More rock glaciers mapped on China's plateau than rest of the world

Chinese researchers have identified more than 130,000 rock glaciers on the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau – more than all previously known rock glaciers in the world combined.

Rock glaciers are slow-moving mixtures of ice, rocks and soil.

They're hidden under layers of debris, making them hard to spot from satellites or on the ground.

A team from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences used high-resolution optical imagery, radar satellite data and AI deep-learning technology to map them and measure how fast they move.

The ice locked inside them holds between 92 and 186 cubic kilometers of water, enough to fill dozens of large reservoirs.

The ice in these rock glaciers has been underestimated for a long time.

"In areas where surrounding glaciers are rapidly retreating or where there are no glaciers at all, the slow release of water from these sources may be far more significant for long-term river replenishment and ecological regulation than we have imagined," said researcher Feng Min.

Rock glaciers can also cause problems when they shift, blocking rivers or damaging roads and other infrastructure.

The new data helps map these hazards.

The dataset also provides a baseline for studying climate change, planning construction and disaster prevention and mitigation in the region.