From a Glacier's Perspective

November 11, 2021

Melt Severs Northern Patagonia Icefield Glacier Connections

Loss of glacier connection between HPN1 and HPN2 in Landsat images from 2000 and 202o at Point A and B. Glacier tongue retreat at Point A from HPN1 and at Point C from HPN2. Formation of 1.4 km2 lake at HPN1. HPN1, HPN2 and HPN3 drain adjacent sections of the the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI). HPN2 and HPN3 comprise the Acodado Glacier, with HPN1 being the next glacier to the …

April 13, 2021

Benito Glacier, Chile 2021 Calving Event Drives Further Retreat

Benito Glacier in 2000 and 2021 Landsat images. Locations 1-6 are current or former distributary terminus locations. Red arrow is the 2000 terminus location and yellow arrow the 2021 terminus location. A small cloud is obscuring an iceberg near terminus. Purple dots are the snowline. Benito Glacier is a temperate outlet glacier on the west side of the North Patagonian Icefield terminating in an expanding lake. The glacier is …

February 24, 2021

HPN4 Glacier, Chile New Lake Forms and Drains in 2021

Glacier dammed lake formation at HPN4 Glacier, Chile between Landsat images of Feb. 2020 and Feb. 2021, yellow arrows indicating new calving fronts on either end of lake. HPN4 Glacier drains the southern side of NPI just east of Steffen Glacier. The terminus retreated little from 1987-2015, see below (Pelto, 2015 and 2017). The main change is in the eastern tributary 1-2 km north of the terminus. In 1987 there were …

December 3, 2020

Soler Glacier Retreat and Lake Expansion

Soler Glacier in 1987 and 2020 Landsat images. Red arrow indicates 1987 terminus location, yellow arrow indicates 2020 terminus location on north side of glacier. Yellow dots indicate margin of lake and purple arrows indicate specific locations where glacier thinning is evident. Soler Glacier is an outlet glacier on the east side of the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI). The terminus response of this glacier has been slower and more limited …

January 22, 2020

Exploradores Glacier Lake Development, Chile

Exploradores Glacier (EX) in 1987 Landsat and 2020 Sentinel image. Points A-E are consistent locations discussed. B=Bayo Glacier. Exploradores Glacier is an outlet glacier at the northeast corner fo the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI). Glasser et al (2016) note the recent 100 m rise in snowline elevations for the NPI, which along with landslide transport explains the large increase in debris cover since 1987 on NPI from 168 km2 to …