New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context
We present a comprehensive study of the evolution of the glaciers on the Antisana ice cap (tropical Andes) over the period 1956–2016. Based on geodetic observations of aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images, we explore the effects of morpho-topographic and climate variables on glaci...
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc102086 2023-05-15T16:38:08+02:00 New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context Basantes-Serrano, Rubén Rabatel, Antoine Francou, Bernard Vincent, Christian Soruco, Alvaro Condom, Thomas Ruíz, Jean Carlo 2022-11-04 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4659/2022/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4659/2022/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2022 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 2022-11-07T17:22:42Z We present a comprehensive study of the evolution of the glaciers on the Antisana ice cap (tropical Andes) over the period 1956–2016. Based on geodetic observations of aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images, we explore the effects of morpho-topographic and climate variables on glacier volumes. Contrasting behaviour was observed over the whole period, with two periods of strong mass loss, 1956–1964 ( −0.72 m w.e. yr −1 ) and 1979–1997 ( −0.82 m w.e. yr −1 ), and two periods with slight mass loss, 1965–1978 (0.10 m w.e. yr −1 ) and 1998–2016 ( −0.26 m w.e. yr −1 ). There was a 42 % reduction in the total surface area of the ice cap. Individually, glacier responses were modulated by morpho-topographic variables (e.g. maximum and median altitude and surface area), particularly in the case of the small tongues located at low elevations (Glacier 1, 5 and 16) which have been undergoing accelerated disintegration since the 1990s and will likely disappear in the coming years. Moreover, thanks to the availability of aerial data, a surging event was detected on the Antisana Glacier 8 (G8) in the 2009–2011 period; such an event is extremely rare in this region and deserves a dedicated study. Despite the effect of the complex topography, glaciers have reacted in agreement with changes in climate forcing, with a stepwise transition towards warmer and alternating wet–dry conditions since the mid-1970s. Long-term decadal variability is consistent with the warm–cold conditions observed in the Pacific Ocean represented by the Southern Oscillation index. Text Ice cap Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Pacific The Cryosphere 16 11 4659 4677 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
We present a comprehensive study of the evolution of the glaciers on the Antisana ice cap (tropical Andes) over the period 1956–2016. Based on geodetic observations of aerial photographs and high-resolution satellite images, we explore the effects of morpho-topographic and climate variables on glacier volumes. Contrasting behaviour was observed over the whole period, with two periods of strong mass loss, 1956–1964 ( −0.72 m w.e. yr −1 ) and 1979–1997 ( −0.82 m w.e. yr −1 ), and two periods with slight mass loss, 1965–1978 (0.10 m w.e. yr −1 ) and 1998–2016 ( −0.26 m w.e. yr −1 ). There was a 42 % reduction in the total surface area of the ice cap. Individually, glacier responses were modulated by morpho-topographic variables (e.g. maximum and median altitude and surface area), particularly in the case of the small tongues located at low elevations (Glacier 1, 5 and 16) which have been undergoing accelerated disintegration since the 1990s and will likely disappear in the coming years. Moreover, thanks to the availability of aerial data, a surging event was detected on the Antisana Glacier 8 (G8) in the 2009–2011 period; such an event is extremely rare in this region and deserves a dedicated study. Despite the effect of the complex topography, glaciers have reacted in agreement with changes in climate forcing, with a stepwise transition towards warmer and alternating wet–dry conditions since the mid-1970s. Long-term decadal variability is consistent with the warm–cold conditions observed in the Pacific Ocean represented by the Southern Oscillation index. |
format |
Text |
author |
Basantes-Serrano, Rubén Rabatel, Antoine Francou, Bernard Vincent, Christian Soruco, Alvaro Condom, Thomas Ruíz, Jean Carlo |
spellingShingle |
Basantes-Serrano, Rubén Rabatel, Antoine Francou, Bernard Vincent, Christian Soruco, Alvaro Condom, Thomas Ruíz, Jean Carlo New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
author_facet |
Basantes-Serrano, Rubén Rabatel, Antoine Francou, Bernard Vincent, Christian Soruco, Alvaro Condom, Thomas Ruíz, Jean Carlo |
author_sort |
Basantes-Serrano, Rubén |
title |
New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
title_short |
New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
title_full |
New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
title_fullStr |
New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
title_full_unstemmed |
New insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, Antisana (0°29′ S, 78°09′ W), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
title_sort |
new insights into the decadal variability in glacier volume of a tropical ice cap, antisana (0°29′ s, 78°09′ w), explained by the morpho-topographic and climatic context |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4659/2022/ |
geographic |
Pacific |
geographic_facet |
Pacific |
genre |
Ice cap |
genre_facet |
Ice cap |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4659/2022/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4659-2022 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
11 |
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4659 |
op_container_end_page |
4677 |
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1766028432744906752 |