Observaciones y mediciones GNSS en la parte terminal del glaciar Horcones Inferior, Aconcagua, Argentina

GABRIELA LENZANO; DARIO TROMBOTTO; LUIS LENZANO

Valdivia

Congreso; International Glaciological Coonference VICC 2010 "Ice and Climate Change": A View from the South; 2010

Abstract   The present study analyses the ice velocities of the debris-covered Horcones 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 an approximate length of 11 km. The glacier constitutes a very uns­table glacial environment with the presence of supraglacial lakes and thermokarst morphology. In the past GHI has experienced very relevant surging episodes. During the last surge of 2003 it advan­ced and its terminus reached an elevation of only 3400 m. GHI is part of a group of glaciers which provide water resources to the basin of Río Mendoza. Río Mendoza represents the most relevant water 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 few metres away from a thermokarst area devoid of water. The GPS data are the first of its kind for GHI. GPS data were obtained during a period of 44 days, between February and March of 2009. The resulting ice velocities and ice elevation changes are discussed.