Scientists survey Mount Ararat glacier above 5,000m for first ice core

The glacier on Mount Ararat, Turkey's highest mountain, has been surveyed for the first time as scientists race to study its shrinking ice before more evidence is lost.Researchers believe the shrinking glacier could preserve valuable information about both climate change and human history. While archaeologists usually study objects buried in the ground, glacier ice can preserve information in layers that build up over thousands of years. However, this natural archive is disappearing quickly as global warming causes the ice cap to melt faster each yearA German-Turkish team of researchers completed the survey in July at an altitude of more than 5,000 metres, where the team spent two weeks studying the ice despite harsh weather.Mapping the glacierAccording to University of Munster, before drilling into the glacier, scientists first mapped it using ground-based radio echo sounding and active seismic surveys.