Volumetric Variations of the Vacas and Güssfeldt Glaciers. Based on ASTER Stereoscopic Images

LENZANO M. G; LEIVA, JUAN CARLOS; LENZANO, LUIS

Santiago

Congreso; 4th Alexander von Humboldt International Conference. The Andes: Challenge for Geosciences; 2008

The present work has been developed in the Province of Mendoza, where water is an essential and scarce resource for the socioeconomic development. To know the state of art and evolution of glaciers is a necessity as they are important fresh water reservoirs. The study area is within the Parque Provincial Aconcagua, between 32° 39´ 13" south latitude and 70° 00´ 43" west longitude. The assessment of the volumetric variations of glaciers Güssfeldt and Vacas, both belonging to the C. Aconcagua glaciers system, was done processing satellite images of median resolution (ASTER) from 2001 and 2007. The processing of the stereoscopic pairs was done through the method of satellite digital photogrammetry. By using this methodology it was possible to: establish orientations between the stereoscopic pairs; generate digital elevation models (DEM) from the respective years; compare the models to know the evolution of the ice bodies in the determined period. The achieved results were acceptable and were within the parameters and precision that can be expected with this type of images. The final planimetric work scale, as per the used sensor, was of 1:50000. We obtained the volumetric variations of the ice b odies and the horizontal component of their displacement in the studied period.