State Scientific Institution "Glacier Research Centre of the National Academy of Sciences", in cooperation with the IAEA, provides new research methods in glacier researches
On 28 October 2022, a meeting with Sandra Maria Stejskail, Head of the IAEA European Technical Cooperation Department, with Olimjon Azizov the representative of the Agency on Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear Safety and Security of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, as well as with the staff of the Laboratory "Water Quality, Isotopes and Sanitation of the NAST Glacier Research Centre" was held at the SSI "Glacier Research Centre of the NAST ".
First, Prof. Abdulhamid Kayumov, Director of the Centre, presented the Centre's achievements in basic scientific research, while noting that the Centre has carried out over 50 expeditions to study glaciers, observe and monitor their degradation, and talked about further plans to determine the isotopic and hydrological composition of glacial waters, lakes and scientific results.
Isotopes are indicators of natural origin and are used to determine the actual state of glaciers, their competitiveness in relation to the process of climate change, the specific position of glaciers in the water supply of rivers and glacial lakes, and to study the role of glaciers in increasing surface and groundwater levels, as well as to determine the age of rivers.
It should be noted that, with IAEA support, a PICARRO laser equipment was installed in the Centre's water quality, isotope and sanitation laboratory as part of mutually beneficial cooperation. This device allows isotope research on glaciers and snow cover to be performed in an innovative way in the future.
In order to improve the quality of such research and the organisation of the laboratory, the President of the National Academy of Sciences of Tajikistan, Academician Farhod Rahimi, has allocated two working rooms for the further operation of the water quality, isotope and sanitation laboratory of the state scientific institution " Glacier Research Centre AMIT", which aims first of all to support the policy of the Government of Tajikistan regarding the study and protection of glaciers.
Note that thanks to the constructive initiatives of the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon, on the efficient use of water resources and the study of glaciers, this Centre has enabled mutually beneficial cooperation with international organizations and institutions and development partners to establish significant activities towards developing and strengthening glaciological science in the Republic.
In order to organize the work of the laboratory for the study of isotope composition of glaciers, snow cover and installation of analytical device "PICARRO" employees of the "Laboratory of water quality, isotopes and sanitation of the Centre for the Study of Glaciers of the NAST" for a period of one month from 22. 08.08.2022 - 20.09.2022 with the financial support of IAEA in the University of Innsbruck (Institute of Geology) in Austria under the leadership of Dr. Yuriy Dublyansky according to the traineeship programme have mastered the method of work on the laser analyser "PICARRO" for isotope studies of glaciers.
During training and practical work on the PICARRO laser analyser, complete information was obtained in ice and water samples to determine the isotope composition, and as a result, the Сentre's staff is able to conduct further isotope studies of glaciers and snow cover in our country using the mentioned device.
It should be stressed that such a laboratory is extremely rare on a global level, and its establishment in the "Glacier Research Centre of the NAST" is a kind of innovation and simultaneously leads to the advancement of glaciological science, hence new ways of researching glaciers.