Cryogenic thermodynamical trends of the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier, Cordón del Plata, Mendoza, Argentina

DARIO TROMBOTTO LIAUDAT; JOSÉ HERNÁNDEZ

Mendoza

Simposio; Symposium Climate Change: Organizing the Science for the American Cordillera (CONCORD); 2006

Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, UNESCO

This contribution states examples of the trends of the temperatures in the active layer of the composed rock glacier Morenas Coloradas, Mendoza, Argentina. Rock glaciers are characteristic cryogenic landforms of the Central Andes. The evolution of the temperatures in the recent past expresses the thermal variations that are being produced in the internal structure of these mesoforms. A remarkable change in the active layer and suprapermafrost of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata is registered at the monitoring sites and ought to be closely observed, because these cryogenic mesoforms have a key role for the water supply of the human settlements in the oasis of the Cuyo region in Argentina (compare Trombotto et al., 1999). The evolution of the temperatures in the recent past expresses the thermal variations that are being produced in the internal structure of these mesoforms. A remarkable change in the active layer and suprapermafrost of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata is registered at the monitoring sites and ought to be closely observed, because these cryogenic mesoforms have a key role for the water supply of the human settlements in the oasis of the Cuyo region in Argentina (compare Trombotto et al., 1999). The evolution of the temperatures in the recent past expresses the thermal variations that are being produced in the internal structure of these mesoforms. A remarkable change in the active layer and suprapermafrost of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata is registered at the monitoring sites and ought to be closely observed, because these cryogenic mesoforms have a key role for the water supply of the human settlements in the oasis of the Cuyo region in Argentina (compare Trombotto et al., 1999). The evolution of the temperatures in the recent past expresses the thermal variations that are being produced in the internal structure of these mesoforms. A remarkable change in the active layer and suprapermafrost of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata is registered at the monitoring sites and ought to be closely observed, because these cryogenic mesoforms have a key role for the water supply of the human settlements in the oasis of the Cuyo region in Argentina (compare Trombotto et al., 1999). The observed changes imply direct consequences for the cryogenic environment and the Andean creeping permafrost. The nose of the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier for example (Balcón I, 3560 m a.s.l.), already expresses inactivity; the permafrost table is found at great depth. While the glaciers are turning into small insignificant bodies in the high mountains, the periglacial level with permafrost and linked with rock glaciers is expanding altitudinally, passing a transitional area which is indirectly feeding the rock glaciers with its covered or „dead“ ice. The ice of glacigenic origin contributes to the genesis of this type of permafrost. The observed changes imply direct consequences for the cryogenic environment and the Andean creeping permafrost. The nose of the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier for example (Balcón I, 3560 m a.s.l.), already expresses inactivity; the permafrost table is found at great depth. While the glaciers are turning into small insignificant bodies in the high mountains, the periglacial level with permafrost and linked with rock glaciers is expanding altitudinally, passing a transitional area which is indirectly feeding the rock glaciers with its covered or „dead“ ice. The ice of glacigenic origin contributes to the genesis of this type of permafrost. The observed changes imply direct consequences for the cryogenic environment and the Andean creeping permafrost. The nose of the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier for example (Balcón I, 3560 m a.s.l.), already expresses inactivity; the permafrost table is found at great depth. While the glaciers are turning into small insignificant bodies in the high mountains, the periglacial level with permafrost and linked with rock glaciers is expanding altitudinally, passing a transitional area which is indirectly feeding the rock glaciers with its covered or „dead“ ice. The ice of glacigenic origin contributes to the genesis of this type of permafrost. The observed changes imply direct consequences for the cryogenic environment and the Andean creeping permafrost. The nose of the Morenas Coloradas rock glacier for example (Balcón I, 3560 m a.s.l.), already expresses inactivity; the permafrost table is found at great depth. While the glaciers are turning into small insignificant bodies in the high mountains, the periglacial level with permafrost and linked with rock glaciers is expanding altitudinally, passing a transitional area which is indirectly feeding the rock glaciers with its covered or „dead“ ice. The ice of glacigenic origin contributes to the genesis of this type of permafrost. As the permafrost table is found at greater depths, the rock glaciers need to be monitored in order to define a balance between the upper periglacial level (in terms of altitude) with quasi continuous permafrost and the lower periglacial level to where the lowest fronts of creeping permafrost are reaching. As the permafrost table is found at greater depths, the rock glaciers need to be monitored in order to define a balance between the upper periglacial level (in terms of altitude) with quasi continuous permafrost and the lower periglacial level to where the lowest fronts of creeping permafrost are reaching. As the permafrost table is found at greater depths, the rock glaciers need to be monitored in order to define a balance between the upper periglacial level (in terms of altitude) with quasi continuous permafrost and the lower periglacial level to where the lowest fronts of creeping permafrost are reaching. As the permafrost table is found at greater depths, the rock glaciers need to be monitored in order to define a balance between the upper periglacial level (in terms of altitude) with quasi continuous permafrost and the lower periglacial level to where the lowest fronts of creeping permafrost are reaching. The variations of the cryogenic structure of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata caused by warming processes, will have direct consequences for the volume of frozen sediments and therefore for the hydrology of the entire region, a fact that has to be taken into account for future socio-economic programs of the respective provincial governments. The variations of the cryogenic structure of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata caused by warming processes, will have direct consequences for the volume of frozen sediments and therefore for the hydrology of the entire region, a fact that has to be taken into account for future socio-economic programs of the respective provincial governments. The variations of the cryogenic structure of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata caused by warming processes, will have direct consequences for the volume of frozen sediments and therefore for the hydrology of the entire region, a fact that has to be taken into account for future socio-economic programs of the respective provincial governments. The variations of the cryogenic structure of the rock glaciers of the Cordón del Plata caused by warming processes, will have direct consequences for the volume of frozen sediments and therefore for the hydrology of the entire region, a fact that has to be taken into account for future socio-economic programs of the respective provincial governments.