Recent glacier variations in Chile

Se presenta una síntesis de la investigación glaciológica realizada en Chile durante las últimas décadas, incluyendo los inventarios existentes, los balances de masa y las variaciones de glaciares, todo lo cual se analiza con relación a los cambios climáticos que han afectado el país. En Chile se han medido variacionesfrontales históricas para casi 100 glaciares, que representan el 5,6% del total de glaciares inventariados hasta ahora en el país. De ellos, sólo el 6% ha presentado un estado neto de avance en los períodos estudiados,destacando el del glaciar Pio XI con un promedio de +206 m a-1 para el período 1945-1997. Un 7 % de los glaciares estudiados no han experimentado un cambio significativo, mientras que cerca de un 87 %, han tenido tasas de variación negativas, desde pocos metros por año, hasta un máximo de -278 m a-1 en el glaciar Amalia para el período 1945-1986.No obstante existir comportamientos de glaciares que obedecen a factores no climáticos, se confirma que la mayoría de las fluctuaciones de los glaciares son generadas por los aumentos de temperatura detectados en numerosas estaciones de Chile, algunas de las cuales muestran para las últimas tres decadas, aumentos de casi el doble de la tendencia secular. También han incidido significativamente en las variaciones de los glaciares, los ciclos interanuales con anomalías pluviométricas extremas y la tendencia de algunas estaciones que han experimentado un descenso de los montos totales anuales de precipitación. Finalmente, la mayor frecuencia de fenómenos El Niño / Oscilacion del Sur (ENOS), han tenido un rol significativo en la variabilidad interanual de las precipitaciones y temperaturas, generando respuestas distintas a nivel regional.Frente a dichas tendencias climáticas, se espera que el retroceso de glaciares continúe, que los balances de masa mantengan sus tendencias negativas y que los adelgazamientos aumenten, todo lo cual impactará la dotación y disponibilidad de recursos hídricos en el país.A synthesis of glaciological research carried out in Chile during the last decades is presented, including existing inventories, mass balance and glacier variations, which are related to the regional climate change. In Chile, almost 100 glaciers have been measured in terms of their historical frontal variations. They represent5,6% of the total inventoried glaciers of the country. Only 6% of the inventoried glaciers show a net advance during the study penod, especially glaciar Pio XI with an average of 206 m a-1 between 1945-1997. A 7 % of the studied glaciers show no significant change, while 87% show a negative rate of variation, ranging from a few meters per year to a maximum of 278 m a-1 at glaciar Amalia for the period 1945-1986.Although there are some glaciers with variations related to non-climatic effects, most of the glacier variations are driven by the temperature increase which has been detected in several stations of Chile. Some of these stations show a doubling of the warming rate during the last three decades compared to the secular trend.Anomalies of rainfall and the decreasing trend in the annual precipitation shown in a few stations, have also affected significantly the glacier variations. Finally, the higher frequency of El Niño/Southern Oscillation phenomena (ENSO), has had a significant influence on the inter-annual variability of the precipitation andtemperature, with a contrasting response of glaciers at a regional level.Based on observed climatic trends, it is expected that the glacier retreat will continue, the mass balance will maintain negative trends and the thinning rates will increase, affecting the availability of water resources of the country in the future

Snow Cover Reconstruction in the Brunswick Peninsula, Patagonia, Derived from a Combination of the Spectral Fusion, Mixture Analysis, and Temporal Interpolation of MODIS Data

Several methods based on satellite data products are available to estimate snow cover properties, each one with its pros and cons. This work proposes and implements a novel methodology that integrates three main processes applied to MODIS satellite data for snow cover property reconstruction: (1) the increase in the spatial resolution of MODIS (MOD09) data to 250 m using a spectral fusion technique; (2) a new proposal of snow-cloud discrimination; (3) the daily spatio-temporal reconstruction of snow extent and its albedo signature using the endmembers extraction and spectral mixture analyses. The snow cover reconstruction method was applied to the Brunswick Peninsula, Chilean Patagonia, a low-elevation (<1500 m a.s.l.) mid-latitude area. The results show a 98% agreement between MODIS snow detection and ground-based snow measurements at the automatic weather station, Tres Morros (53.3174°S, 71.2790°W), with fractional snow cover values between 20% and 50%, showing a close relationship between snow and vegetation type. The number of snow days compiled from the MODIS data indicates a good performance (Pearson’s correlation of 0.9) compared with the number of skiing days at the Cerro Mirador ski center, Punta Arenas. Although the number of seasonal snow days showed a significant increasing trend of 0.54 days/year in the Brunswick Peninsula during the 2000–2020 period, a significant decrease of −4.64 days/year was detected in 2010–2020.FNDR GORE Magallanes “Programa de Transferencia Científico Tecnológico Modelamiento Climático Planificación, XII Región, Código BIP N˚ 30462410”Proyecto MIAS from the Innovation Directorate of the Universidad de MagallanesPeer Reviewe

Use of remotely sensed and field data to estimate the contribution of Chilean glaciers to eustatic sea-level rise,

ABSTRACT. A synthesis of glaciological studies carried out in Chile during recent decades is presented, including inventories and records of glacier variations, fluctuations of which are related to regional climate change and their contribution to eustatic sea-level rise. Based upon satellite imagery, aerial photographs and historical records, new data for 20 glaciers are presented. These new data are combined with previous records to cover the historical variations of 95 Chilean glaciers. Of these glaciers, only 6% show a net advance during the study period, 6% show no significant change, while 88% have retreated. The contribution of Chilean glaciers to eustatic sea-level rise has been estimated to be approximately 8.2% of the worldwide contribution of small glaciers on Earth during the last 51years. Most of the glacier variations are thought to have been driven by a temperature increase, which has been documented by several stations in Chile. Anomalies in rainfall, and the decreasing trend in annual precipitation shown at a few stations, have probably also contributed to glacier recession. Based on observed climatic trends, it is expected that the glacier retreat will continue, that the mass balance will continue to show a negative trend and that thinning rates will increase. All of these changes will ultimately affect the availability of water resources in Chile that depend on glacierized basins

Chemical Composition of Fresh Snow from Glaciar Marinelli, Tierra Del Fuego, Chile

A fresh-snow sampling campaign was conducted during the late austral summer of 2006 in the accumulation zone of Glaciar Marinelli, located in the Cordillera Darwin, Tierra del Fuego, Chile. Snow samples were analyzed for stable isotopes (delta(18)O, major soluble ions (Na\u27, K\u27, Ca, Mg, a NO(3)(-), SO(4)(2-), MS(-)) and major and trace elements (Na, Mg, Al, Fe, Ca, Sr, Cd, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pr, Dy, Ho, Er, Bi, U, As, Ti, V, Cr, Mn). The dominance of marine chemistry resembles that in studies from Patagonian glaciers. Snow chemistry was dominantly loaded by marine species (Cl(-), Na(+) and ssSO(4)(2-)), while contributions of crustal species (e.g. Al and Fe) were very low. Empirical orthogonal function analysis suggests two possible dust sources, one represented by Al and Fe and the other by La, Ce and Pr. Enrichment-factor calculations suggest the majority of elements are within average upper-crustal ratios, but major enrichments of Bi and Cd (hundreds of times) suggest possible anthropogenic sources. Linear correlation of delta(18)O and barometric pressure (r = 0.60, p \u3c 0.007) suggests a potential \u27amount effect\u27 relationship between depleted delta(18)O ratios and stronger storm conditions (e.g. greater precipitation). The snow-chemistry records from Glaciar Marinelli are the first measured in Tierra del Fuego, the southernmost glaciated region outside Antarctica

60 Years of Glacier Elevation and Mass Changes in the Maipo River Basin, Central Andes of Chile

Glaciers in the central Andes of Chile are fundamental freshwater sources for ecosystems and communities. Overall, glaciers in this region have shown continuous recession and down-wasting, but long-term glacier mass balance studies providing precise estimates of these changes are scarce. Here, we present the first long-term (1955–2013/2015), region-specific glacier elevation and mass change estimates for the Maipo River Basin, from which the densely populated metropolitan region of Chile obtains most of its freshwater supply. We calculated glacier elevation and mass changes using historical topographic maps, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), TerraSAR-X add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM-X), and airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) digital elevation models. The results indicated a mean regional glacier mass balance of −0.12 ± 0.06 m w.e.a−1, with a total mass loss of 2.43 ± 0.26 Gt for the Maipo River Basin between 1955–2013. The most negative glacier mass balance was the Olivares sub-basin, with a mean value of −0.29 ± 0.07 m w.e.a−1. We observed spatially heterogeneous glacier elevation and mass changes between 1955 and 2000, and more negative values between 2000 and 2013, with an acceleration in ice thinning rates starting in 2010, which coincides with the severe drought. Our results provide key information to improve glaciological and hydrological projections in a region where water resources are under pressure

Variações na composição isotópica de oxigênio na neve superficial ao longo de uma travessia antártica

This work presents the distribution of oxygen isotope ratios in the surface snow in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Chilean-Brazilian traverse held in the austral summer of 2004/2005. The traverse was carried out from Chilean Antarctic station Tenente Parodi, in Patriot Hills (80°18’S, 81°21’W) and the Geographic South Pole, along more than 1.205 km. We collected superficial snow samples of the upper 0.05 to 0.2 m deep, approximately at each 10 km (total of 104 samples). The average annual temperature was determined at six points spaced approximately 220 km apart, at a depth between 10 and 15 m. The oxygen isotope ratio (δ 18O) of each sample was determined by mass spectrometry with gas source (GSMS - Gas Source Mass Spectrometry) with a 0.05 ‰ precision. Results point out to the strong correlation between δ18O and the local temperature, latitude, altitude and distance from the coast, the first being positive and the others negative. Anomalous relatively high isotopic values are found between 87°30’S and 86°44’S, which are associated to post-depositional processes due to formation of glaze ice as identified in the field. The gradient δ 18O/Altitude is -0.08‰/100 m and the δ 18O/Temperature is 0.743‰/°C. Excepting for the cited anomalies, results are consistent with those found by other researchers in the Antarctic ice sheet.Este trabalho apresenta a variabilidade das razões de isótopos de oxigênio na neve superficial ao longo de uma travessia do manto de gelo da Antártida ocidental realizada no verão austral de 2004/2005 por uma expedição conjunta entre pesquisadores chilenos e brasileiros. A travessia foi realizada entre a estação chilena Tenente Parodi, em Patriot Hills (80°18’S, 081°21’W) e o Polo Sul geográfico, cobrindo uma distância de mais de 1.205 km. Foram coletadas amostras de neve superficial (entre 0,05 a 0,2 m de profundidade) aproximadamente a cada 10 km (total de 104 amostras). A temperatura média anual foi obtida em seis pontos espaçados aproximadamente 220 km entre si, a uma profundidade entre 10 e 15 m. A razão isotópica do oxigênio (δ 18O) de cada amostra foi determinada por espectrometria de massas com fonte de gás (GSMS - Gas Source Mass Spectrometry) com precisão de 0,05 ‰. Os resultados indicam forte correlação entre δ 18O e temperatura local, latitude, altitude e distância da costa, sendo a primeira positiva e as outras negativas. Valores isotópicos relativamente altos são encontrados entre 87°30’S e 86°44’S, resultantes de processos pós-deposicionais devido à formação de glaze ice (esmalte de gelo) identificadas em campo. O gradiente δ18O/Elevação encontrado foi de -0,08‰ /100 m e o gradiente δ 18O/Temperatura de 0,743 ‰/°C. Com exceção das anomalias citadas, os resultados são concordantes com os encontrados por outros pesquisadores no manto de gelo antártico

Detailed quantification of glacier elevation and mass changes in South Georgia

Most glaciers in South America and on the Antarctic Peninsula are retreating and thinning. They are considered strong contributors to global sea level rise. However, there is a lack of glacier mass balance studies in other areas of the Southern Hemisphere, such as the surrounding Antarctic Islands. Here, we present a detailed quantification of the 21st century glacier elevation and mass changes for the entire South Georgia Island using bi-static synthetic aperture radar interferometry between 2000 and 2013. The results suggest a significant mass loss since the beginning of the present century. We calculate an average glacier mass balance of -1.04 0.09 m w.e.a(-1) and a mass loss rate of 2.28 0.19 Gt a(-1) (2000-2013), contributing 0.006 0.001 mm a(-1) to sea-level rise. Additionally, we calculate a subaqueous mass loss of 0.77 0.04 Gt a(-1) (2003-2016), with an area change at the marine and lake-terminating glacier fronts of -6.58 0.33 km(2) a(-1), corresponding to similar to 4% of the total glacier area. Overall, we observe negative mass balance rates in South Georgia, with the highest thinning and retreat rates at the large outlet glaciers located at the north-east coast. Although the spaceborne remote sensing dataset analysed in this research is a key contribution to better understanding of the glacier changes in South Georgia, more detailed field measurements, glacier dynamics studies or further long-term analysis with high-resolution regional climate models are required to precisely identify the forcing factors

Conteúdo iônico em um testemunho de firn do Platô Antártico

Este trabalho investiga o conteúdo iônico dos 28,73 m superiores do testemunho BR-IC-2 (88°01'21,3"S; 82°04'21,7"W), coletado durante a travessia antártica chileno-brasileira no verão austral de 2004/05. As concentrações dos íons majoritários Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, NO3- e SO42- e do ácido orgânico H3CSO3- (metanosulfonato - MS-) foram determinadas por cromatografia iônica. A datação, baseada na correlação entre as concentrações de Na+ e nssSO42- (sulfato não proveniente de sal marinho), na razão isotópica δD e na identificação de sinais de erupções vulcânicas (Pinatubo / Cerro Hudson em 1993, Agung em 1965 e possivelmente Bristol Island em 1936) constatou uma idade de 85 anos (período 1918–2003) para o testemunho, com precisão de ± 3 anos. A partir da datação foi possível estabelecer a precipitação anual média nesse sítio: 0,15 m eq H2O. Constatou-se uma contribuição de aerossóis de sais marinhos pouco expressiva e uma grande contribuição crustal e biogênica, indicada pelas concentrações de nssCa2+ e nssSO42, respectivamente. O alto valor da razão Cl-/Na+ (4,96) indica que outros fatores, além da contribuição de sal marinho, contribuem para as concentrações desses íons, como a entrada ou formação de HCl e a menor depleção do Cl-. As concentrações de K+ e Mg2+, apesar de apresentarem correlação fraca com os outros íons, são de origem marinha. O MS- mostra valores pouco expressivos para a região e o NO3- não tem correlação com os outros íons, devido à complexidade das fontes, já que este íon se apresenta como um aerossol secundário

A near 90-year record of the evolution of El Morado Glacier and its proglacial lake, Central Chilean Andes

Using an ensemble of close- and long-range remote sensing, lake bathymetry and regional meteorological data, we present a detailed assessment of the geometric changes of El Morado Glacier in the Central Andes of Chile and its adjacent proglacial lake between 1932 and 2019. Overall, the results revealed a period of marked glacier down wasting, with a mean geodetic glacier mass balance of −0.39 ± 0.15 m w.e.a−1 observed for the entire glacier between 1955 and 2015 with an area loss of 40% between 1955 and 2019. We estimate an ice elevation change of −1.00 ± 0.17 m a−1 for the glacier tongue between 1932 and 2019. The increase in the ice thinning rates and area loss during the last decade is coincident with the severe drought in this region (2010–present), which our minimal surface mass-balance model is able to reproduce. As a result of the glacier changes observed, the proglacial lake increased in area substantially between 1955 and 2019, with bathymetry data suggesting a water volume of 3.6 million m3 in 2017. This study highlights the need for further monitoring of glacierised areas in the Central Andes. Such efforts would facilitate a better understanding of the downstream impacts of glacier downwasting