University of Aberdeen scientists seek to address Himalayan water crisis using ice stupas

Scientists at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland are working to develop artificial glacier-like structures to help address the Himalayan water crisis. These structures called ice stupas were first developed in 2013 by engineer Sonam Wangchuk in Ladakh. However, researchers believe that those ice stupas are still in the initial stage and need to be further worked upon.

The Cryosphere and Climate Change Research Group at Aberdeen University are working to develop the technology so that it can be used on a larger scale. According to the ice stupa project, most villages in the Ladakh region have severe water shortages, especially in the months of April and May and this is the time of year when people compete for water to irrigate newly planted crops. In the spring, stupas produce meltwater that is used to plant crops.

Glaciers in Ladakh shrinking at an alarming pace

Prof Matteo Spagnolo, one of the researchers from the University of Aberdeen, said that mountain glaciers in Ladakh are retreating at a fast rate. The situation has worsened due to climate change, which is forcing natural glaciers to vanish. He further stated that because of these reasons interventions such as ice stupas have become much more necessary in the region.

A study published in April revealed that the world's glaciers were melting at an increasing rate, losing about 270 billion tonnes of ice every year in the last 20 years. The Aberdeen team, in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, discovered that glacier shrinkage in Ladakh had also accelerated dramatically, reported BBC News. 

Ice stupas in Himalayan region

It should be mentioned here that during the months of winter, ice stupas are used to store wastewater as ice, which subsequently melts and is utilised during the arid months.

Pipes are originally buried beneath the ground, below the frost line, before rising vertically in the last segment. Subsequently, pressure builds up in the pipe as a result of the difference in height, temperature, and gravitational force. The stream water ultimately flows up and out from the pipe's raised tip like a fountain. Thereafter, the water gradually freezes in the sub-zero air, forming a pyramid-like structure. Each year, ice stupas can discharge millions of litres of water and they are constructed on the fringes of settlements, near fields, where water is most needed. 

(Image: @universityofaberdeen/Facebook)