[앵커]
Recently, a glacier collapsed on the highest peak of the Dolomites in the Italian Alps, killing or disappearing dozens of climbers.
Due to climate change, the unprecedented high temperature is considered to be the cause, but abnormal phenomena in the Alps due to climate change have already been occurring.
It is a strange phenomenon in which the snow in the Alps, which should be dazzlingly white, turns red as if it shed blood.
[기자]
The top of the Alps is covered with pure white snow all year round.
Several kilometers of snow are turning red.
Up close, it looks like blood splattered on it.
This is the ‘glacial blood’ phenomenon.
French researchers cited the proliferation of microalgae as the cause of the glacial blood phenomenon.
As a result of analyzing snow and soil from the Alps, the research team confirmed the presence of certain microalgae, such as sanguanas, even in snow like the sea or lake.
In addition, the reason why microalgae have recently flourished has been analyzed to be due to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the influx of air pollutants.
But what is the reason why microalgae with green chlorophyll have a red color?
Microalgae found in the Alps have a red pigment called carotenoids, which protects the microalgae from strong sunlight, especially ultraviolet.
In other words, glacial blood is the survival instinct of microalgae to protect themselves.
[에리 마레샬 / 프랑스 그르노블알프스대 연구원 : 눈 속에 있을 때, 미세조류는 빛의 강도로부터 자신을 보호하기 위해 자외선 차단제와 같은 색소를 축적합니다. 그래서 미세조류는 근본적으로 녹색이지만, 붉은 색소라는 큰 방패 뒤에 숨겨져 있습니다.]
The problem is that glacial blood events once more exacerbate climate change.
Because of the white nature, white snowfields reflect more sunlight, whereas reddish snowfields reflect less sunlight, causing the glaciers to melt faster.
[알베르토 아마토 / 프랑스원자력청 연구원 : 우리는 이 미세조류가 만들어낸 붉은 색깔 때문에 눈이 더 빠른 속도로 녹고 있다는 것을 알고 있습니다. 또한, 시간이 지남에 따라 대기 중 이산화탄소 수치가 증가하면 우리는 더 자주 붉은 눈을 발견하게 될 것입니다.]
Glacier blood is a result of climate change, which is an increase in carbon dioxide, and at the same time, further aggravates climate change, becoming a vicious cycle.
The researchers emphasized that the glacial blood phenomenon will occur more frequently in the future, and that detailed research is needed to determine how this phenomenon will affect the surrounding ecosystem.
This is Hwayoung Yang from YTN Science.
YTN Hueyoung Yang (hwe@ytn.co.kr)
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