Yangbajain | |
|---|---|
| Tibetan transcription(s) | |
| • Tibetan | ཡངས་པ་ཅན། |
| • Wylie transliteration | yangs pa can |
| • pronunciation inIPA | [jaŋpatɕɛ̃] |
| • official transcription (PRC) | Yangbajain |
| • THDL | Yangpachen |
| • other transcriptions | Yangpachän |
| Chinese transcription(s) | |
| • Traditional/Simplified | 羊八井 |
| • Pinyin | Yángbājǐng |
 Yangpachen Valley | |
  Yangbajain Location within Tibet Autonomous Region | |
| Coordinates:30°5′N90°33′E / 30.083°N 90.550°E /30.083; 90.550 | |
| Country | China |
| Region | Tibet Autonomous Region |
| Prefecture | Lhasa |
| County | Damxung County |
| Population | |
| • Major Nationalities | Tibetan |
| • Regional dialect | Tibetan language |
| Time zone | +8 |
Yangbajain (also spelledYangbajing;Chinese:羊八井;pinyin:Yángbājǐng) is a town approximately 87 kilometers (54 mi) north-west ofLhasa, halfway toDamxung in theTibet Autonomous Region ofChina. The town lies just south of theNyainqêntanglha Mountains, in an upland lush green valley surrounded by the tents ofnomads with grazingyak andsheep populating the hillside. It is the siteYangpachen Monastery, which was historically the seat of theShamarpas ofKarma Kagyü and the Yangbajing International Cosmic Ray Observatory.
The area is famous for theYangbajain Geothermal Field, which has been harnessed to produce electricity for the capitalLhasa. There is athermoelectric power plant on the edge of the Yangbajain field covering 20–30 square kilometers.[1] The power plant was established in 1977, and was the first development ofgeothermal power not only inTibet but in the whole ofChina.
The Yangbajain hot springs field is at an elevation of 4,290 to 4,500 metres (14,070 to 14,760 ft)[2] which makes it the highest elevation set of hot springs in China, and possibly the world.[3]The highest temperature inside the drilling hole is 125.5 °C.[4]
The Holy Medical Spring Resort has both two indoor swimming pools and one outdoor swimming pool, all filled withhot springs water.[4] Bathing is allowed at an elevation of 4200 mAMSL, likely making it the highest swimming pool in the world.
The YBJ International Cosmic Ray Observatory (羊八井国际宇宙线观测站) is located in the Yangbajing valley of the Tibetan highland, a site chosen for its high elevation at 4300 meters above sea level.[5]Collaborating institutes includes theINFN (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare) and various Chinese and Japanese universities.[6][7]TheKOSMA 3-m submillimeter telescope has been relocated to a nearby site and renamed CCOSMA.
