[Music]
The high mountains of Asia are a crucial source of freshwater to more than a billion people.
Rapid changes in the region's climate are affecting glacier flows and snowmelt, impacting water availability.
Typically, in colder periods, mountain glaciers will accumulate snow in higher elevations and grow.
However, most Asian glaciers are melting and shrinking. That changes the water supplies for communities living downstream.
Scientists estimate that by 2100, these glaciers could be 75% smaller in volume.
This region also has seen an increase in the amount of soot and dust settling on snow, which traps heat and makes the snow melt faster.
These changes to Asia's snow and ice can increase the risk of hazards such as landslides and flooding.
NASA satellites allow scientists to observe this rapidly changing region
so they can give local policymakers data and tools they can use to prepare for the future.