On the recent rapid deterioration of Himalayan cryosphere

为了探讨近期喜马拉雅冰冻圈恶化的原因，对隐谷冰芯中的各种离子、不溶粒子、氚和氨基酸进行了分析。氨基酸浓度的测定结果表明，氨基酸浓度可以作为冰芯生物活性的一个指标，可以通过计算氨基酸浓度的年周期来进行冰芯测年。旋光异构体的浓度分析表明，L异构体的增加是在原位发生的，随着时间的推移，向热力学平衡状态递减：D-异构体逐渐增加。在北海道莫什里进行了雪坑观测，以了解湿积雪中某些参数的演变，从而解释岩心数据。湿积雪条件下的颗粒尺寸比干燥状态下增大得更快。湿积雪中稳定同位素比值的变化表现为与雪粒颗粒生长相关的相变。对冰上冰崖和池塘进行了热量收支分析，这对冰川碎屑覆盖的冰川质量平衡非常重要。研究发现，冰崖的融化速度大约是碎屑覆盖区平均融化速度的70倍，冰崖融化对冰川收缩的贡献非常显著。此外，池塘中的温水将大大有助于融化渗水渠道周围的冰。此外，还对在尼泊尔道拉吉里山谷和肖荣山谷采集的样本进行了树状年代学分析。已出版了两卷数据报告，供内部使用。同时，还散发了一份英文和尼泊尔文的传单，向普通民众解释这一项目的成果和结论。

For examining the cause of the recent deterioration of Himalayan cryosphere, an ice core retrieved in Hidden Valley was analyzed for the concentration of various ions, insoluble particles, tritium and amino-acid. The results for amino-acid concentration indicated that its concentration can be an indicator of the biotic activities, which could be used for ice core dating by counting the annual cycles of the amino-acid concentration. The analysis of the concentration of optical isomers showed that the increase of L-isomer takes place in situ by the biotic activities, and it decreases with time toward the thermodynamic equilibrium state : gradual increase of D-isomer. This can be utilized to date the core independently.Snow pit observation has been carried out at Moshiri, Hokkaido in order to understand the evolution of some parameters in a wet snow pack, for interpreting the core data. The particle size increased more rapidly in a wet snow pack than in dry state. The change of stable isotope ratio in a wet snow pack was expressed in terms of the phase change in association with the grain growth of snow particles.Heat budget analysis was carried out for supraglacial ice cliffs and ponds, which are very important for the mass balance of debris-covered glaciers. It was found that the rate of melting at ice cliffs are roughly 70 times larger than the average rate of melting in debris-covered area, and the contribution of melting at ice cliffs is very significant for shrinkage of glaciers. Also, the warmed water in ponds would contribute significantly to melt the ice surrounding water channels through which the water leaks.Dendro-chronological analysis was also made with samples collected at Daulagiri Valley and Shorong Valley, Nepal.Two volumes of data report have been published for internal use of the data obtained. At the same time, a leaflet, in English as well as in Nepalese, explaining the results and findings of this project for general people, and distributed.