Karakoram mountain

Karakoram mountains, Turkic language means "black rock mountain". Karakoram is one of the most developed mountains in the world and one of the famous mountains in Asia.

It extends about 480 km from the easternmost part of Afghanistan to the southeast. It is about 240 km wide and 800 km long. The average altitude is more than 5500 meters. It is the place where the longest glaciers outside the high mountains and high latitudes are most concentrated in the world. The borders of Tajikistan, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India are all within this mountain system, giving this remote region great geopolitical significance. Karakoram originated from the Xia language, which is the transliteration of the word "Heihe" or "Heishui" in Ancient Mongolian, and appeared in English works in the early 19th century. According to the Turkic interpretation, Karakoram means "black rock", which appeared earlier than English works.

In 1954, the Italian mountaineering team led by adito Desio climbed the Karakoram mountain for the first time. Sometimes it is called the "dangerous mountain" because many people have died here.

Karakoram mountains

synonym

The Karakoram mountains generally refer to the Karakoram mountains

Karakoram mountain range, "Karakoram" originated from Xia language, which is the transliteration of the ancient Mongolian word "Heihe" or "Heishui", meaning "mountain of Heishui" or "mountain of Heihe". Karakoram is one of the most developed mountains in the world and one of the famous mountains in Asia.

It extends about 480 km from the easternmost part of Afghanistan to the southeast. It is about 240 km wide and 800 km long. The average altitude is more than 5500 meters. It is the place where the longest glaciers outside the high mountains and high latitudes are most concentrated in the world. The borders of Tajik, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India all converge within this mountain system, giving this remote region great geopolitical significance. Karakoram originated from the Xia language, which is the transliteration of the word "Heihe" or "Heishui" in Ancient Mongolian, and appeared in English works in the early 19th century. According to the Turkic interpretation, Karakoram means "black rock", which appeared earlier than English works.

In 1954, the Italian mountaineering team led by adito Desio climbed the Karakoram mountain for the first time. Sometimes it is called the "dangerous mountain" because many people have died here.

Geology and geomorphology

The Karakoram mountains are a large mountain range between China's Tibet and Kashmir, which runs parallel to the Punjab Himalayas (part of the great Himalayas). It is also the second highest mountain in the world. Northwest southeast, through India and northern Pakistan.

The average altitude of the Karakoram mountains is more than 6000 meters. There are 19 mountains over 7260 meters, 8 peaks over 7500 meters, 4 of which are more than 8000 meters. The peaks usually have sharp, steep shapes, snowy peaks and huge glaciers. It is surrounded by hundreds of stone towers and peaks.

The mountain consists of a group of parallel mountains and several branches. Only in the middle is the rock range. The width of this mountain system is about 241 km; if the easternmost extension of the Tibetan Plateau, the qiangchenmo and Bangong mountains, are included, the length will increase from 480 km to 800 km. The average altitude of the Karakoram mountains is about 6100 meters, with four peaks exceeding 7900 meters. The highest peak K2 [also known as Goldwin Austin, dapsang] or chogori is 8611 meters, which is the second highest peak in the world.

The terrain is characterized by towering peaks and steep slopes. The south slope is long and steep, and the north slope is short and steep. Cliffs and talei (a huge accumulation of boulders) occupy a vast area. In Intermountain canyons, riprap slopes appear widely. Horizontal valleys usually have narrow, deep and steep mountain streams.

Karakorum mountain belongs to Yanshan fold system. The development of tectonics is mainly related to the northward displacement of South Asia subcontinent and the collision of Eurasia continent. The main tectonic period began in the Cretaceous and continued to the tertiary; the mountain uplift began in the late Tertiary and is still in progress. The lithology is mainly granite, gneiss, crystalline slate and phyllite, and the north and south sides are mainly limestone and mica slate. The sedimentary rocks in the south are often cut by granite intrusions, and slate is exposed in some areas. The seismicity of Karakorum mountain is frequent, and the magnitude of earthquakes is even more than 9. There are hot springs. Towering on the northwest side of the Qinghai Tibet Plateau, it connects the Pamir Plateau, the Himalayas and the Kunlun Mountains. Its main part is on the border of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Kashmir, and the northwest of Qinghai Tibet Plateau is its eastern extension.

Climatic characteristics

The difference of vertical climate in Karakoram mountains is obvious. For example, some valleys below 3000 meters above sea level in the upper reaches of the Indus River, with annual precipitation less than 100 mm, are arid deserts. The annual precipitation of ice accumulation area is more than 1000 mm. Affected by the westerly circulation, the precipitation is abundant in winter and spring, and there is also a certain amount of precipitation in summer, forming two obvious peaks of precipitation, mainly in winter and spring. In normal years, the Karakoram mountains are less affected by the southwest monsoon of the Indian Ocean, but the years with strong southwest monsoon often bring heavy rainfall, resulting in floods and debris flows. The 0 ℃ isotherm of the hottest month is about 5600 meters above sea level. The annual 0 ℃ isotherm is about the same as the 4200m isotherm, and the temperature in the vast mountainous area is low all the year round. The air in Karakoram mountain area is thin, the solar radiation is strong, the temperature changes greatly, and there are often strong winds.

The climate of the mountains is mainly semi dry and continental. The south slope is wet due to the monsoon from the Indian Ocean, but the north slope is very dry. At the bottom and middle of the hillside, there is less rain and snow, and the annual average precipitation is less than 100 mm. At altitudes over 4877 meters, precipitation is usually in the form of solid state. However, even if the altitude is lowered further, snow in June is also common. At an altitude of about 5700 meters, the average temperature in the warmest month is less than 0 ℃, and at an altitude of 3900-5700 meters, the temperature is less than 10 ℃. Thin air, strong solar radiation, strong wind and diurnal temperature difference are the unique climatic characteristics of this area. The extreme conditions of high altitude snow fields will form snowmelt domes. The upward wind causes extensive wind erosion.

Glacial drainage system

The mountain range is extremely high and produces huge glaciation, especially in the humid South Slope. The snow line on the southern slope of the range begins at 4694 m above sea level; the glacier extends 2896 m downward. On the north slope, the numbers are 5913 meters and 3536 meters, respectively. Glaciers often combine to form a complex glacial system, occupying not only valleys, but also watersheds. The seasonal melting of glaciers caused serious floods on the south slope. The traces of ancient glaciation are obvious at the height of 2591-2896 meters.

There are eight glaciers in the middle and low latitudes of the world with a length of more than 50 km, of which the Karakoram mountains account for six (Xiacheng glacier, Bartolo glacier, piafu glacier, batola glacier, hispal glacier, chagoroma glacier and siaqin glacier), with a total area of 18600 square kilometers.

Apart from the polar regions, this mountain range has more and longer glaciers than anywhere in the world. The largest glacier, the spa biafo glacier (100 km long), passes through the pass of ISPA mountain. Standing on the glacier is the peak, of which K2 peak, also known as qiaogeli peak, is the world's second highest peak (8610 meters).

The Karakoram mountains are the watershed between the Indus River system and the Tarim River system. The formation of the river channel mainly occurs in the high altitude zone, and the seasonal and permanent snow and glacier melt water are the main water sources of the river. It is called the stone surface, and the crushed stone powder is suspended in the water, which makes the glacier melt water turbid. The rocky surface and eroded material of the Intermountain channel also make the Indus River have the highest suspended sediment load, higher than any other major river. Surface water accumulates in the collapse, and continuously supplies water to the river all the year round. In winter, it forms a huge ice layer.

Main peaks

The hargoolunuul mountains, stretching for thousands of kilometers and extending from northwest to Southeast, stand on the Kashmir border actually controlled by China's Xinjiang and Pakistan. There are 19 mountains in the Karakoram mountains, which are more than 7260 meters long. The peaks usually have sharp and steep shapes. It is surrounded by hundreds of stone towers and peaks.

Karakoram mountain is the most developed area of glaciers in the middle and low latitudes of the world. The mountains are tall and wide. There are many peaks above 7000 meters above sea level. The scale of glaciers is huge. The snow line is about 5000 meters above sea level. There are dense peaks in the mountain range, including qiaogeli peak, which is closely connected with four world-class famous peaks of more than 8000 meters: the east side of qiaogeli peak is bulaote peak, with an altitude of 8051 meters; in turn, there are jiashuerbulumu I peak, with an altitude of 8080 meters; jiashuerbulumu II peak, with an altitude of 8028 meters. There are 14 peaks of more than 8000 meters in the world, accounting for nearly 1-37000 meters. There are more than 20 peaks of more than 37000 meters. On the north side, skyang Kanli peak is 7545 meters above sea level, on the west side, spender peak is 7385 meters above sea level, and on the lower side, crown peak is 7295 meters above sea level. Therefore, it has become the second mountaineering center of the world.

Eastward

Chinese PinYin : Ka La Kun Lun Shan