London April 11 (IANS) UK-based scientists are set to travel to the Himalayas in a bid to become the first team to successfully drill through the world s highest glacier the media reported on Tuesday.
The group from Aberystwyth University Wales will use a drill adapted from a car wash to cut into the Khumbu glacier in the foothills of the Everest the BBC reported.
They will work at an altitude of 5 000 metres in the hope of finding out how climate change affects Khumbu.
Project leader Professor Bryn Hubbard said there will be particular challenges.
The 17-km long glacier in north eastern Nepal flows from as high as 7 600 metres down to 4 900 metres and is often used by climbers on their way to the Everest base-camp.
Working in the field is challenging at best but this mission presents some particular challenges the BBC quoted Hubbard as saying.
We don t know how well our equipment will perform at altitude let alone how we will be able to contend with the thin air.
Half of the team s 1 500 kg equipment will be airlifted on to the glacier by helicopter in several trips while the other half will be carried by Sherpas.
--IANS
ksk/vt
UK scientists to drill world s highest Khumbu glacier
