CAE technology returns to K2

K2, short for Karakorum 2, is the second highest peak on Earth after Everest, at 8,611 metres above sea level. It is the hardest to climb eight thousand metre mountain and for this reason is known as "wild mountain", as well as "the mountain of the Italians" who were the first to reach the summit.

It was 2014 when CAE technology was first installed on K2. "Assembled and working". These are the words that, starting from the base camp, at almost 5,000 meters above sea level, and bouncing from one satellite to another until reaching Italy, ended up at the CAE headquarters proclaiming the news of the installation of the automatic weather stations (AWS) designed and built by the Bologna-based company precisely for expeditions on the "wild mountain".

8 years later Ev-K2-CNR is again using CAE technology to upgrade 3 automatic weather stations (AWS) located in the Karakorum region.

Ev-K2-CNR is a body with twenty-five years of experience in the implementation of scientific and technological research projects at high altitudes, distinguishing itself for the specificity and excellence of the results achieved in the international scientific investigation landscape. Its activity is aimed at promoting the sustainable development of mountain areas and at safeguarding fragile high altitude ecosystems.

Each station will be equipped with a CAEtech Compact Plus datalogger and will monitor the main meteorological parameters: air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, solar irradiation, net irradiation, atmospheric pressure, snow level, amount of precipitation and intensity of the same, primary data for the study of the natural phenomenon in such a harsh environment. The sensors used include: THS thermo-hygrometer, PG2R rain gauge, ULM30/N snow depth sensor and DV20-VV20 anemometer.

The data will be sent to a datacenter located in the village of Askole, the highest and most remote village in Pakistan, the last human settlement before climbing the Baltoro, Biafo and Chogtai glaciers, the highest and most extensive glaciers in the world outside the polar region. This data will be available online through Aegis, a web application provided by CAE.

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