GeoJournal 42:2-3: 85–86. © 1997 (July) Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Tibet and High-Asia Results of Investigations into High Mountain Geomorphology, Paleo-Glaciology and Climatology of the Pleistocene (Ice Age Research) (IV) The reconstruction of the Ice Age glacier expansions was begun by the author in the western foothills of High Asia, in the south-eastern Kuhrud mountains (Zagros), in the years 1973 and 1974. Since 1976 he was able to carry out a series of scientific research trips and expeditions for periods of from one to four months in Tibet and its surrounding mountains concerning the same, but broader question. These undertakings, which in part led to remote areas which had scarcely ever been investigated, were logistically difficult and expensive. They have been financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (MPG), the Academia Sinica, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Volkswagen-Stiftung (VW-Stiftung), the Deutsche Akademische Austauschdienst (DAAD), the University of Göttingen and by private means. The initially aston- ishing observations with respect to unexpectedly low glacial traces of the glacier margin and the related very extended glacier areas in the subtropics, became more and more established in the meantime, though they provoked vehement protest at the outset. Since 1990 they have been confirmed by the results of other scientists and research groups – especially in China – and integrated in the international cartographic project. Nevertheless, and in spite of increasing efforts to describe and understand the geomorphology, the Ice Age glacier cover and the related climatic and ecological changes and upheavals on the part of both our own and other research groups, this bare, wild, remote and in consequence scarcely settled section of Asia is too extended to finalize our investigations once and for all. After all, High Asia between the Hindukush and East-Kuenlun and between the Himalaya and Altai extends over approximately 4 million km2. Due to the energy-rich geometry of its global radiation intake, it occupies an important position – if not a key-function – for the onset of Ice Ages and the climatic history in the Pleistocene. The four papers of this volume seek to deliver a further contribution to physical-geographical knowledge and Ice Age research. With that they follow the tradition of the first three volumes ‘Tibet and High-Asia’ (I–III), which have been presented by GeoJournal at intervals of three years since 1988. Most of the empirical data of the studies have been acquired during field campaigns over several months to Tibet (PR China), Kirghzia, Pakistan, India and Nepal. M. Kuhle’s contribution addresses the Last Glacial glacier history of the Pamir, of the Nanga Parbat massif, of North- and Central Tibet and of South Tibet with the Himalaya. During the investigation of these test-areas, which surround large sections of Tibet, and thus amount to under- taking spot-checks, work focussed on registration of the maximum pre-historic glacier expansion as well as detailed regionally-extended revision of the theory that Tibet had almost been completely covered by an ice sheet. – In the valleys and forelands of the today still rather heavily glaciated mountain-massifs of the Tian Shan and the Karakorum, the investigations of S. Meiners distinguish between Late Glacial ice margins or glacier expansions from the Holocene (Neoglacial) and Historic lateral- and end moraines. 86 Editorial The methodical linkage of her glacio-geomorphological analyses of the moraine sequences and for the important purpose of supra-regional comparison is an as exact as possible calculation of the ELA (snow-line) depression. L. Iturrizaga presents a further empirical investigation, the observations of which stem from the north-western Karakorum. The work deals with the influence of climatic, geomorphological and glacigenic processes on traffic routes and settlements with their fields and irrigation installations. Based on field-data, these first three contributions are chronologically connected because they concern the Ice Age to Historical glacier history and its geomorphological consequences for the human settlement of the mountain region. The research of B. Bielefeld concerns a physical and mathematical deductive calculation of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) energy loss of the earth. This calculation is based on the global rise in the albedo by Ice Age glacier surfaces. The High-Asian glacier surfaces are included, indicating their involve- ment in the global cooling. The study thus comments the hypothesis, according to which the glacia- tion of Tibet, linked with the uplift above the snow-line, might have been the impulse and the true trigger of the Pleistocene Ice Ages. In this place the editor wishes to thank those Chinese, Russian and German colleagues who worked with him in the field, or participated closely in realising the results presented here through organisation, their expert support and their advices. Among others these included Prof. Wang Wenjing, Prof. Xu Daoming, Prof. Xie Zichu, Prof. M. G. Grosswald and Prof. M. B. Dyurgerov, as well as the honorary experts of the above-mentioned institutions. Grateful mention is due to the founder of GeoJournal, Dr. W. Tietze, whom the editor wishes to thank for his untiring encouragement and supervision of the publication of our research results in this series of ‘Tibet and High-Asia’ – the printing of which has been technically of the highest quality. In addition the editor wishes to express his thanks to the managing editors, Prof. H. van der Wusten and Prof. O. Gritsai, as well as Mrs. P. D. van Steenbergen for the painstaking publication and printing of this volume. Thanks also deserve the various authors for their contri- butions. Matthias Kuhle Göttingen, October 1996 GeoJournal 17.4 447-455 447 © 1988 by Kluwer Academic Publishers The Sino-German Joint Expedition to S Tibet, Shisha Pangma and the N Flank of Chomolungma (Mt. Everest) 1984 - Expedition Report Kuhle, Matthias, Prof., Dr., University of GOttingen, Institute of Geography, Goldschmidtstr. 5, D-3400 GOttingen, FR Germany; Wang Wenjing, Prof., Dr., Academia Sinica, Institute of Glaciology and Cryopedology, Lanzhou, PR China (Presented at the International Symposium on Tibet and High Asia, October 8-11, 1985, GOttingen, FR Germany) ABSTRACT: The Sino-German Joint Expedition consisted of a group of 8 scientists from the Lanzhou Institute for Glaciology and Cryopcdology and the Institute for Plateau Biology in Xining (China) as well as 3 participants from the Geographical Institute of the University of G6ttingen (FR Germany). The research expedition to S Tibet and the N slope of the Himalayas was undertaken from August to November 1984, supported by technical personel and yak herders. During the 87-day field campaign studies were done in the Transhimalayas, Tibetan Himalayas, and High Himalayas on Shisha Pangma (8046 m) and under specific aspects on Chomolungma (Mt. Everest, 8848 m). The participants of the expedition worked 63 days at altitudes above 6000 m and 6500 m. The highest altitude reached during the collection of data was 7100 m, i.e. the E face of Chang La leading to the N summit of Mt. Everest. Results were attained in the areas of Pleistocene research, recent glaciology (glacier movements, ablation, albedo and firn-ice temperature measurements), neoglacial and recent glacier history, cryopedology (debris drift measurements), botany and vegetation geography. Addi- tionally, geoecological data on all significant climatic parameters at high altitudes were collected. This work was documented on 16-mm sound movie film in cooperation with the Institute for Scientific Films (IWF, FR Germany). The expedition results were presented and discussed at the International Symposium on Tibet and High Asia, October 8-11, 1985, in G6ttingen. On the Tradition of New Research on High Asia glaciers, work with scientists from the FR of Germany in the Peoples Republic of China concentrated on NE Tibet (Qinghai-Xizang plateau) and and the Federal Republic of Germany the E portions of Kuen Lun (including Animachin), Datsaidan Shan, Kakitu and Quilian Shan, and the The Lanzhou Institute for Glaciology and Cryopedo- mountain chain inbetween (H6vermann and Wang logy of the Acacemia Sinica founded in 1958 has now Wenjing 1982; Kuhle 1982a, b). This 4-months under- been sending expeditions for field research between Tien taking by the 1st Sino-German Joint Expedition 1981 Shan in the N and the Himalayas in the S for over 20 commenced a multiyear cooperation with the Geo- years. Highlights were the first studies done on Shisha graphical Institute of the University of G6ttingen Pangma (1964) and Chomolungma (Mt. Everest, 1966- (Kuhle 1985a). 1968) (Shi Yafeng et al. 1966; Lanzhou Institute 1975, At the G6ttingen Institute this tradition is only half 1977). Since 1981 several of the Tibetan glacier and as old and began in 1973 and 1974 with glacial-geomor- permafrost areas have been researched in cooperation phological reconstructions and cryopedological research with foreign scientists (Xie Zichu, Zhou Youwu et al. in the mountains of SE Iran (Kuhle 1974, 1976) in order 1986). While research together with Japanese glacio- to then extend research further to the E in 1976 to the logists was occupied in that year with the Tien Shan central Himalayas including the Dhaulagiri and Anna- 448 GeoJournal 17.4/1988 findings can be better explained and classified. In 1981 the aforementioned 1st Sino-German Joint Expedition followed. The Chinese side was directed by Prof. Wang Wenjing and the German by Prof. Dr. Jfirgen H6ver- mann. This expedition enabled the scientists to make the 1800 km jump to the N slope of this great highland. In 1982 the Germans were again working on the S margin in the Mt. Everest region (Kuhle 1983b, 1986a, b; Miehe 1986). All of these multimonth field campaigns were financed by the German Research Society (DFG), the Max Planck Society (MPG) and the Academia Sinica.