Forty-five geographers and mountaineers gathered in Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region, on March 28, and will reach the base camp of Mt. Qomolangma -- known in the West as Mt. Everest -- on April 1 to begin the country's fourth comprehensive survey of the mountain.

China conducted similar expeditions in 1959, 1966 and 1975. In the 1975 measurement, the height of the mountain was determined to be 8,848.13 meters. It is being remeasured now to check the theory that Qomolangma is growing by about one centimeter a year.

Kang Shichang, head of the expedition, said multidisciplinary research will be conducted on the mountain itself and in adjacent areas. Researchers will analyze the impact of global warming in terms of atmospheric changes, glacier evolution, biodiversity and eco-environmental transitions.

Of the 45 team members, 24 are field researchers, including two women. The other 21 are service personnel. The researchers will conduct the survey in areas below 6,500 meters, while Tibetan mountaineers will collect samples in areas above that altitude.

The project consists of four phases and is scheduled to end on June 21.

During the expedition, mountaineers will also try to ascend Qomolangma's peak. Nine female mountaineers -- four Tibetans, one Taiwanese, and four Japanese -- will take part.

Thirty years ago, Chinese and Japanese women mountaineers made a successful joint ascent of the peak. The current group is scaling the mountain in the first half of May to mark the anniversary.

(China.org.cn by Wind Gu, March 30, 2005)