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The mass budget of southern Patagonian glaciers is characterized by an extreme amount of surface ablation. To understand the processes controlling surface mass balance, we analyzed in situ data including meteorological variables and ablation stakes for the 25 years between 1996 and 2020 near the terminus of Glaciar Perito Moreno in southern Patagonia in South America. The mean annual temperature has increased over the study period at a rate of 0.2°C decade−1. An energy-balance model was applied to calculate a point surface mass balance, based on meteorological records. The average point surface mass balance is estimated to be −16.3 m water equivalent (w.e.) yr−1 between 1996 and 2020, decreasing at a rate in the range from −0.4 to −0.9 m w.e. yr−1 decade−1. The greatest contribution to the surface energy balance was due to the sensible heat flux, and its variation drove the surface mass balance variation. The meteorological and surface mass balance records were compared with the Southern Annular Mode and El Niño–Southern Oscillation, which change the atmospheric circulation over southern Patagonia and influence surface mass balance near the terminus of the glacier. Our long-term dataset investigates the detailed meteorological conditions and surface mass balance and their connection with the large-scale climate variability over the last 25 years, reported for the first time in Patagonia.

Excluding the large ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, glaciers in South America are large contributors to sea-level rise1. Their rates of mass loss, however, are poorly known. Here, using repeat bi-static synthetic aperture radar interferometry over the years 2000 to 2011/2015, we compute continent-wide, glacier-specific elevation and mass changes for 85% of the glacierized area of South America. Mass loss rate is calculated to be 19.43 ± 0.60 Gt a−1 from elevation changes above ground, sea or lake level, with an additional 3.06 ± 1.24 Gt a−1 from subaqueous ice mass loss not contributing to sea-level rise. The largest contributions come from the Patagonian icefields, where 83% mass loss occurs, largely from dynamic adjustments of large glaciers. These changes contribute 0.054 ± 0.002 mm a−1 to sea-level rise. In comparison with previous studies2, tropical and out-tropical glaciers — as well as those in Tierra del Fuego — show considerably less ice loss. These results provide basic information to calibrate and validate glacier-climate models and also for decision-makers in water resource management3. Synthetic aperture radar interferometry reveals that 19 Gt of ice is lost per year from glaciers in South America — mostly from Patagonia — contributing 0.04 mm annually to global sea-level rise.

Calving glaciers are rapidly retreating in many regions under the influence of ice-water interactions at the glacier front. In contrast to the numerous researches conducted on fjords in front of tidewater glaciers, very few studies have been reported on lakes in which freshwater calving glaciers terminate. To better understand ice-water interactions at the front of freshwater calving glaciers, we measured lakewater temperature, turbidity, and bathymetry near Glaciar Perito Moreno, Upsala, and Viedma, large calving glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield. The thermal structures of these lakes were significantly different from those reported in glacial fjords. There was no indication of upwelling subglacial meltwater; instead, turbid and cold glacial water discharge filled the region near the lake bottom. This was because water density was controlled by suspended sediment concentrations rather than by water temperature. Near-surface wind-driven circulation reaches a depth of similar to 180 m, forming a relatively warm isothermal layer (mean temperature of similar to 5-6 degrees C at Perito Moreno, similar to 3-4 degrees C at Upsala, and similar to 6-7 degrees C at Viedma), which should convey heat energy to the ice-water interface. However, the deeper part of the glacier front is in contact with stratified cold water, implying a limited amount of melting there. In the lake in front of Glaciar Viedma, the region deeper than 120 m was filled entirely with turbid and very cold water at pressure melting temperature. Our results revealed a previously unexplored thermal structure of proglacial lakes in Patagonia, suggesting its importance in the subaqueous melting of freshwater calving glaciers.

The complex dynamics of calving glaciers is a major uncertainty in projecting global glacial mass loss. We present frontal ablation and ice mass change for the 38 major calving glaciers in the Patagonian icefields based on remote-sensing observations of ice-front positions, surface speeds and elevation changes. The frontal ablation from 2000 to 2019 was −24.1 ± 1.7 Gt a−1, which represents 34 ± 6% of the total ablation of the icefields. The fraction of frontal ablation was close to half in the southern icefield and about one fifth in the northern icefield. The rate of the mass loss from the icefields during the period of study was 15.2 ± 3.5 Gt a−1, which is generally explained by surface mass balance but was accelerated as a result of increasing frontal ablation. The frontal ablation and mass change values suggest surface mass balance to be −1.5 ± 0.9 Gt a−1 for the northern icefield and +11.5 ± 2.7 Gt a−1 for the southern icefield during this period. Our study demonstrates that a strong increase in frontal ablation at several glaciers drives the mass loss in the southern icefield, whereas increasingly negative surface mass balance drives the mass loss in the northern icefield.

The northern Antarctic Peninsula is one of the fastest changing regions on Earth. The disintegration of the Larsen-A Ice Shelf in 1995 caused tributary glaciers to adjust by speeding up, surface lowering, and overall increased ice-mass discharge. In this study, we investigate the temporal variation of these changes at the Dinsmoor–Bombardier–Edgeworth glacier system by analyzing dense time series from various spaceborne and airborne Earth observation missions. Precollapse ice shelf conditions and subsequent adjustments through 2014 were covered. Our results show a response of the glacier system some months after the breakup, reaching maximum surface velocities at the glacier front of up to 8.8 m/d in 1999 and a subsequent decrease to ∼1.5 m/d in 2014. Using a dense time series of interferometrically derived TanDEM-X digital elevation models and photogrammetric data, an exponential function was fitted for the decrease in surface elevation. Elevation changes in areas below 1000 m a.s.l. amounted to at least 130 ± 15 m between 1995 and 2014, with change rates of ∼3.15 m/a between 2003 and 2008. Current change rates (2010–2014) are in the range of 1.7 m/a. Mass imbalances were computed with different scenarios of boundary conditions. The most plausible results amount to − 40.7 ± 3.9 Gt . The contribution to sea level rise was estimated to be 18.8 ± 1.8 Gt , corresponding to a 0.052 ± 0.005 mm sea level equivalent, for the period 1995–2014. Our analysis and scenario considerations revealed that major uncertainties still exist due to insufficiently accurate ice-thickness information. The second largest uncertainty in the computations was the glacier surface mass balance, which is still poorly known. Our time series analysis facilitates an improved comparison with GRACE data and as input to modeling of glacio-isostatic uplift in this region. The study contributed to a better understanding of how glacier systems adjust to ice shelf disintegration.

The Patagonia Icefields are characterized by a large number of outlet glaciers calving into lakes and the ocean. In contrast to the recent intensive research activities on tidewater glaciers in other regions, very few observations have been made on calving glaciers in Patagonia. We analysed satellite images of Glaciar Upsala, the third largest freshwater calving glacier in the Southern Patagonia Icefield, to investigate changes in its front position, ice velocity and surface elevation from 2000 to 2011. Our analyses revealed a clear transition from a relatively stable phase to a rapidly retreating and fast-flowing condition in 2008. The glacier front receded by 2.9 km, and the ice velocity increased by 20–50%, over the 2008–11 period. We also found that the ice surface lowered at a rate of up to 39 m a−1 from 2006 to 2010. This magnitude and the rate of changes in the glacier front position, ice velocity and surface elevation are greater than previously reported for Glaciar Upsala, and comparable to recent observations of large tidewater glaciers in Greenland. Our data illustrate details of a rapidly retreating calving glacier in Patagonia that have been scarcely reported despite their importance to the mass budget of the Patagonia Icefields.

Glaciar Perito Moreno, with an area of 258km², is located on the eastern side of the Hielo Patagonico Sur (Southern Patagonia Icefield) at about 50°29′S and 73°04′W. Currently, it terminates in Lago Argentino, thereby dividing the lake into Canal de los Tmpanos to the north and Brazo Rico to the south. The glacier has repeatedly made small advances and retreats in the 20th century; however, it can be regarded as rather stable since the 1920. Based on 14C dating of 22 wood and one organic samples, we inferred that Glaciar Perito Moreno made two Little Ice Age (LIA) advances, one at ca. AD 1650 and the other about AD 1820-50. These two dates fit very well into the general framework of the LIA of the HPS.

Ice flow acceleration has played a crucial role in the rapid retreat of calving glaciers in Alaska, Greenland and Antarctica. High-frequency measurements of ice speed and basal water temperatures from a calving glacier in Patagonia show that changes in basal water pressure by a few per cent can significantly affect ice flow speed. Ice flow acceleration has played a crucial role in the rapid retreat of calving glaciers in Alaska1,2, Greenland and Antarctica3,4. Glaciers that calve in water flow much faster than those that terminate on land, as a result of enhanced basal ice motion where basal water pressure is high5. However, a scarcity of subglacial observations in calving glaciers limits a mechanistic understanding. Here we present high-frequency measurements of ice speed and basal water pressures from Glaciar Perito Moreno, a fast-flowing calving glacier in Patagonia. We measured water pressure in boreholes drilled at a site where the glacier is 515±5 m thick, and where more than 60% of the ice is below the level of proglacial lakes. We found that the mean basal water pressure was about 95% of the pressure imposed by the weight of the overlying ice. Moreover, changes in basal water pressure by a few per cent drove nearly 40% of the variations in ice flow speed. The ice speed was strongly correlated to air temperature, suggesting that glacier motion was modulated by water pressure changes as meltwater entered the system. We conclude that basal water pressure in calving glaciers is important for glacier dynamics, and closely connected to climate conditions.

To reveal the influence of global warming on glaciers, highly accurate observations of glacier movement must continue every year. It is thought that there is a close relationship between glacier moving speed and global warming. Thus, there have been precise, detailed observations of the movement of the Perito Moreno glacier in Patagonia of the Argentine Republic over the past five years. The measurement method of using GPS and an optical measuring instrument is generally used to monitor glacier movement, but the measurement accuracy attained is not optimal because of the huge size of the glacier. The measurement system used for the Perito Moreno observations, however, could realize high accuracy measurement over long distance. The measurement system is based on the principle of stereo measurement using cameras. This paper describes the results of the Perito Moreno glacier observations of this year and considers the effectiveness of glacier observation using cameras.

The Glaciological Research Project in Patagonia (GRPP) 2006-2009 was carried out with several objectives at Glaciar Perito Moreno of the Hielo Patagonico Sur (HPS), in the area of the Hielo Patagonico Norte (HPN) and along the Pacific coast. At Glaciar Perito Moreno, hot water drilling was carried out at about 5km upstream from the terminus, reaching the glacier bottom at ca. 515m, in order to monitor subglacial water pressure. Good positive correlations among air temperature, subglacial water pressure and glacier flow speed were found. Based on 14C dating of tree and organic samples, it is proposed that Glaciar Perito Moreno made two Little Ice Age (LIA) advances at AD1600-1700 and ca. 130-100y BP (AD1820-50). Fan deltas located at the mouth of big rivers around Lago General Carrera (Buenos Aires) and Lago Cochrane (Pueyrredon), in the area east of the HPN, were investigated to elucidate their development. The variations of 21 outlet glaciers of the HPN elucidated from aerial surveys for 2004/05-2008/09 revealed an areal loss of 8.67km2 in four years. A general slowing down of retreats was observed with a few exceptions. Meteorological measurements at Glaciar Exploradores of the HPN from 2005 to 2009 indicate that air temperature ranged from 17.4°C to -10.5°C. The total annual precipitation was about 3000mm. Glacier surface melt was observed at two spots. Sediment and water discharges from the glacier showed that while water discharge fluctuated a lot, suspended sediment concentration was rather stable in summer. A single channel seismic profiling during the JAMSTEC MR08-06 cruise identified a probable submerged moraine formed before the last glacial maximum (LGM) in the Golfo de Penas, south of Taitao Peninsula. Piston coring along the Chilean coast further indicates that ice-rafted debris recorded the LGM and earlier Late Pleistocene events of the glacial advance.

Glaciar Perito Moreno is one of the major freshwater calving glaciers in the Southern Patagonia Icefield. Its fast-flowing characteristic is probably due to high water pressure at the glacier bed, however, subglacial conditions have never been observed in Patagonia until our recent undertaking. To investigate the role of subglacial water pressure in the calving glacier dynamics, we performed hot-water drilling at Glaciar Perito Moreno from February to March 2010. This study represents the first attempt ever at hot-water glacier drilling in Patagonia. Two boreholes were drilled to the bed at 4.7km upglacier from the terminus, where the ice was revealed to be 515±5m thick and the bed located at about 330m below the proglacial lake level. The water levels in the boreholes were >100m above the lake level, which indicates that more than 90% of the ice overburden pressure was balanced out by the subglacial water pressure. Water in the boreholes had drained away before the drilling reached the bed, suggesting the existence of an englacial drainage system. These results provide crucial information for understanding the hydraulic and hydrological conditions of calving glaciers. In order to drill a 500m deep glacier, an existing hot-water drilling system was adapted by increasing the number of high-pressure hot-water machines. The drilling operation at Glaciar Perito Moreno confirmed the system's capacity to drill a 500-m-deep borehole at a rate of 50mh-1 with fuel consumption rates of 15.7lh-1 for diesel and 3.9lh-1 for petrol.

Hielo Patagonico Sur (HPS), an icefield in Southern Patagonia, is the largest temperate ice mass in the southern hemisphere. Despite continued research efforts during the last decade many glaciological variables, especially mass balance, are still poorly known. This is partly because access to the icefield is difficult due to remoteness and persistent harsh weather conditions. Therefore, remote sensing appears to be a more suitable tool for the acquisition of data. In this work we present a remote sensing study of snow zonation on HPS using Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper data acquired on 12 March 2001. By using image processing and classification techniques, proved to be useful in other glaciated regions, we map for the first time the extent and occurrence of major snow zones on the whole HPS. We separate between two classes of ice and three classes of snow. Ice facies are classified as bare or debris (i.e. dirt) covered ice, covering 2454 km 2 and 777 km 2 respectively, or 18.4% and 5.8% of the icefield on the day of image acquisition. Snow types are classified according to spectral differences in the images, following the glacier facies concept. Two of the three snow cover types are interpreted to represent differences in snow grain size within a fairly homogeneous snow pack whereas the third one is interpreted to represent the slush zone. A first order altitudinal control on the distribution of these snow facies is evident. In addition, our results show that snow accumulation on HPS is markedly controlled by the interaction of strong west–northwest snow-bearing winds and the rough mountainous terrain. In order of decreasing altitude we find that the two snow facies and the slush facies occupy 3819 km 2 , 3292 km 2 and 2295 km 2 respectively, or 28.6%, 24.6% and 17.2% of the icefield, on the day of image acquisition. Estimates of equilibrium line altitude using our results yield values of 800–900 m above sea level for the western side and 1500–1600 m above sea level for the eastern side, with an accumulation area ratio of 0.74.

Mass balance and climate sensitivity of Glaciar Perito Moreno (GPM), one of the main outlet glaciers of Hielo Patagónico Sur (southern Patagonia icefield), were investigated. Field measurements were carried out from 1995 to 2003, including ice ablation and velocity at stakes, seismic profiling, bathymetry of the lake near the calving fronts and meteorological data. The database was complemented by satellite observations, to derive the motion field by interferometric data, map glacier boundaries and snowlines from multi-year time series of radar images, and obtain glacier topography from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission. In September 2003, GPM started to dam the southern arm of Lago Argentino, resulting in a maximum rise of the lake level of 9.35 m before the dam burst in March 2004. The ice dam formed again in August 2005, bursting in March 2006. Analysis of mass fluxes indicates no long-term trend in mass balance. This behaviour, contrasting with most retreating glaciers in the vicinity, can be attributed to a particular glacier geometry. Monthly climate sensitivity characteristics for glacier mass balance were derived using a degree-day model, showing similar importance of both temperature and precipitation. Also, the reconstruction of the mass balance for the last 50 years from local climate data shows a near-steady-state condition for GPM, with some small fluctuations, such as a slightly positive balance after 1998, that may have triggered the minor advance leading to damming events in 2003 and 2005.

Recent unexpected changes in the Antarctic Ice Sheet, including ice sheet thinning, ice shelf collapse and changes in ice velocities, along with the recent realization that as much as one third of ice shelf mass loss is due to bottom melt, place a new urgency on understanding the processes involved in these changes. Technological advances, including very new or forthcoming satellite-based (e.g. ICESat, CryoSat) remote sensing missions, will improve our ability to make meaningful determinations of changes in Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance.This paper is the result of a workshop held to develop a strategy for international collaboration aimed at the collection and synthesis of Antarctic Ice Sheet mass balance data, and at understanding the processes involved so that we might predict future change. Nine sets of recommendations are made, concerning the most important and sensitive measurements, temporal ranges and study areas. A final tenth recommendation calls for increased synthesis of ice sheet data and communication between the field measurement, satellite observation and modelling communities. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Seymour (Marambio) and Vega Islands occur within the continuous permafrost zone of the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Results are presented of investigations on the occurrence, distribution, morphology and genesis of ground ice, a key aspect of permafrost research in this region. According to its morphology, ice content, buried ice type and possible upper Quaternary conditions, permafrost is divided into two cryoformations: epigenetic and syngenetic. Based on field and remote-sensing data, 76.6 km2 of Seymour Island and 81.0 km2 of Vega Island are characterized by permafrost, with estimated ice contents of 0.06 and 1.41 km3, respectively. Different genetic ground-ice types are distinguished and a regional morphogenetic classification of ground ice is proposed.

Changes in the ice fronts on the Antarctic Peninsula north of 70˚ S are currently being investigated through a comprehensive analysis of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data as part of the international research initiative ‘Global land Ice Measurements from Space’ (GLIMS). Regional case studies are presented that cover a variety of glacial systems distributed over the northern Antarctic Peninsula and provide data on glacier front variations during the period 1986–2002. The results confirm a general trend of regional glacier front recession, but a range of different glacier variations are observed throughout the study area. Areas of predominant retreat are located in the northeastern and southwestern sectors, while stationary ice fronts characterize glacial behaviour on the northwestern coast of the peninsula. In addition, a significant increase in glacier recession is identified on James Ross Island, where retreat rates doubled during the period 1988–2001 compared to the previous investigation period, 1975–88. These observations are interpreted as being direct consequences of the rapidly changing climate in the region, which differentially affects the local accumulation and ablation patterns of the glacial systems.

Following the collapse of Larsen A in 1995, about 3200 km2 of Larsen B ice shelf disintegrated in early 2002 during the warmest summer recorded on the northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Immediately prior to disintegration the last field campaign was carried out on Larsen B. Measurements included surface net mass balance, velocity and strain rate on a longitudinal transect along Crane Glacier flowline and over a remnant section confined within Seal Nunataks that survived the collapse. In addition, an automatic weather station located nearby allowed derivation of melt days relevant to the formation and extent of surface meltwater. Repeated surveys allowed us to detect a significant acceleration in ice-flow velocity and associated increasing strain rates along the longitudinal transect. It may be possible to use this acceleration as a predictor of imminent ice-shelf collapse, applicable to ice shelves subject to similar climatic conditions. Additional information on recent ongoing changes was provided by a visible satellite image acquired in early 2003.

Given the pronounced atmospheric warming recorded in recent decades on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP), knowledge of glacier mass balance in this region is especially important for assessing the impact of climatic warming on ice masses. ‘Glaciar Bahía del Diablo’ (GBD) on Vega Island, northeastern AP, is a glacier that terminates on land, so its mass balance is directly linked to climate. GBD is a polythermal outlet glacier, 14.3 km2 in area with an accumulation–area ratio of 0.39. Increased ablation rates and glacier thinning motivated us to select GBD as a test site for mass-balance studies within the region. Calculations based on the stratigraphic annual method yielded a mean annual loss of 0.32 mw.e. a–1 for the annual net mass balance (bn) between 1999 and 2003. A strong correlation was observed between bn and mean summer temperatures, confirming that GBD is highly sensitive to climate. The study of GBD aims at establishing a suitable reference database for ice–climate studies in a region of dramatic changes in Antarctica.

The retreat and collapse of Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves in tandem with a regional atmospheric warming has fueled speculation as to how these events may be related. Satellite radar altimeter measurements show that between 1992 and 2001 the Larsen Ice Shelf lowered by up to 0.27 ± 0.11 meters per year. The lowering is explained by increased summer melt-water and the loss of basal ice through melting. Enhanced ocean-driven melting may provide a simple link between regional climate warming and the successive disintegration of sections of the Larsen Ice Shelf.

Sequential optical images of high spatial resolution were used for the first time to derive surface ice velocities of Glaciar Upsala, a fast-moving fresh-water calving glacier in southern Patagonia. Cross-correlation methods applied to four Landsat ETM+ images acquired in 2000–01 yielded average velocities of around 1600 m a−1, similar to values measured in the field in November 1993. The derived velocities show almost no seasonal variation for the analyzed calving termini. During the period of satellite coverage, clear readvances were detected in the autumn–winter period, followed by recessions during summers. Between 24 April 1999 and 14 October 2001, the glacier front has been fluctuating seasonally within about 400 m, in contrast to the previous dramatic recession. During the last 2.5 years, Glaciar Upsala west terminus had a net advance of around 300 m. In addition, the available satellite images allowed us to determine recent calving speeds and confirm the improved calving-rate/water-depth relationship, recently proposed by incorporating new data from Patagonian glaciers.

Ice dolines on the Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica, are observed to beelongated depressions a few hundred meters across and up to 19m deep. One-meterresolution imagery is used to quantify these dimensions. Elevation profiles across fivedolines are derivedby photoclinometry. Landsat and radar imagery is also usedto showthatdolinescanforminasinglemeltseasonandpersistforyears.Dolinesoccurinclustersandindirectproximitytosurfacemeltwaterlakes.Fieldobservationssuggestdolinesformby collapse into a subsurface cavity. A direct hydraulic connection with the underlyingocean is believed necessary to drain water that would otherwise collect in dolines. Aformation hypothesis is discussed consistent with these observations and with energy-andhydrostatic-imbalance considerations. INTRODUCTION Doline isageologictermdescribingaroundedhollowthatcanrange in width from 1 to 100m and in depth from ten tohundredsof meters (AGI,1976). Mellor (1960) wasthefirsttosuggest the term icedoline be applied to depression featuresseen on ice. Their size, hundreds of meters across, is theprincipal characteristic distinguishing them from

Data relating to calving dynamics in fresh water are scarce, especially for deep-water sites. A linear dependence of calving velocity (Vc) on water depth (Hw) is commonly accepted for both tidewater and fresh-water calving glaciers. Here we use recent data from temperate Patagonian glaciers to propose a revised relationship for calving in fresh water. The new ratio is derived from glaciers calving rapidly into deep water, documented using sequential satellite images and depth soundings. The main data source is a detailed remotely sensed dataset of the rapidly retreating Glaciar Upsala, complemented with global positioning system field surveys and precise ice-proximal bathymetric surveys. The area-integrated mean water depth between glacier positions in 1996 and 2000 is 490 m, with a maximum recorded depth of >700m. In the same period, image analysis reveals surface area loss of 1.37 km2 a–1 (4.8 km2) and an average calving rate of 1880ma–1. The resulting Vc/Hw ratio is of a similar order of magnitude to that recently derived for nearby Glaciar Moreno, but is well above the range of values commonly reported for lacustrine calving.

Changes of Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and the surrounding glaciers after its collapse in 1995 were investigated using satellite radar imagery, with emphasis on changes in the glaciers which previously nourished the ice shelf north of Seal Nunataks and now calve directly into the sea. The large glaciers retreated several kilometres inland of the previous grounding line. The velocity field of Drygalski Glacier, the largest glacier in this area, was mapped by means of interferograms derived from pairs of European Remote-sensing Satellite synthetic aperture radar images from 1995 and 1999. The main part of the glacier showed a significant acceleration of flow over these 4 years, with an increase of velocity up to three-fold at the terminus. Similar accelerations were observed by means of interferometry on several other grounded glaciers, suggesting that the removal of ice shelves could lead to an effect on eustatic sea level. For Larsen B, the northernmost surviving part of Larsen Ice Shelf, the retreat of the ice front to October 2000 is documented.

The work presented deals with detailed mapping of permafrost in Devil Bay, Vega Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula. Mapping of landforms and permafrost features within a periglacial plain was performed using high resolution visible satellite images and aerial photography. Two maps of permafrost were produced: one based on analysis and interpretation of visible satellite imagery and another on low-altitude aerial photography, both yielding similar results. The principles of morphogenesis were applied to map production, distinguishing both the syncryogenic and epicryogenic formations and each constitutive cryofacies. The interpretation of remote-sensing data allowed areas of occurrence of particular cryogenic processes to be defined. Remote sensing was found to be useful for permafrost mapping at both medium and large scales, and applicable for future extension to other regions in Antarctica.

Glaciar Upsala, which calves into a lake on the eastern side of the Hielo Patagonico Sur, South America, has significantly retreated by 5 km during the last 20 yr. The glacier near the terminus has thinned by about 33 m from 1990 to 1993. Bathymetric surveys made in 1998 at the proglacial lake revealed the existence of bedrock rises spreading out from exposed islands in the western part of the lake. Between 1978 and 1990, the western half of the glacier terminus was located at the bedrock rises, which suggests that the front fluctuations were strongly controlled by the bed topography. During 1990-93, the glacier terminus was located upstream from the bedrock rises, and it is considered to have been floating after estimation of the buoyancy. Significantly large extending strain rate of 0.22 a-1 was deduced from the continuity consideration in 1990-93. These results are discussed with those obtained at Columbia Glacier, Alaska.

Glaciar Mayo, covering an area of 43 km 2 , is an eastern outlet glacier of the Southern Patagonian Icefield at its narrowest part. Aerial photographs from 1970, an optical satellite image of 1986 and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images of the SIR-C/X-SAR, acquired in 1994, were used to investigate changes of the glacier terminus and of an ice-dammed lake, and to derive the surface velocity in the ablation area. In 1970, the glacier was damming a lake, Laguna Escondida, covering 8.6 km 2 . The analysis of the 1986 image reveals a 56% decrease in the area of the lake, the size in the SAR images from 1994 is similar. The western front of Glaciar Mayo advanced slightly between 1970 and 1986 and then retreated by about the same amount until 1994, whereas the eastern front retreated during both periods. The retreat of Glaciar Mayo is in accordance with the general glacier recession observed during the last three decades for almost all glaciers of the Patagonian icefields. Striking features in the images are two major debris bands across the terminus, the first originating from rock fall before 1959, the second from rock fall between 1970 and 1986. The second band was displaced between 1986 and 1994 with an average velocity of 288 m/year (79 cm/day). For the same trajectory, a motion of 80 cm was derived for a 24 h period in October 1994 with L-Band SIR-C data by means of interferometry. The agreement of the velocities derived by the two methods indicates little seasonal and interannual variability of ice motion, as observed also on the neighbouring Glaciar Perito Moreno.

Observation of the retreat and disintegration of ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula during the last three decades and associated changes in air temperature, measured at various meteorological stations on the Antarctic Peninsula, are reviewed. The climatically induced retreat of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf on the east coast and of the Wordie, George VI, and Wilkins ice shelves on the west coast amounted to about 10 000 km2 since the mid-1960s. A summary is presented on the recession history of the Larsen Ice Shelf and on the collapse of those sections north of Robertson Island in early 1995. The area changes were derived from images of various satellites, dating back to a late 1963 image from the recently declassified US Argon space missions. This photograph reveals a previously unknown, minor advance of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf before 1975. During the period of retreat a consistent and pronounced warming trend was observed at the stations on both east and west coasts of the Antarctic Peninsula, but a major cause of the fast retreat and final collapse of the northernmost sections of the Larsen Ice Shelf were several unusually warm summers. Temperature records from the nearby station Marambio show that a positive mean summer temperature was reached for the first time in 1992-93. Recent observations indicate that the process of ice shelf disintegration is proceeding further south on both sides of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Rapid warming of the Antarctic Peninsula over the past several decades has led to extensive surface melting on its eastern side, and the disintegration of the Prince Gustav, Larsen A, and Larsen B ice shelves. The warming trend has been attributed to strengthening of circumpolar westerlies resulting from a positive trend in the Southern Annular Mode (SAM), which is thought to promote more frequent warm, dry, downsloping foehn winds along the lee, or eastern side, of the peninsula. We examined variability in foehn frequency and its relationship to temperature and patterns of synoptic-scale circulation using a multidecadal meteorological record from the Argentine station Matienzo, located between the Larsen A and B embayments. This record was further augmented with a network of six weather stations installed under the U.S. NSF LARsen Ice Shelf System, Antarctica, project. Significant warming was observed in all seasons at Matienzo, with the largest seasonal increase occurring in austral winter (+3.71°C between 1962–1972 and 1999–2010). Frequency and duration of foehn events were found to strongly influence regional temperature variability over hourly to seasonal time scales. Surface temperature and foehn winds were also sensitive to climate variability, with both variables exhibiting strong, positive correlations with the SAM index. Concomitant positive trends in foehn frequency, temperature, and SAM are present during austral summer, with sustained foehn events consistently associated with surface melting across the ice sheet and ice shelves. These observations support the notion that increased foehn frequency played a critical role in precipitating the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf.

Accumulation, ablation, calving, and flow dynamics of Moreno Glacier, one of the main outlet glaciers of the Southern Patagonia Icefield, were studied based on field campaigns and on spaceborne radar imagery acquired by SIR-C/X-SAR. Ice velocities and ablation were measured through two summers and one winter. The ice depth was sounded seismically at a transect 8 km above the calving front, showing a maximum depth of 720 m. The velocity field of the terminus was derived from SIR-C/X-SAR data by means of interferometry and amplitude correlation. The average specific annual net accumulation is 5540±500 mm water equivalent. The bottom topography of the lake and the high ratio of calving flux to net accumulation explain the remarkable stability of Moreno Glacier throughout this century which is in contrast to the retreat of other glaciers in this region.

Air temperatures at the Marambio (MAR), Esperanza (ESP) and Matienzo (MAT) stations have been analyzed to investigate recent climate change on the eastern part of the Antarctic Peninsula. They are compared with data from the Oreadas station on the South Orkney Islands, the longest record available in Antarctica, and from the Faraday (FAR) station on the western coast of the Peninsula. Though the interannual variability is comparatively high and the stations are located in different climatic regimes, a pronounced warming trend shows up in all records. At MAR a temperature increase of 1.5°C has been observed since the beginning of the record in 1971. This is of similar magnitude to the increase at FAR on the west coast, which was 2.5°C for the longer period since 1945. The steady retreat and collapse of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf (LIS) coincided with this warming trend. of particular importance for the ice-shelf mass balance in this region are the summer temperatures which show a statistically significant warming trend at MAR and ESP. The representativity of the summer temperatures of MAR for northern LIS is confirmed by intercomparison with the parallel measurements at MAT which is located on the ice shelf.

The areal changes of the northern Larsen Ite Shelf (LIS), Antarctic Peninsula, between March 1986 and March 1997 have been analyzed, based on synthetic aperture radar images of the European remote-sensing satellites ERS-1 and ERS-2 and on Landsat images. This analysis is complemented by data on ice motion and surface mass balance which have been obtained during several field campaigns since the early 1980s. After a period of retreat, coinciding with atmospheric warming and with decreasing net accumulation at the surface due to melt losses, the two northernmost sections of LIS disintegrated almost completely within a few days in January 1995. Recent observations of the ice-shelf section north of Jason Peninsula, which is presently the northernmost section of LIS, show increased summer melt and intensification of the rifting processes, probably causing accelerated retreat of this section in the near future. The retreat and the disintegration event of LIS indicate high sensitivity of ice shelves to prolonged perturbations of the mass balance.

The Antarctic Peninsula has exhibited some of the most spectacular changes observed in glacial systems in recent decades. The events include disintegration of ice shelves, acceleration and thinning of glaciers, variations in the limits between glacier facies, and retreat of glacier fronts. However, due to the lack of both consistent systematic observations of the glacial systems and information on their boundary conditions, it is difficult to accurately predict the contribution of Antarctic Peninsula glaciers to sea level rise and further responses of these ice masses to climatic and oceanographic changes. In this context, the activities of the GLIMS Regional Center for the Antarctic Peninsula and its network of international collaborators are based on the use of various types of Earth observation imagery, mainly optical and radar data. Although a complete glacier inventory is still lacking, we present the results of changes in glacier frontal positions and boundaries of glacier facies as well as links to dynamical adjustments for various locations in the Antarctic Peninsula’s ice masses. Evaluation of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and reflection Radiometer (ASTER) digital elevation models generated for the Antarctic Peninsula is also discussed.

Frontal oscillations since the beginning of the 20th century are known at Glaciar Perito Moreno, an eastward outlet glacier of Hielo Patagónico Sur (southern Patagonia ice field). In 1900, the calving front was located about 1 km from the opposite bank. From 1935 to 1988, ruptures of ice-dams occurred at intervals of 1–5 years. Although this glacier has thus oscillated, it can be regarded as having been in a rather stable condition during the last half-century. Ice thickness in the ablation area has also remained unchanged from 1990 to 1996. The near-steady behavior of Glaciar Perito Moreno may be attributed to a regulating effect of the calving rate, namely, a decrease in the ablation amount due to calving with a retreat of the glacier. Using 12 m long ablation poles, ice-flow velocities at the ablation area were measured several times in 1993 and 1994. The velocity in the early summer (November) was found to be slightly larger than the annual mean. It is concluded that basal sliding is significant throughout the year at this temperate glacier, with large fluctuations within a short period.

Glaciar Upsala, a freshwater calving glacier in southern Patagonia, has been retreating since 1978, and after a drastic recession of about 700 m a−1 in 1994 the retreat seems to have stopped in 1995. A large ice-thinning rate of 11 m a−1 was obtained between 1990 and 1993, by surveying surface elevations near the terminus of Glaciar Upsala. In 1993–94, the thinning was estimated at about 20 m a−1 near the lateral margin. Some possible causes of the thinning behavior are considered. In the ablation area of Glaciar Perito Moreno, 50 km south of Glaciar Upsala, ablation rates were measured during 110 d in summer 1993–94, and air temperature was continuously recorded throughout 1994. Using a degree-day method with temperature data at the nearest meteorological station, Calafate, annual ablation during the last 30 years was estimated to fluctuate from about 12 ± 2 to 16 ± 2 m a−1 in ice thickness, with a mean of 14 ± 2 m a−1. Thus, the temperature anomaly alone cannot elucidate the thinning of 11 m a−1 at Glaciar Upsala. As a possible mechanism of the ice-thinning, it is suggested that the considerable retreat due to calving may have resulted in reduction of longitudinal compressive stress exerted from bedrock rises and islands near the glacier front, causing a considerable decrease in the emergence flow. Thus, the ice may have thinned at a rate close to the annual ablation rate.

In January 1995, 4200 square kilometers of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, broke away. Radar images from the ERS-1 satellite, complemented by field observations, showed that the two northernmost sections of the ice shelf fractured and disintegrated almost completely within a few days. This breakup followed a period of steady retreat that coincided with a regional trend of atmospheric warming. The observations imply that after an ice shelf retreats beyond a critical limit, it may collapse rapidly as a result of perturbated mass balance.

The front position of calving glaciers is controlled by ice speed and frontal ablation which consists of the two processes of calving and subaqueous melting. However, the relative importance of these processes in frontal variation is difficult to assess and poorly understood, particularly for freshwater calving glaciers. To better understand the mechanism of seasonal variations involved in the ice front variations of freshwater calving glaciers, we measured front position, ice surface speed, air temperature, and proglacial lakewater temperature of Glaciar Perito Moreno in Patagonia. No substantial fluctuations in front position and ice speed occurred during the 15-year period studied (1999-2013), despite a warming trend in air temperature (0.059 degrees C a(-1)). Seasonal variations were observed both in the ice-front position (+/- 50 m) and ice speed (+/- 15%). The frontal ablation rate, computed from the frontal displacement rate and the ice speed, varied in a seasonal manner with an amplitude approximately five times greater than that in the ice speed. The frontal ablation correlated well with seasonal lakewater temperature variations (r = 0.96) rather than with air temperature (r = 0.86). Our findings indicate that the seasonal ice front variations of Glaciar Perito Moreno are primarily due to frontal ablation, which is controlled through subaqueous melting by the thermal conditions of the lake.

Large retreats were revealed for most glaciers in Patagonia, South America, by analyzing satellite images and air photographs. For example, Glaciar O’Higgins retreated 13 km during 41 years from 1945 to 1986 and Glaciar Upsala retreated about 3 km between 1968 and 1990. During the 41 years former period, however, the southern tongue of Glaciar Pio XI advanced by up to 8.5 km and Glaciar Moreno remained almost in a steady state. Considerable ice-thinning rates, from 3.0 to 11 ma−1, were measured by surveying surface profiles in the ablation areas of Tyndall and Upsala glaciers, respectively, during the period from 1985 (or 1990) to 1993. The ice thickness of Glaciar Moreno, however, has changed very little. Numerical experiments using a simple mass-balance model show that a 100 m rise in the equilibrium-line altitude due to climatic change would result in about a 200–350 m rise in the frontal altitude at Glaciar Upsala corresponding to a retreat of 5–8 km, while it would cause only about a 70–100 m rise at Glaciar Moreno. The large difference between these two neighbouring glaciers results from the difference in contributions of the calving amount to the total mass balance, as well as the difference in the altitudinal distributions of drainage areas.

Sequential visible and radar satellite imagery is used to document the fluctuations of 39 outlet glaciers on James Ross Island (JRI; 64° S, 58° W), Antarctic Peninsula. The monitoring time interval of 17.4 years extends from late 1975 until early 1993. The study is based on synergistic use of different sensors for monitoring glacier variations. The digitally enhanced Landsat TM images also allowed definition of boundaries between grounded and floating ice within Röhss Bay and detection of ice rumples, resulting in an improved measurement of the areal extent of JRI. In addition to glacier boundaries, the analyzed ERS-1 SAR images provide information on morphological properties of snow and ice. The satellite data show a general glacier retreat since 1975, resulting in clear decrease of overall glacier area on JRI. Of 39 glaciers measured, 33 glaciers retreated in the period 1975–93, 15 of which showed significant retreat in comparison to glacier size. This is in accordance with the pronounced atmospheric-warming trend recorded during the last two decades on the Antarctic Peninsula. The analysis of glacier areas on JRI thus provides a base line for detection of future changes.

The possibility that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet will collapse as a consequence of ice shelf disintegration has been debated for many years. This matter is of concern because such an event would imply a sudden increase in sea level. Evidence is presented here showing drastic dynamic perturbations on former tributary glaciers that fed sections of the Larsen Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula before its collapse in 1995. Satellite images and airborne surveys allowed unambiguous identification of active surging phases of Boydell, Sjögren, Edgeworth, Bombardier, and Drygalski glaciers. This discovery calls for a reconsideration of former hypotheses about the stabilizing role of ice shelves.