Into Thick(er) Air? Oxygen Availability at Humans' Physiological Frontier on Mount Everest
Tom Matthews,
L. Baker Perry,
Timothy P. Lane,
Aurora C. Elmore,
Arbindra Khadka,
Deepak Aryal,
Dibas Shrestha,
Subash Tuladhar,
Saraju K. Baidya,
Ananta Gajurel,
Mariusz Potocki,
Paul A. Mayewski
Affiliations
Tom Matthews
Department of Geography & Environment, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK; Corresponding author
L. Baker Perry
Department of Geography & Planning, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, USA
Timothy P. Lane
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
Aurora C. Elmore
National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C, USA
Arbindra Khadka
Central Department of Hydrology & Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal; International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Lalitpur, Nepal
Deepak Aryal
Central Department of Hydrology & Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
Dibas Shrestha
Central Department of Hydrology & Meteorology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
Subash Tuladhar
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kathmandu, Nepal
Saraju K. Baidya
Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kathmandu, Nepal
Ananta Gajurel
Department of Geology, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal
Mariusz Potocki
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA; School of Earth and Climate Sciences, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
Paul A. Mayewski
Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA
Summary: Global audiences are captivated by climbers pushing themselves to the limits in the hypoxic environment of Mount Everest. However, air pressure sets oxygen abundance, meaning it varies with the weather and climate warming. This presents safety issues for mountaineers but also an opportunity for public engagement around climate change. Here we blend new observations from Everest with ERA5 reanalysis (1979-2019) and climate model results to address both perspectives. We find that plausible warming could generate subtle but physiologically relevant changes in summit oxygen availability, including an almost 5% increase in annual minimum VO2 max for 2°C warming since pre-industrial. In the current climate we find evidence of swings in pressure sufficient to change Everest's apparent elevation by almost 750 m. Winter pressures can also plunge lower than previously reported, highlighting the importance of air pressure forecasts for the safety of those trying to push the physiological frontier on Mt. Everest.
