Posted on 08/04/2004 6:46:18 AM PDT by Lukasz
Mont Blanc may still be Europe's highest mountain, but it is not quite as high as it was last year. Glaciologists say the dimensions of the mountain, drilled into French schoolchildren, have shrunk: 50cm have gone over the year, making it 4,807.5m (15,772ft) high. More frustrating still, particularly for expeditions, there is uncertainty about where the precise summit now lies, and a serious risk that the recognised peak may be soon be overshadowed by a second, rockier tip 500m to the west.
If you judge according to the rock formation, this western tip is the tallest point at 4,792m, with a snowy precipice a further 14m on top. The traditional summit can only claim to be the highest point if its 27.5m of ice is taken in to account.
Much to the irritation of geography book editors, the mountain's height is constantly fluctuating. In 1894 it was deemed to be 4,807m. By 1986 it had gained another metre, by 2001 it had crept up to 4,810.4m.
The recent shrinking has as much to do with gusts which have blown away the snow on the tip as with global warming, according to French scientists investigating climate change through ice samples on the mountain.
Even last year's heatwave is thought to have melted only a few centimetres off the summit. Amelia Gentleman, Paris
Funny news, but you all must kick Chirac out, another few years with him, and you will lose the highest mountain in Europe! :-))
Bush's fault. I'm wringing my hands now!
In other words, France has been measuring snow rather than the actual mountain. Mountains from mole hills. Size does matter.
I was just reading the article ! What if we froze Chirac up and install him at the top of the mountain ? Mont Blanc would gain 1.90 meter.
Oh, man! For a second there, I thought it said MEL Blanc was shrinking!
At least my pen still works!
Well, wouldn't you measure the height of a glacier, then ? If so the people going there could be up for a few surprises.
In time the Rockies may crumble,
Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay--but
our love is here to stay.
Always two minutes too slow!
There's a lot of frustration and irritation in this article...
Mother nature, like the rest of us, sure enjoys tweaking the French!!
If I were a French mountain, I'd be trying to hide, too.
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