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PAMIR
Field Work
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Numerous expeditions allowed us to get ideas about the geographical environment of the region, to understand principles of its formation and interaction of its components. |
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According to laws of atmospheric circulation air masses are moved from West to East. Stopped by mountain ranges on its way, air rises upwards. Thus clouds and precipitation are formed over mountains. Water and snow accumulation takes place in lowlands and thus gives rise to rivers. And glaciers are formed in high mountains. |
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Spring cyclones bring damp air from open ocean, and then cumulonimbus are formed. Stopped on the way by mountain ranges, they get bigger even more. It results in strongest thunder-storms, downpours and hailstorms. There were cases when single hailstones reached 5-8 cm in diameter. And hailstones of 1-2 cm in size can be observed every year. |
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In summer period dry air filled with aerosol of the Central Asian deserts moves ahead along valleys deep into mountains. Closed valleys prevent further motion of air and the aerosol drops out. |
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This district was not always a mountain one. Long ago, in very far times, it had been warm and damp on this territory. There had been tropical woods inhabited by dinosaurs. Their spoors are printed in fossil sandstone. Then the climate has got colder and the relief has changed. Now we can see here fossilized steep slope. And once it had been wet sand, located horizontally. |
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During later times the territory of modern East Pamir was occupied by ancient hunters, who have left their traces - stone pictures known as petroglyphs. That means the condition for people here were more favorable, i.e. it was warmer and level of the ground was lower, than now. These pictures were found at the height of 4300 m above sea level. |
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Intensive tectonic processes have lifted the crust and have moved its layers. Results of such activity can be observed everywhere. This picture was made on East Pamir. The height of the plateau is 4100 m above sea level. Destroyed rock towers are overlooking it. Different composition of rocks creates fantastic multi-colored picture in which curve layers are clearly seen. |
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In high-mountain areas snow forms the greatest glaciers, accumulating in surface folds. The glacier mass balance is kept due to relief and climatic conditions. And, if the relief is considered to be stable, then the climate varies during rather small time intervals. Thus, existence of the glacier depends on the climate entirely. |
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Getting bigger in accumulation area, the glacier mass is periodically slipping down. The glacier is quickly extended. After, it calms down and rests till the moment when the critical mass of ice is agglomerated again in the upper part of the glacier. At the same time its language is melting intensively and the glacier reduces. Duration of such periods can be tens or even hundreds years. Thus, glaciation conditions depend on fluctuations of the climate. |
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The largest valley glacier in Asia - Fedchenko glacier- stretched out for more than 72 km. Stone moraines were formed on its surface showing the direction of glacier flow. |
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On the East Pamir, at the height of 4300 m above sea level, active permafrost forms ice lenses, which lift surface soil. That causes hillock formation. For short and cold summer period the ground in such places does not get warmer and vegetation does not come to life. Therefore hillocks are covered with brown last-year grass. |
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If during summer period the underground ice crust will thaw and fall through, then one can see a hole with slush underneath. |
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The expedition camp in the area of Zorkul lake at the height of 4300 m above sea level. The Pamir river springs up from here. In its turn it gives rise to the greatest river of Central Asia - Amu Darya river. |
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The East Pamir receives plenty of solar energy due to high level of surface and small amount of clouds, water vapour and dust. Here, only 60 % of atmosphere separate surface from thespace. Sun rays are hardly absorbed by water vapour and dust. Therefore in the afternoon the surface is heated up to 40-50 degrees, but air remains cold (+5°С - +10°С). Greenhouse effect in atmosphere practically is not observed there. Thus and so, in the night time all the heat goes away into the space and the surface is frosting. |
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Down, in the valleys of western Tajikistan humidity is much higher and clouds are formed more often. Except for natural aerosol of the Asian deserts, emissions of industrial enterprises pollute the air. This picture illustrates emission tale of the aluminium plant. |
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Tajik-German researchers group in the valley of the Bartang river in 2002. |
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Last updated: 27.03.2005 © 2005, Alexander Finaev Studio. F-Lab [ Top ] |
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