Evidence of glaciers expanding in size

SOME glaciers in the Himalayas have gained a small amount of mass between 1999 and 2008, bucking the global trend, scientists claim.

A study published in the Nature Geoscience journal also said the Karakoram mountain range in the Himalayas has contributed less to sea level rise than previously thought.

With global average temperature rising, glaciers, ice caps and ice sheets melt and shed water, which contributes to the increase of sea levels.

The research at the University of Grenoble estimates that the Karakoram glaciers have gained around 0.11-0.22 metres per year between 1999 and 2008.

“Our conclusion that Karakoram glaciers had a small mass gain indicates that those central/eastern glaciers are not representative of the whole (Himalayas),” the experts say.