A Chinese expedition freed ozone balloons twice around Qomolangma (Mount Everest)this year, and obtained a large amount of data for reference.

This will be of great significance for studying ozone loss around the world's highest mountain and its impact on human life, said Wang Wei, a senior engineer with the Institute of Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The expedition was the second of its kind since Wang's institute, together with two other Chinese organizations, launched a ten-year expedition program to monitor the environment of the mountain last year.

"Global human activities have severely affected the natural environment around Qomolangma," said Wang, adding that he believesthat the monitoring of changes in the atmospheric environment can help mankind better understand the major environmental accidents taking place in the world and the related impact on the global environment.

According to Wang, the researchers with the expedition also measured organic pollutants around the mountain.

Wang added that the results of the monitoring will show the interaction between the climatic environments of the east and west,and will be of value for the construction of a strategic warning system, as well as provide a reliable scientific basis for ecological construction in the country's ongoing campaign to develop the vast western region.

(People?s Daily December 16, 2001)