Researchers in China have tried to make synthetic snow over China’s Muz Taw Glacier to sluggish its melting. The experiment performed in 2018 concerned seeding clouds with silver iodide, which helped set off snowfall over the glacier. The recent snow made the floor brighter and was linked to decrease mass loss throughout the quick research interval.The experiment was carried out on the Muz Taw Glacier within the Sawir Mountains, which lie alongside the border between China and Kazakhstan, European Geosciences Union reported. The glacier has been shrinking for many years, with its retreat accelerating lately. Scientists wished to check whether or not including snow to its floor might cut back the quantity of ice misplaced throughout the summer time melting interval.They used silver iodide (AgI) smoke mills to seed clouds. Silver iodide can act as an ice nucleus, serving to water vapour in clouds type ice particles that may finally fall as snow. Researchers used 14 remotely managed mills powered by photo voltaic vitality, which had already been put in alongside rivers close to the glacier by the native meteorological service.The research, revealed in The Cryosphere in August 2020, in contrast circumstances earlier than and after the bogus snowfall experiments. The scientists measured snowfall, floor albedo and the glacier’s mass steadiness to know whether or not the extra snow had any impact on melting.
How the cloud seeding was carried out
The Muz Taw Glacier is a 3.2-kilometre-long valley glacier with an space of three.13 sq. kilometres, based mostly on 2016 measurements. Its elevation ranges from 3,137 to three,818 metres above sea degree. The glacier has been in fixed recession since 1959.The researchers used a climate radar on the Jimunai Meteorological Station to determine clouds across the Sawir Mountains. The radar helped them observe the route, peak, distance and motion of clouds approaching the glacier.When circumstances appeared appropriate, the scientists activated the AgI smoke mills. The particles have been carried upwards by valley winds in direction of the glacier. The researchers didn’t add further water to create the precipitation. As an alternative, the strategy was meant to assist water already current within the ambiance type precipitation.Synthetic precipitation experiments have been carried out throughout the glacier’s melting season in August 2018. The researchers then in contrast measurements from the glacier with observations from a management web site within the forefield, which was not uncovered to the AgI smoke.
Snow made the glacier floor brighter
One necessary measurement was albedo. In easy phrases, albedo describes how a lot daylight a floor displays. A vivid, snow-covered floor displays extra daylight, whereas darker ice absorbs extra photo voltaic vitality.Recent snowfall shortly made components of the glacier whiter and elevated its floor albedo. The researchers measured albedo at 14 places throughout the glacier earlier than and after the experiments.
Researchers conduct scientific analysis on the Muz Taw Glacier in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Area, Aug. 10, 2026.
The adjustments have been significantly noticeable across the glacier’s equilibrium line, the place the quantity of snow gained and ice misplaced is roughly balanced over time. At some increased websites, the albedo rose to about 0.8, displaying that snow remained on the floor after the snowfall occasions.A brighter glacier floor absorbs much less photo voltaic radiation. That may cut back the vitality out there for melting, permitting extra of the glacier’s mass to stay.
Ice loss fell after the snowfall
The researchers additionally measured the glacier’s mass steadiness, which reveals the distinction between the mass gained and misplaced by a glacier.They in contrast two intervals of the identical size: 12–18 August, earlier than the bogus snowfall, and 18–24 August, after it. The estimated mass steadiness for the entire glacier was −61.4 millimetres water equal throughout the first interval and −37.2 millimetres water equal throughout the second.That meant mass loss was about 40% decrease throughout the second interval, regardless that the positively amassed temperature was increased than throughout the first interval. The researchers linked the decrease mass loss to elevated snowfall and better floor albedo after the bogus precipitation.Measurements from stakes positioned throughout the glacier confirmed that the distinction in mass steadiness between the 2 intervals was between 32 and 41 millimetres water equal after accounting for doable pure precipitation. The factitious snowfall diminished the mass loss by 14% to 17% in contrast with the interval earlier than the experiments.The research additionally estimated that synthetic snowfall accounted for a major share of the soften saved throughout the second interval. Relying on how a lot pure precipitation was included, the snowfall was estimated to have buffered 42% to 54% of the entire melting throughout that interval.
Result’s preliminary
The scientists careworn that the experiment was solely an early trial and that the outcomes can’t but set up whether or not synthetic snowfall can present a long-term answer for melting glaciers.A number of the precipitation recorded throughout the experiments might have been pure moderately than artificially produced. The researchers estimated that pure precipitation might have accounted for as much as 21% of the snowfall obtained by the glacier throughout the experiments.Additionally they stated extra managed experiments are wanted to separate pure and synthetic precipitation extra precisely. Longer research are wanted to know how lengthy the elevated albedo stays after synthetic snowfall and the way the snow behaves because it melts.The researchers proposed a suggestions course of wherein synthetic snowfall provides mass to the glacier and will increase its albedo. The brighter floor then displays extra photo voltaic radiation and absorbs much less vitality, which may cut back melting and assist protect the snow cowl.Nevertheless, they famous that the strategy requires appropriate atmospheric circumstances. It can’t be used when the climate is dry and sunny and there aren’t any appropriate clouds for precipitation.The research concluded that the method might have potential for glaciers in Central Asia, significantly throughout summer time when melting is robust. However the researchers made clear that broader and longer-term experiments are wanted earlier than its effectiveness may be correctly assessed.
