Glacier Study

Snow and Glacier Hydrology (Proceedings of the Kathmandu Symposium, November 1992).
IAHS Publ. no. 218,1993. 29
Nepal-Japan Cooperation In Research on
Glaciers and Climates of the Nepal Himalaya
K. HIGUCHI
College of International Studies, Chubu University, Kasugai, Aichi, 487 Japan
Abstract The Glaciological Expedition in Nepal (GEN) has been continued by Japanese scientists since 1973 with the cooperation of His
Majesty 's Government of Nepal. The main objectives of GEN are to clarify such characteristics of glaciers in the Himalayas as the relations between distribution and variation of glaciers and climatic conditions, and also to obtain basic data for water resources development. In Phase I
(1973-1979), the role of the Asian summer monsoon in the glacier regimen in Nepal was intensively studied. In particular, continuous meteorological records at a station at 4420 m asl in Khumbu were obtained for three and a half years, in addition to the observations of glaciers. In Phase II (1981-1982), ice core studies and hydrometeorological observations were carried out in Langtang Valley.
Hydrometeorological data have been obtained almost continuously in
Phase III (1985-1992). Through all phases, ground and aerial observations were carried out on the distribution and variation of glaciers in Nepal Himalaya. These results in the fields of glaciology, meteorology, hydrology and geomorphology have been published as about 140 papers.
INTRODUCTION
Glaciological and meteorological observations in the Nepal Himalaya have been carried out as the "Glaciological Expedition in Nepal (GEN)" since 1973. The main part of the project was supported by a grant-in-aid for International
Scientific Research Program from the Ministry of Education, Science and
Culture, Japanese Government (head investigator: Keiji Higuchi), with the kind cooperation of His Majesty 's Government of Nepal.
GEN is also a contribution of Japan to snow and ice projects in the

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