This disappearance glaciers It’s a phenomenon that affects some of the most iconic places on the planet, like the case of Perito Moreno in Argentina, which is visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world each year. A group of scientists has now confirmed the ice loss this glacier has suffered over the past five years. Although the data is not yet sufficient to understand whether this is an irreversible trend, 700 meters from where this frozen mass retreated in just two years They sounded all the alarms, as it is considered one of the most stable and stable ice floes on the planet.
“When we started watching in 2021, we observed what the guides told us. We examined the satellite images and were able to confirm that this was approximately correct. A slight regression started in 2019 but especially between 2021 and 2022 There has been a strong change in the position of the front in the northern area of the Canal de Los Témpanos, and this behavior or trend continues to this day. Therefore, we can state that in some parts of the northern border there is a change in the position of the front by more than 700 meters, said Lucas Ruiz, a research glaciologist at the Argentine Nivology and Argentine Institute of Glaciology (Ianigla). ) explained to CNN) and Conicet.
Data provided by both satellites and experts from the University of Toulouse (France) show approx. 350 meters per year, a speed that amazes scientists.
During several expeditions conducted by scientists, the glacier In the last two years, it has regressed 700 meters on the northern edge of the Canal de los Témpanos.it’s the opposite of where the podiums are.
“This is a strong setback. If we calculate approximately how much the glacier retreated between 1998 and 2019, one or two meters a year. It also increased the amount. icebergs are breaking “A similar behavior is taking place in the southern part of the Rico Branch of Lake Argentino,” he said.
Other more serious cases
The front of the snowdrift has not undergone these changes, explained the Argentine scientist: “The front is still in contact with the Magellan peninsula. If we measure how it’s changed since 2018 today, it’s practically nothing. Since it is in contact with the peninsula, we can’t talk about regression yet how did it happen on the glacier In Upsala or Viedma or many others. The facade has not yet lost the balanced position it found at the beginning of the last century,” reports the Infobae portal.
The Perito Moreno glacier spans a total distance of 260 kilometers.
The scientists point out that, despite the severity of the situation, it cannot be compared to the processes that the Upsala and Viedma glaciers are currently undergoing in Argentina as well. The latter lost two kilometers of glacier in just one year.
With all this data now attempts to determine whether glacial retreat has begun. Specifically, it’s important to know if Perito Moreno is starting a new retreat phase associated not with the separation of icebergs, but with a decrease in mass accumulation at the top in a recent increase in temperature. The summers and lack of precipitation have caused climate change.
The imposing snowdrift is in the area covering the area. Los Glaciares National Park, It is in the southwest of the state of Santa Cruz, on the border with Chile. It was founded in 1937 and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. It is located in the area known as the South Patagonia Ice Field and is the third largest continental ice mass on the planet after Antarctica and Greenland. There are more than 45 glaciers ranging from 200 to 1,300 square kilometers.
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