Volcan Peteroa glaciers in Sentinel images from March 2016 (below) and March 2023 (above). This illustrates fragmentation, 50% area loss, and a new lake formation. All the result of repeated snowcover free glaciers. 

For an alpine glacier to survive it must remain mostly snowcovered throughout the year, even at the end of the summer. This is one reason for the majesty of glaciated mountains, they shine brightly even in summer.  This summer in the Central Andes of Argentina and Chile, just as in 2022, I have chronicled the near total loss of snowpack due to summer heat waves, leading to dirty/dark glaciers (Pelto, 2022).  The heat wave this summer led to maximum temperature anomalies 3-5 C during the first half of March in the Central Andes of Argentina (SMN Argentina, 2023). An ice surface melts faster than a snow surface and the darker surface of the glacier also enhances melt rate leading to more rapid area and volume loss. This includes fragmentation and rapid expansion of bedrock areas amidst the glacier, other regional glacier obsrvations include: Sollipulli Glacier, Rio Atuel Glaciers, Palomo-Cipreses Glacier and Volcan Overo Glaciers,Here we examine Volcan Peteroa glaciers on its north flanks, which straddles the Chlile-Argentina border during the 2016-2023 period using Sentinel images. Reinthaler et al 2019 observed a ~2% annual area loss of Volcan Peteroa glaciers.

Here we examine the impact of several years of snow cover loss on the Volcan Peteroa glaciers. In 2016 it is evident there are six key ice masses on the north flank of the glacier A-F, with a combined area of 4.5 km².  In 2022 early snowcover loss led to rapid glacier thinning and lake formation, see below.  In 2023 the glacier at Point A has contracted by 50% to 0.22 km². At Point B and C the glacier has separated and is now two fragments with area of 0.36 km²  and 0.12 km² respectively. At Point D a new lake has expanded rapidly in 2022 and 2023, the lake has an area of 0.12 km² and the glacier a area of  1.21 km².  At Point E the glacier fragmented and pulled away from D and its two fragments have an of 0.36 km². At Point F the glacier has melted away. The combined area of 2.27 km² is ~50% of the glacier area just seven years prior. This is much faster than the 2% loss of the 1986-2015 period. The significant darkening of the snowfree surface will speed the loss of this glacier that no longer has a consistent accumulation zone.

Volcan Peteroa Glacier in false color Sentinel image continues to fragment with ~2% retained snowcover in 2022.  New lake at Point D. A small fragment of ice is apparent at Point F. and bedrock expansion at Point A. New lake has also formed.