CHINESE scientists made another large-scale and comprehensive scientific investigation on the Chinghai-Tibet Plateau in 1975.

The expansive Chinghai-Tibet Plateau more than 4,000 metres above sea level has a unique natural environment and rich natural resources.

Last year's survey was a follow up of the two multi-branch scientific surveys of the plateau in 1973 and 1974 to study the history of its geological development and the cause of its uplifting, explore the influence of the uplifting on the natural environment and human activities, and find out the possibilities of transforming the natural conditions and utilizing local resources.

The 1975 surveying expedition, composed of more than 240 scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and departments concerned, made the scientific survey on a bigger scale than ever before.

Fairly big advances were made in the study of the geological history. On the north slope of the Himalayas south of Drongpa, geological workers found warm water fusulinids and fossils of coral colonies in a limestone bed of the Permian Period for the first time. They also discovered Palaeozoic strata on the south slope of the Kangirdisi Mountains north of Drongpa. With the co-operation of local cadres and masses, scientists specializing in palaeoanthropology and vertebrate palaeontology for the first time located fossiliferous strata and found fossils of over a dozen kinds of animals including hipparions (three-toed horses), hyaenas, rhinoceros; hares, deer and antelopes in the Kyereng Basin in southern Tibet and the Shagchuka Basin in northern Tibet. Analysis of the materials available suggests the geological age of the hipparion fauna to be between the Pliocene Period and the Early Pleistocene Period, that is, between three million and ten million years ago. This shows that in those times the Chinghai-Tibet Plateau was at a far lower altitude with a hot humid climate and a host of lakes and was lush with plants. At some later time, there was a great upheaval of the earth's crust which formed the present plateau. The findings offered extremely important data for studying the history of the rise of the plateau.

A number of human fossils such as lower jawbones and limb bones dating from the Neolithic Period were found near Linchih County. In 1966, Chinese scientists discovered implements of the Palaeolithic Period in Tingri County, and last year in Jechiu, Tingri County, they found out where the implements had been made. At the same time, a number of implements and human skulls of the Neolithic Period were unearthed in Linchih County. Preliminary analysis shows that these implements of the old and new stone age are similar to those excavated on China's central plains and the form and structure of the human skulls are similar to those of the same period found in the hinterland. This suggests that the human beings and culture of Tibet were closely related to those of the middle reaches of the Yellow River from 4,000 to 10,000-20,000 years ago.

To tap the region's geothermic resources and meet the needs of expanding industrial and agricultural production, the surveyors, in cooperation with the departments concerned in Tibet, discovered near Lhasa the first geothermic wet steam field in China. While making a general survey of geothermic resources, they examined 117 groups of hot springs and found over 30 boiling hot springs with the boiling point exceeding the local level and various types of geothermic phenomena, such as hot rivers formed by a series of hot springs, hydrothermal explosions which were like the eruption of volcanoes and geysers which gushed at intervals. Noteworthy was their discovery in the Kangirdisi Mountains of a boiling hot spring at an altitude higher than any found so far in the country and of the largest geyser. A detailed investigation was made of the conditions for the formation of hot springs and the temperature, quality and volume of the water. Braving a bitter wind, the surveyors held on for more than 1,000 hours at a stretch on a mountain over 5,000 metres above sea level so as to record valuable data on our country's largest geyser.

Tibet abounds in biological resources. A large number of valuable specimens of animals, plants, fungi, birds, insects, fish and algae were collected. Many of them were found for the first time in Tibet or in other parts of the country, several new species for the first time in the world. They are of great importance in studying the composition, origin and evolution of the plateau flora and fauna, as well as in making fuller use of local biological resources.

Climatic, soil, vegetation, geomorphologic and other natural conditions as well as agricultural resources in different types of areas were studied in the light of the problems related to local agricultural development. Scientists also investigated the special features of local farming, forestry and animal husbandry, perspectives for their expansion and measures to increase production.

Members of the expedition made a survey of the areas around the source of the Yalutsangpo River, traced its origin to the Kyidma Yangdzong River in the Himalayas.This has corrected the erroneous conclusion of foreign "explorers" as to the river's source.

The expedition also carried out research in geophysics. It set up four temporary seismic stations to make a gravitational survey over a stretch of more than 5,000 kilometres and collected relatively rich relevant data.

(This article appears on page 30, No. 1, 1976)