that provided crucial support for the Tajikistan expedition, alongside the Swiss Polar Institute.
The second core was transported to Iizuka’s research facility, the Institute of Low Temperature Science at Hokkaido University in Sapporo, where the team is diligently seeking clues concerning the increase in precipitation observed in the region over the past century and the specific factors contributing to the glacier’s resistance to melting.
Some theories propose a connection between this anomaly and the prevailing cold climate of the region, or even the augmented utilization of agricultural water in Pakistan, which consequently generates a greater volume of atmospheric vapor.
However, these meticulously retrieved ice cores represent the initial scientific endeavor to conduct an in-depth examination of this peculiar anomaly.
‘Ancient ice’
“Insights derived from historical data are of paramount importance,” stated Iizuka.
“By thoroughly comprehending the historical factors that have led to the continuous accumulation of snow from antiquity up to the present era, we can gain clarity on future projections and the underlying reasons for the observed glacial growth.”
Since the arrival of these samples in November, Iizuka’s team has been working diligently in frigid storage environments to meticulously document the density, the orientation of snow grains, and the intricate structure of the various ice layers.
During a visit by AFP in December, the scientists were outfitted in specialized gear, akin to that worn by polar explorers, to precisely cut and shape ice samples within the comparatively more temperate conditions of their laboratory, maintained at minus 20 degrees Celsius.
These ice formations hold within them narratives of climatic conditions spanning many decades, and potentially even centuries.
The presence of a clear ice stratum signifies a warmer climatic period, characterized by glacial melting followed by subsequent refreezing, whereas a layer of lower density suggests compressed snow rather than solid ice, which can aid in estimating historical precipitation levels.
Conversely, brittle samples exhibiting fissures indicate instances of snowfall occurring on partially melted layers that subsequently refroze.
Furthermore, other diagnostic indicators can divulge additional information; volcanic deposits such as sulfate ions serve as reliable temporal markers, while variations in water isotopes can provide insights into past temperatures.
The researchers hold an optimistic expectation that these samples contain material dating back as far as 10,000 years or more, although a significant portion of the glacier underwent melting during a warmer epoch approximately 6,000 years ago.
“Ancient ice would empower scientists to address fundamental inquiries such as ‘What specific type of snow was precipitating in this region ten millennia ago? And what constituents were present within it?'” Iizuka elaborated.
“We can investigate the quantity and variety of minute particulate matter suspended in the atmosphere during that particular ice age,” he further commented.
“My profound hope is that we will indeed discover evidence of ancient ice.”
Secrets in the ice
For the present moment, the investigative process is proceeding with deliberate caution and painstaking care, with team members, such as graduate student Sora Yaginuma, meticulously bisecting sample portions.
“An ice core represents an exceptionally precious and unique sample,” remarked Yaginuma.
“From a single ice core, we are capable of conducting a comprehensive range of analyses, encompassing both chemical and physical properties.”
The research team anticipates the publication of their preliminary findings in the forthcoming year and is engaged in extensive “trial-and-error” endeavors with the objective of reconstructing past climatic conditions, Iizuka explained.
The analytical work undertaken at Hokkaido will only reveal a subset of the information preserved within the ice. Furthermore, with the complementary samples being safeguarded in Antarctica, ample opportunities for further scientific inquiry will arise.
For instance, he noted, researchers could investigate potential correlations between historical mining activities in the region and their impact on ambient air quality, temperature fluctuations, and precipitation patterns.
“We can ascertain how the Earth’s environmental systems have undergone transformation in response to anthropogenic influences,” Iizuka stated.
Given the vast repository of undiscovered knowledge contained within these samples, he concluded that the ongoing research endeavor is “exceptionally exhilarating.”
