Kilimanjaro – August 21, 2019
It’s Science Wednesday and we’re gearing up for our Kilimanjaro expedition! Mt. Kilimanjaro (19,341 ft./5895 m) is considered a dormant stratovolcano in the East African Rift and is the highest dormant volcano outside of South America.
A continuous ice cap covering approximately 400 square kilometers (150 sq mi) down to an elevation of 10,500 ft./3200 meters covered Kilimanjaro during the Last Glacial Maximum (the last period in the Earth’s climate history when ice sheets were at their greatest extension). Growth of the ice sheets reached their maximum positions about 26,500 years ago. Nowadays, the glaciers are retreating rapidly. Almost 85 percent of the ice cover has disappeared since October 1912!
While on expedition, we’ll be studying the volcanic rocks and soils, collecting samples of snow and ice from the glaciers, and taking part in a NASA-sponsored study on the psychological effects of working in extreme environments.
We look forward to sharing the journey virtually with you on Facebook and Instagram!
