U.S.-Japan Cooperative Science: Computer-Aided Study of the Rapid Shrinkage of Glaciers in the Himalaya

美日合作科学：喜马拉雅冰川快速萎缩的计算机辅助研究

• 批准号: 9726704
• 负责人: Charles Raymond
• 金额: $ 2.12万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 1998
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1998-04-15 至 2003-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=9726704&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: U.S.; Japan; Cooperative; Science; Computer

9726704 Raymond This award supports a three year collaborative research project between Professor Charles Raymond of the University of Washington and Professor Masayoshi Nakawo of the University of Nagoya in Japan. The researchers will undertake a computer-aided study of the rapid shrinkage of glaciers in the Himalaya. Glaciers are retreating especially rapidly in many tropical and sub-tropical mountain regions. Over the last two decades, glaciers in the Himalaya show mass balance rates that are amongst the most negative of any region of the world. The losses of glacier mass are indicative of climate warming over the last half century. However, quantitative interpretation of the retreats in terms of past climate changes requires elucidation of the processes that relate the masses and lengths of glaciers to climate. The researchers will use a combination of models that predict the mass balance of a glacier from climate input and the redistribution of ice mass by glacier flow. The mass balance models will be based on field observation, by the Japanese, of environmental characteristics peculiar to the Himalaya. These include accumulation predominantly in the summer and retardation of melting by extensive thick covers of rock debris. The glacier geophysics group at Washington will aid in the adaptation of ice flow models to the Himalayan glaciers under study. *** This project brings together the efforts of two groups that have complimentary expertise and research capabilities. Results of the research should quantify the significance of the disappearance of glaciers as an important indicator of global climate change. The results should also help indicate the degree to which the shrinkage of debris covered glaciers can pose flood hazards for down-stream areas. Through the exchange of ideas and technology, this project will broaden our base of basic knowledge and promote international understanding and cooperation.

小行星9726704 该奖项支持华盛顿大学的Charles Raymond教授和日本名古屋大学的Masayoshi Nakawo教授之间为期三年的合作研究项目。 研究人员将对喜马拉雅山冰川的快速萎缩进行计算机辅助研究。在许多热带和亚热带山区，冰川退缩的速度特别快。 在过去的二十年里，喜马拉雅山的冰川显示出的质量平衡率是世界上任何地区中最负的。 冰川质量的减少表明了过去半个世纪的气候变暖。 然而，从过去气候变化的角度对退缩进行定量解释，需要阐明冰川的质量和长度与气候之间的关系。 研究人员将使用一系列模型来预测冰川的质量平衡，包括气候输入和冰川流动对冰质量的重新分配。 质量平衡模型将以日本人对喜马拉雅山特有环境特征的实地观察为基础。 这些因素包括主要在夏季的积累和广泛的岩石碎片厚覆盖物对融化的延迟。 位于华盛顿的冰川物理学小组将帮助调整冰流模型，以适应正在研究的喜马拉雅冰川。 *** 该项目汇集了两个具有互补专业知识和研究能力的团体的努力。 研究结果应量化冰川消失作为全球气候变化重要指标的重要性。 研究结果还有助于说明冰川碎片的萎缩对下游地区造成洪水危害的程度。 通过交流思想和技术，该项目将扩大我们的基础知识，促进国际理解与合作。