UNM Newsroom / News / UNM continental-scale helium study probes the deep structure of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayan plate collision

Sampling geothermal area on the Tibetan Plateau

Sampling geothermal area on the Tibetan Plateau

Credit: Laura Crossey

Professor Simon

Professor Simon

Klemperer, left, and UNM PI Laura Crossey examine a small boiling geothermal pool in a large outflow channel.

Beautiful geothermal

Beautiful geothermal

spring deposits in outflow pools. The emergent regions cool enough that green-colored microbial films can form. Note boiling water in the back right.

Credit: Laura Crossey

UNM graduate student

UNM graduate student

Carmen Winn sampling geothermal area on the Tibetan Plateau. Steam rises from the boiling geothermal waters.

Credit: Laura Crossey

Chemical probes

Chemical probes

measuring temperature and salinity in the boiling geothermal waters.

Credit: Laura Crossey

Close-up of the tools

Close-up of the tools

used for sampling steaming gas from geothermal outlets.

Credit: Laura Crossey

Professor Karl Karlstrom

Professor Karl Karlstrom

sampling gases on the Tibetan Plateau. Note funnel placed over the bubbling gases emerging from the geothermal pool.

Credit: Laura Crossey

Sampling team crossing

Sampling team crossing

a typical bridge over a raging stream carrying snowmelt from the Himilayan highlands. The stream is cutting through a thick travertine deposit formed from geothermal springs along this stretch of the river. Spring access points and river crossings are heavily decorated with traditional Tibetan prayer flags all across the Tibetan Plateau

Credit: Laura Crossey

UNM continental-scale helium study probes the deep structure of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayan plate collision

Scientists analyze more than 200 geothermal springs near the 'top of the world'

By Steve Carr March 31, 2022

Categories: Front Page College of Arts & Sciences Earth & Planetary Sciences Research

Tags: Himalayan Mountains Tibetan Plateau

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