06/16/2026
Aga Khan Development Network
🏔️ Researchers from the University of Central Asia, in cooperation with the State Scientific Institution Centre for Research of Glaciers of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, participated in the first scientific field expedition in over 35 years to assess winter snow dynamics of Pamir glaciers in Tajikistan.
At Glacier No. 457 in the Gunt River basin, the team established five snow pits, measured snow depth and density, and collected data on snow reserves across the glacier.
These winter measurements, together with summer melt data, help scientists calculate the glacier’s full annual mass balance and better understand how it is changing. Early results indicate that seasonal snow cover has significantly reduced above 5,000m in recent years, pointing to near-future glacier mass loss.
The data will support long-term glacier monitoring and improve forecasts of regional water resource changes – critical for a region where glaciers play a strategic role in water, energy and environmental security.
đź”— Learn more: https://ucentralasia.org/resources-and-media/news/2026/may/first-expedition-assessing-winter-snow-dynamics-of-pamir-glaciers-in-more-than-35-years