Extending for almost 8,000 km along the west of South America, the Andes are the longest continental mountain range in the world. They portray an impressive richness and diversity of cryospheric features, including: the most substantial extension of tropical glaciers on Earth, one of the highest densities of rock glaciers, the largest glacierized area in the Southern Hemisphere outside Antarctica, ...[Read More]
Image of the week – Micro-organisms on Ice!
Figure 1: Investigating micro-organisms on Perito Moreno. Left – Sampling on the glacier surface inside a cryoconite hole.
Right – Scientists from the University Bicocca of Milan at work performing analysis in the temporary laboratory set up in Buscaini Refugee (shelter) [Credit: Alessio Romeo – La Venta Esplorazioni Geografiche]
The cold icy surface of a glacier doesn’t seem like an environment where life should exist, but if you look closely you may be surprised! Glaciers are not only locations studied by glaciologists and physical scientists, but are also of great interest to microbiologists and ecologists. In fact, understanding the interaction between ice and microbiology is essential to fully understand the gla ...[Read More]
Image of the Week – Inside a Patagonian Glacier
Figure 1: A speleologist descending inside a glacier cave of the Grey Glacier [Credit: Tommaso Santagata/ La Venta]
Chilean Patagonia hosts many of the most inhospitable glaciers on the planet – in areas of extreme rainfall and strong winds. These glaciers are also home to some of the most spectacular glacier caves on Earth, with dazzlingly blue ice and huge vertical shafts (moulins). These caves give us access to the heart of the glaciers and provide an opportunity to study the microbiology and water drainage ...[Read More]
Image of The Week – That’s a Damn Fine Ice Dam!
Figure 1: Perito Moreno Glacier terminus, Argentina. The glacier's continual advance disconnects the Brazo Rico (on the left) from the greater Lago Argentino (right), preventing drainage. Photo Credit: Evan Miles.
With today’s image of the week we want to transport you to Patagonia to look at a unique fresh-water calving glacier – Perito Moreno in Argentina. This is a hot topic at the moment as the glacier did something rather unusual yesterday, read on to find out more….. This large glacier (Fig 2, highlighted red) flows down a valley, calving into the southwestern arm of Lago Argentino ...[Read More]