Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)

In the Nepalese region of Mount Everest, snow data is fragmentary and unreliable, as in many mountainous regions of the world. To get a better understanding of solid precipitation and how it has evolved over the last decades, and thus to improve our knowledge of hydro-climatic variations, we crossed...

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Main Authors: Ornella Puschiasis, Marie Savéan, Pierre Chevallier, Joëlle Smadja, Olivia Aubriot, François Delclaux
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institut de Géographie Alpine
Series:Revue de Géographie Alpine
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.openedition.org/rga/9826
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author Ornella Puschiasis
Marie Savéan
Pierre Chevallier
Joëlle Smadja
Olivia Aubriot
François Delclaux
author_facet Ornella Puschiasis
Marie Savéan
Pierre Chevallier
Joëlle Smadja
Olivia Aubriot
François Delclaux
author_sort Ornella Puschiasis
collection DOAJ
description In the Nepalese region of Mount Everest, snow data is fragmentary and unreliable, as in many mountainous regions of the world. To get a better understanding of solid precipitation and how it has evolved over the last decades, and thus to improve our knowledge of hydro-climatic variations, we crossed quantitative data (measured, spatialised and simulated) produced from work in hydrology, with qualitative data (field interviews) derived from work in human geography. Here we present an innovative comparison method based on three key factors: seasonality, trends and notable events. Although quantitative and qualitative data show a similar decrease in snowfall in the Upper Khumbu Valley, which is taken as a case study, there are discrepancies that highlight the uncertainties present in the two data sets. This method of crossing data from different disciplines proves very useful for mountain areas where meteorological stations and precise surveys are lacking, and where the wealth of local people’s knowledge is not sufficiently taken into account.
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spelling doaj.art-90ed172ff49e4e47a38fa7f8e6ce885e2024-02-14T15:03:31ZengInstitut de Géographie AlpineRevue de Géographie Alpine0035-11211760-7426110410.4000/rga.9826Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)Ornella PuschiasisMarie SavéanPierre ChevallierJoëlle SmadjaOlivia AubriotFrançois DelclauxIn the Nepalese region of Mount Everest, snow data is fragmentary and unreliable, as in many mountainous regions of the world. To get a better understanding of solid precipitation and how it has evolved over the last decades, and thus to improve our knowledge of hydro-climatic variations, we crossed quantitative data (measured, spatialised and simulated) produced from work in hydrology, with qualitative data (field interviews) derived from work in human geography. Here we present an innovative comparison method based on three key factors: seasonality, trends and notable events. Although quantitative and qualitative data show a similar decrease in snowfall in the Upper Khumbu Valley, which is taken as a case study, there are discrepancies that highlight the uncertainties present in the two data sets. This method of crossing data from different disciplines proves very useful for mountain areas where meteorological stations and precise surveys are lacking, and where the wealth of local people’s knowledge is not sufficiently taken into account.https://journals.openedition.org/rga/9826climate changesnowEverestHimalayasqualitative dataquantitative data
spellingShingle Ornella Puschiasis
Marie Savéan
Pierre Chevallier
Joëlle Smadja
Olivia Aubriot
François Delclaux
Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
Revue de Géographie Alpine
climate change
snow
Everest
Himalayas
qualitative data
quantitative data
title Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
title_full Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
title_fullStr Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
title_full_unstemmed Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
title_short Improving Knowledge about Snow by Crossing Qualitative and Quantitative Data from the Everest Region (Nepal)
title_sort improving knowledge about snow by crossing qualitative and quantitative data from the everest region nepal
topic climate change
snow
Everest
Himalayas
qualitative data
quantitative data
url https://journals.openedition.org/rga/9826
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