At the International Mountain Studies Symposium on March 12, 2019, Appalachian State University welcomed Dr. Alton C. Byers, Senior Research Associate at the Institute for Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), to share new insights on the impacts of climate change and geologic events on Nepal’s glaciers.
Dr. Byers’ presentation examined three major events that have recently reshaped the region:
- The devastating April 25, 2015 earthquake and aftershocks
- Englacial conduit floods from the Lhotse and Khumbu glaciers
- A rockfall-triggered glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in the Barun Valley in April 2017
His research underscored the importance of conducting integrated field studies soon after catastrophic events to better understand their causes, consequences, and implications for risk reduction and conservation planning.
The 2019 symposium brought together mountain studies scholars from Austria, France, Scotland, Switzerland, Wales, and the United States for a day of presentations and discussion on mountain environments worldwide. The program concluded with an evening of readings, music, and square dancing — celebrating both scholarship and cultural exchange.
View original event post at https://cas.appstate.edu/news/notes-field-geologic-and-climate-change-impacts-nepal%E2%80%99s-glaciers