Annual Report 2006 - Ev-K2-CNR

ar2006 19-09-2007 10:36 Pagina 27
Earth Sciences
Research groups leaded by Prof. Claudio Smiraglia, Earth
Sciences Department of the University of Milan, and Prof.
Franco Rolfo, Mineralogical and Petrologic Sciences
Department of the University of Torino, organized an expedition
to North China in Gasherbrum and K2 areas (Shaksgam
Valley), in July, in order to carry out the following glaciological
and geological research programs:
CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF GEOLOGICAL
TRIM AND CONTINENTAL COLLISION PROCESS IN
NORTHWEST HIMALAYA AND KARAKORUM
Principal investigator: Prof. Franco Rolfo – University of
Torino
The aim of this research project was to complete the already
available information about the geological asset in Northern
regions of Karakorum. The specific objectives were to complete
the geologic mapping of the area and to define the
tectonometamorphic and magmatic evolution of basement
units occurring in area.
During the field campaign, carried out by Prof. Franco Rolfo
and Dr. Chiara Groppo, the geological asset was defined and
metamorphic rocks were collected along the Aghil Chain to
the Shaksgam Valley. The preliminary analysis showed the
presence of low-grade metamorphic rocks (principally
metabasic, phyllite schist and subordinated conglomerates
and quartzite) and associated magmatic rocks (granitoids
and granodiorites with subordinated gabbroic), involved in
deforming processes probably linked to the recent structure
of the Aghil Chain and to its deformation along the
Karakorum fault.
GLACIOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE
K2-GASHERBRUM NORTH SIDE
Principal investigator: Prof. Claudio Smiraglia – University of
Milan
The expedition to the North side of Gasherbrum, Karakoram
was designed to investigate the conditions on Urdok glacier,
which is fed from the northern and eastern slopes of
Gasherbrum I, installing a network of stakes on the ablation
zone and digging snow pits in the accumulation zone.
Especially the determination of accumulation would increase
the knowledge about glacier conditions and dynamics, due
to the an almost complete lack of such data in the
Karakoram to date. As members of the glaciological team,
Christoph Mayer from the Commission for Glaciology in
Munich and Astrid Lambrecht from the Institute for
Meteorology in Innsbruck, took part. In order to have the
necessary reference data a simple weather station and a GPS
master station were installed at the base camp close to the
snout of Urdok glacier. In total 17 stakes were drilled in the
lower part of Urdok glacier forming three groups. First were
7 stakes in the lowermost part of the glacier providing information
about ice ablation under the debris cover, changes in
debris thickness during the expedition, ice velocity and ice
temperature and temperature gradients at some of the
stakes.
In addition, six stakes were drilled into a higher part of the
ablation zone, for investigation of a more active zone of the
glacier. Here, the same measurements have been carried out
as in the lower profile. The third group of stakes (four stakes)
was placed for a special experiment, investigating the formation
of the large ice pinnacles, which are a characteristic feature
of glaciers in this area.
annual report 2006