Researchers uncover history of giant east Himalayan glacier for the first time

Using rocks as natural clocksThe researchers collected 63 samples from boulders and exposed bedrock surfaces across the Dri Valley. This is the first application of cosmogenic nuclide dating on the southern slopes of the Himalayas east of Mount Everest. The samples were analysed for cosmogenic radionuclides – rare isotopes produced in rocks exposed at the Earth's surface by cosmic rays. The study shows that abundant monsoon precipitation alone was not enough to sustain this giant glacier. The study adds to growing evidence that the response of Himalayan glaciers to climate change is not uniform.