The Mongolian capital of Ulan Bator will begin construction this winter of an artificial glacier to cool the city next summer and provide melt water for drinking and irrigation.
Mongolian engineering firm ECOS & EMI will begin "building" the glacier by forming "artifical naleds–essentially, meters-thick sheets of ice formed over rivers in the winter as water pressure breaks through the ice envelope and the subsequent water seepage freezes." Layer by layer, the method will be repeated continuously over the coming months, ultimately yielding a full-fledged glacier.
If successful, authorities hope to use glaciers in northern cities to mitigate urban heat islands and provide additional water reserves.
FULL STORY: Mongolian City To Build Artificial Glacier For Air Conditioning
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