National Glacier Strategy Gonzalo BARCAZA DIRECCIÓN GENERAL DE AGUAS
Overview Introduction National Glacier Strategy Observation Levels Glaciological Zones Progress Current studies
In 2008, Ministry of Public Works (MOP) started a glaciology program with Dirección General de Aguas (DGA) Glacier Inventory in Chile Introduction Glacier Monitoring Network Ground-based stations Mass Balance Surface Elevation Change Ice Thickness Water Discharge Glacier Variations National Glacier Strategy developed by CECS (2008 2009)
National Glacier Strategy CECS developed for DGA the National Glacier Strategy Scientific and technical requirements for 5, 10 and 20 years. This strategy address the need to study and monitoring glaciers along the country considering current and future glacier response to global warming The strategy contains five hierarchical observation levels, in which a few glaciers will be studied in detail (Level 1) while all the glaciers will contain basic information in a glacier inventory (Level 5).
Observation Levels Level 5: Glacier Inventory including rock glaciers All the glaciers in the chilean territory. About 41 main basins Level 4: Glacier Variations. Analysis of the historical variations (satellite imagery, aerial photographs and historical data) 1 glacier for each sub-basin (Total: 147) Level 3: Analysis of glacier dynamics, surface topography and ice thickness 50 glaciers distributed along the four glaciological zones Level 2: Detailed monitoring of glaciers (seasonal measurements, 10-years) Surface energy balance, Mass balance 2-5 glaciers for each glaciological zone Level 1: Intensive monitoring and multidisciplinary studies (days, months and years): Climate, dynamics, structure and hydrology. Monthly measurements for 10 years 1 glacier for each glaciological zone
Glaciological Zones Northern Zone (Arica to Choapa river) Arid climate Few and small glaciers Scanty precipitation and concentrated in summer Central Zone (between Aconcagua and Maule) Mediterranean climate Many valley glaciers Precipitation between 1000 and 2500 mm per year mainly in winter. Southern Zone (between Itata and Aysén) Rainy climate. Many glaciers Extended rainy season Austral Zone (from the Baker River southwards) Rainy and temperate climate Two large icefields and many glaciers.
Level 5: Glacier Inventory - Supervised classification using Landsat ETM+ - Data base supported by GIS Juncal Sur Olivares Gamma Olivares Beta Sub-basin Río Olivares (RGB 742 )
Identification of rock glaciers (between Copiapó and Maule basins) was supported by aerial photographs and high resolution images Rock glacier at Río Maipo, between Río Negro y Volcán
Glacier Inventory South America ~ 28.000 km 2 Chile: ~ 23.000 km
Level 4: Glacier Variations Areal and frontal variations Source: Variaciones recientes de Glaciares en Chile según principales zonas glaciológicas, DGA CECS 2011
Level 4: Glacier Variations Variaciones frontales y areales de 104 glaciares (subcuenca) Vn. Pomerape se redujo 3.26 km²; y Vn.Parinacota 3.43 km² entre 1972 y 2007 Vn. Tupungato se redujo 4.74 km² entre 1986 y 2010 (de 27,07 km² a 22,33 km²)
Nivel 4: Variaciones de Glaciares Vn. Melimoyu se redujo 13.9 km² entre 1976 y 2001 (de 69.57 km² a 55.59 km²) El Glaciar Marinelli (Cordillera Darwin): 153 metros por año entre 1913 y 2011
Level 3 Surface Topography and Ice Thickness Aconcagua Monos de Agua Maipo Olivares Beta Olivares Alfa Olivares Gama Juncal Sur Rapel Cipreses Cortaderal Palomo
Source: Estimaciones de volúmenes de hielo mediante sistemas de radar, DGA CECS 2011
Level 3 Surface Topography (LIDAR) Juncal Norte Juncal Sur Olivares Alfa, Beta y Gamma Echaurren La Paloma San Francisco Universidad Cipreses Cortaderal Palomo San Rafael Colonia Ice Thickness Juncal Norte Juncal Sur Olivares Alfa Olivares Beta Olivares Gamma Echaurren San Francisco Cipreses Cortaderal Palomo Tyndall
Glacier Monitoring Network The network will support observation levels 2 and 1 1 Tapado and Llano de la Liebres (rock glacier): Thermistors and ice flow 2,3,4: Echaurren, San Francisco and Del Rincón: Surface energy balance and Water discharge 5 Universidad: Meteorology 6 Exploradores Surface elevation change and meteorology 7 San Rafael:Meteorological station 8 Colonia: Hydrometeorological station 9 Témpano: Meteorological station 10 O Higgins: Hydrometeorological station 11 Tyndall: Water discharge
Tapado y Llano de las Liebres Glaciar Rocoso Tapado: 60 puntos de control. Desplazamientos superficiales entre 0,1 y 0,5 metros anuales (2009-2010).
Estación Yerba Loca Rincón Paloma Glaciers - Surface Topography - Meteorology and water discharge Tyndall Glacier - Satellite transmition (Nov. 2011)
Abril, 2009 Glaciar Echaurren
San Rafael Témpano Nef, Cachet, Colonia O Higgins Tyndall Stations Around the Icefields Marked West East Climatic Gradient: Precipitation and Air Temperature Water Discharge on the East Side Baker, Pascua and Serrano Basins
San Rafael Colonia Observation Network Cabinet: Feb. 2010 San Rafael: Meteorology; Nov., 2009 Nef: Water Discharge, Nov., 2009 Cachet 2:Meteorology, Water Level; May 2009
Northern Patagonia Icefield: Field work August 2011: Laser Altimetry, GPR and GPS between San Rafael and Colonia glaciers, about 40 km
Ongoing Projects: 2011-2012 Variaciones recientes de glaciares en respuesta al cambio climático: caracterización glaciológica comparada entre glaciares occidentales y orientales de Campo de Hielo Norte, CECS Caracterización y Monitoreo de Glaciares Rocosos en la cuenca del río Elqui, y Balance de Masa del Glaciar Tapado, CEAZA Plan de Acción para la Conservación de Glaciares ante Cambio Climático, EV-K2-CNR (Italy)
Summary Level 5, glacier inventory (2008 2011) Level 4, glacier variations analyses ready in 2011 for about 140 glaciers Advances in Level 3 regarding to surface topography and ice thickness Levels 2 and 1 require both ground stations and exploration (depending on budget)
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