Qomolangma is the world's highest mountain. You may have learned from your textbooks that its height is 8,844 meters. But not all sides are in agreement on this. Different researchers have given different results. In addition, the height of the mountain can change over time.
That's why a 30-member Chinese survey team set out to reach the peak (顶峰) of Qomolangma to re-measure its height on May 6. They are equipped with the latest technology, including a global navigation satellite system receiver and a radar (雷达).
It is not an easy task. The average air temperature on the mountain is —29℃—four degrees lower than in Antarctica (南极洲) -and powerful winds blow all the time. In such bad conditions, surveying drones (无人机) cannot work at the peak of the mountain. That's why it's still necessary to send human experts to the peak to get believable results.
But does a difference of a few meters really matter when it comes to a high mountain?
In fact, measuring the height of Qomolangma is about more than just getting one exact number. Mount Qomolangma is at the point where the Eurasian plate meets the Indian plate.Itformed 38 million years ago as the two plates hit each other. Changes in the peak's height can show whether the two plates are heading toward or away from each other. This can help us understand the movement of Earth's crust (地壳).
The survey team will also get firsthand information about environmental conditions at the top of the mountain. This will help us understand how climate (气候) change has affected the Tibet-Qinghai Plateau (高原).
