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Glacier changes in the semi-arid Huasco Valley, Chile, between 1986 and 2016

In the semi-arid and arid regions of the Chilean Andes, meltwater from the cryosphere is a key resource for the local economy and population. In this setting, climate change and economic activities foster water scarcity and resource conflicts. The study presents a detailed glacier and rock glacier i...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Heß, Katharina (Author) , Schmidt, Susanne (Author) , Nüsser, Marcus (Author) , Zang, Carina (Author) , Dame, Juliane (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 29 October 2020
In: Geosciences
Year: 2020, Volume: 10, Issue: 11, Pages: 1-19
ISSN:2076-3263
DOI:10.3390/geosciences10110429
Online Access:Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10110429
Verlag, kostenfrei, Volltext: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/10/11/429
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Author Notes:Katharina Hess, Susanne Schmidt, Marcus Nüsser, Carina Zang and Juliane Dame
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Summary:In the semi-arid and arid regions of the Chilean Andes, meltwater from the cryosphere is a key resource for the local economy and population. In this setting, climate change and economic activities foster water scarcity and resource conflicts. The study presents a detailed glacier and rock glacier inventory for the Huasco valley (28-29° S) in northern Chile based on a multi-temporal remote sensing approach. The results indicate a glacier-covered area of 16.35 ± 3.06 km2 (n = 167) and, additionally, 50 rock glaciers covering an area of about 8.6 km2 in 2016. About 81% of the ice-bodies are smaller than 0.1 km2, and only four glaciers are larger than 1 km2. The change analysis reveals a more or less stable period between 1986 and 2000 and a drastic decline in the glacier-covered area by about 35% between 2000 and 2016. The detailed assessment of six subregions indicates a more pronounced glacier decrease in the vicinity of the Pascua Lama mining project.
Item Description:Gesehen am 21.07.2022
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:2076-3263
DOI:10.3390/geosciences10110429

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