A Question of Albedo

Abstract

THE past summer in the Kashmir Valley has been one of extraordinary dryness, with continuous blue skies and hot sunshine. These conditions have extended into the autumn, and during the month of October even the surrounding mountains, so often clouded, have been entirely clear. The snow-line, instead of descending to lower elevations with the advance of the season, has steadily risen, until at the date of writing only a few isolated patches of white can be seen on the Pir Panjal range on the south-west side of the valley, and no snow at all on the mountains towards the east. It was with a distinct shock of surprise, therefore, that at sunset on the date October 22 we noticed a beautiful dome of snow just topping the eastern mountains, which were still brilliantly illuminated by the sun. For a few moments the only possible explanation seemed to be that one of the higher peaks of the central Himalayan ranges had made a prodigious upward thrust of several thousands of feet! However, the earth's rotation movement rapidly transformed this snowfield into the familiar features of the full moon.