Black carbon deposits on Himalayan ice threaten Earth's 'Third Pole'
Monday, December 14, 2009 - 23:14
in Astronomy & Space
Black soot deposited on Tibetan glaciers has contributed significantly to the retreat of the world's largest non-polar ice masses, according to new research by scientists from NASA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Soot absorbs incoming solar radiation and can speed glacial melting when deposited on snow in sufficient quantities.