Mont Blanc grows three meters

2001/10/15 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Geografia

The highest mountain in Europe is 4,810 meters and 40 centimeters and not 4,807 meters as previously thought. The new measurement was announced last week at the congress of the geometrists of the Upper Savoia.

Is Mont Blanc faithful to its height? the expedition departed on September 7 towards the summit of Mont Blanc. The team consisted of 10 geometrists and three guides from the French Geographical Institute. The objective was twofold: Measure the exact height of Mont Blanc and make known the work of geometrists.

Measurements began on September 8 at seven in the morning. In the valley, in precise heights and positions, four antennas were placed and at the top two others. Using antennas and GPS systems they were able to measure the exact height of the summit: 4.810 meters and 40 centimeters, 10 centimeters above. GPS technology has already been used to measure the height of the Kilimanjaro and Everest mountains. Thus, for example, it was known that the Everest has 8.846.4 meters and not 8.848 meters.

Due to the growth of Mont Blanc media, French geometrists have shown their desire to make annual or biannual measurements. But geologist Pierre Tricart of the Grenoble Observatory believes that these expeditions would not be very useful. In fact, Mont Blanc grows two or three millimeters a year, so a precision technique in magnitude centimeter will not be able to notice changes. In the Himalayas changes are 10 times faster, where GPS can be useful.