Special Column:Celebration of the 70th Anniversary of IGSNRR, CAS
Su Zhen, Liu Shiyin, Wang Zhichao
There are 446 modern glaciers on Mt. Muztagata and Mt. Kongur and the total area is about 898.08 km2. Ice caps, Turkistan valley glaciers, and canyon-valley glaciers are the main and special types in this area. The altitudes of snowlines are generally between 4800 and 5200 m. above sea level. The estimated annual temperature there ranges from - 10℃ to - 14℃ and the precipitation from 477 to 679 mm.Because of the effects of continental climate, the modern glaciers possess the characteristics of the glacier of continental type. These are shown in the physical features such as ice formation, the temperature of ice layers, glacial movement and ablation, etc.As for the variation of advance or retreat of glaciers in recent years, the glaciers have been retreating since the mid-19th century. In the mid-70s of this century, most of them were in a stable state, some advanced, and only a few of them still retreated. In the period of investigation in 1987, it was found that most of them turned to be retreating with a small magnitude, a few still remainded in a stable state, and several advanced.
