The current elevation of Mont Blanc’s peak was set at 4,805.59 meters by the team of pioneering geologist Jean de Garrett. According to the scientist, the contraction could be caused by the fact that there was less rain this summer compared to previous years.
The height of the mountain, located in southeastern France, has been measured every two years since 2001 in an attempt to monitor the impact of climate change on the Alps.
Des Garets said the height and location of Mont Blanc’s peak is constantly changing, leading to differences of up to five meters between two measurements. “Mont Blanc could be much higher in two years,” he added.
The change in height of Mont Blanc depends mainly on the amount of snow and ice on the summit and on the weather. If there had been more rain and less wind in the past two years, the peak would certainly be higher now, the report says. BBCIn an article published on
the the black Mountain The highest elevation recorded to date was 4,810.90 meters in 2007.
How do you measure a mountain?
In September, Jean de Garre’s 20-person team climbed to the top of Mont Blanc, nicknamed the “Top of Europe”, to make the necessary measurement, which could take several days.
The distinctive feature of this year’s event is that a drone was used for the first time in the operation to determine the height of the summit.
To get an accurate reading, small receivers are planted in the snow to simulate the layer of the ice sheet at the top of the mountain. The receivers then emit a GPS signal that allows researchers to determine the height of the mountain to the nearest centimeter.
