IANIGLA   20881
INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE NIVOLOGIA, GLACIOLOGIA Y CIENCIAS AMBIENTALES
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
GPS measurements at the terminus of Glaciar Horcones Inferior, Aconcagua, Argentina.
Autor/es:
LENZANO, MARÍA GABRIELA; TROMBOTTO, DARÍO
Lugar:
Valdivia, Chile
Reunión:
Conferencia; International Glaciological Conference VICC 2010–Ice and Climate Change: A view from the South.; 2010
Resumen:
The present study analyses the ice velocities of the debris-coveredHorcones Inferior Glacier (GHI) located in Mendoza, Argentina.GHI is located at 32°41’S, 69°57’W, in the Provincial Park Aconcagua,at the base of the south face of Cerro Aconcagua, with anapproximate length of 11 km. The glacier constitutes a very unstableglacial environment with the presence of supraglacial lakesand thermokarst morphology. In the past GHI has experienced veryrelevant surging episodes. During the last surge of 2003 it advancedand its terminus reached an elevation of only 3400 m. GHI ispart of a group of glaciers which provide water resources to thebasin of Río Mendoza. Río Mendoza represents the most relevantwater source for the development of the northern oasis of the province.For this study a semi-permanent GPS network was implemented,located on the surface of the glacier terminus, only a fewmetres away from a thermokarst area devoid of water. The GPSdata are the first of its kind for GHI. GPS data were obtained duringa period of 44 days, between February and March of 2009. Theresulting ice velocities and ice elevation changes are discussed.