Glacier Retreating Dramatically on the Mt.Nyainqêntanglha During the Last 40 Years

During the expeditions to Mt.Nyainqentanglha in the summer of 1999 and 2007,glacier termini had been surveyed using GPS technology for five glaciers around the mount.Comparing the terminus positions surveyed by the two GPS with those surveyed in 1970 reveal that five glaciers have retreated since 1970.The retreat rate of glacier termini is around 10.0 m·a-1 for the Lanong and Zhadang Glaciers in the northern slopes of the mount and the Panu Glacier in the southern slope during 1970-2007.However,retreat of the Xibu Glacier is dramatic with a rate of 38.9 m·a-1,while a small high-elevation glacier(5O270C0049) in the Panu basin has a low retreat rate of 4.8 m·a-1.A stream was observed in the 1970′s firn basin of the Panu Glacier,indicating that not only the glacier termini are retreating dramatically but also the ablation areas are expanding around the mount.