CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

The Parque Provincial Aconcagua, in the Andes Centrales, Province of Mendoza, República Argentina, comprises approximately 70.000 has. Its main feature is the Co. Aconcagua, with more than 6960 m height, thus making it the highest of the American continent. The Aconcagua is located between 32° 39´ 13" south latitude and 70° 00´ 43" west longitude. Since December 2005 we began the research in the geodynamics area of the Co. Aconcagua within the objectives of the SIGMA Program (Mount Aconcagua GNSS Research System). SIGMA develops research activities in determining spatial displacement velocities of the Cº Aconcagua, mainly the vertical component of the velocity. It also studies the glaciers volumetric variations through satellite images of median and high resolution and the mass waste processes within the area of the Parque Provincial Aconcagua. The main disciplines intervening in the SIGMA Program are geodesics and geophysics, while glaciology, geology and geomorphology also participate. Since December 2005 we began the research in the geodynamics area of the Co. Aconcagua within the objectives of the SIGMA Program (Mount Aconcagua GNSS Research System). SIGMA develops research activities in determining spatial displacement velocities of the Cº Aconcagua, mainly the vertical component of the velocity. It also studies the glaciers volumetric variations through satellite images of median and high resolution and the mass waste processes within the area of the Parque Provincial Aconcagua. The main disciplines intervening in the SIGMA Program are geodesics and geophysics, while glaciology, geology and geomorphology also participate. The actual research activities will provide a solid foundation to establish a management plan for the Aconcagua park. The actual research activities will provide a solid foundation to establish a management plan for the Aconcagua park. We installed a GNSS Continuous Station at the summit of Co. Aconcagua, as a sustainable program base. The station is named ACON and allows measuring the displacements of the Aconcagua and therefor leads to a better understanding of tectonic phenomena in the Andes Centrales. The station was installed in March 2006 thus becoming the highest continuous station in the world. Given the extreme climatic conditions -the equipment is subject to 200 km/h winds and temperatures around 45° below zero in the winter- we had to use very advanced technology. In this respect the SIGMA program has incorporated highly qualified human resources to deal with such extreme conditions and with the main goal of achieving the correct functioning of ACON. We installed a GNSS Continuous Station at the summit of Co. Aconcagua, as a sustainable program base. The station is named ACON and allows measuring the displacements of the Aconcagua and therefor leads to a better understanding of tectonic phenomena in the Andes Centrales. The station was installed in March 2006 thus becoming the highest continuous station in the world. Given the extreme climatic conditions -the equipment is subject to 200 km/h winds and temperatures around 45° below zero in the winter- we had to use very advanced technology. In this respect the SIGMA program has incorporated highly qualified human resources to deal with such extreme conditions and with the main goal of achieving the correct functioning of ACON. The station transmits data through radio from the summit to the park rangers´ central office, at the site named "Horcones", from where the summit is directly viewed. The data is daily recorded in a PC, either manually or automatically. Results obtained to the present are significant and show the displacement tendency. The station transmits data through radio from the summit to the park rangers´ central office, at the site named "Horcones", from where the summit is directly viewed. The data is daily recorded in a PC, either manually or automatically. Results obtained to the present are significant and show the displacement tendency.