Transcript:
In February, a global crew of climbers and scientists summitted the very best mountain within the Western Hemisphere: Aconcagua in Argentina.
After weeks of climbing and tenting in excessive, rocky terrain alongside the ascent, Tom Matthews of King’s Faculty London and his crew reached the summit.
They took in jaw-dropping views of the Andes.
Matthews: “The panorama is gorgeous … and it’s exceptionally barren. … It’s very, very dry, but in addition beautiful.”
After which, they started working, putting in a climate statement station on the snowy, rocky peak.
The station – which is one in every of 5 they put in on the mountain – measures temperature, precipitation, and different variables.
The info will assist researchers perceive how the warming local weather is affecting snowpack and the speed of glacial soften on Aconcagua.
Each processes have an effect on communities far past the distant mountaintop. Mountain ice and snowpack act as a reservoir – offering much-needed water to downstream communities as they slowly soften over the spring and summer time.
Matthews: “Because the local weather modifications, the way in which that reservoir behaves is altering and due to this fact every thing downstream is doubtlessly in danger. We actually want to know how. The main points matter, and that’s what work like that is about.”
Reporting credit score: Sarah Kennedy / ChavoBart Digital Media
