by The glaciers of Santiago (Reuters) -Chile run a higher risk of collapse and landslides due to rising temperatures and the seismic and volcanic activity of the country, according to an academic study.
The study, published in the Journal of South American Earth Sciences at the end of May, modeled variables such as the possible sudden limbs of ice lakes, mud and rubble flows, avalanches, landslides or abrupt ice slashes beyond normal speeds.
“The study determined that about 10 glaciers … would be very sensitive” for one or more of those most important destabilizing factors, said geologist Felipe Ugalde from the University of Chile, one of the authors of the study.
This included a few glaciers that run the risk of ice avalanches, others who had steep overhangs, and some that could be influenced by decreasing ice lakes. Others had a risk of volcanic eruptions in the nation that is on the pacific “ring of fire”, a belt of volcanoes and earthquakes.
“Three very sensitive glaciers are closest to the most important emission centers of the San José volcano, very sensitive to Lahars,” said Ugald, referring to volcanic mud flows that are usually a mix of water, volcanic axis and rock files.
The geologist added that glaciers worldwide withdrawn from the heating temperatures, so that they lose mass and become less stable over time.
“When the temperatures are high, water infiltrates through rain or quickly melting the Snowpack. This water percoles in the base of the glacier and acts as a lubricant,” said Ugald, adding that this ice can fall faster in a natural process called Kalving.
“This is ultimately a reaction to the imbalance that glaciers experience as a result of increasingly higher average air temperatures, even in high mountain environments,” he said.
(Reporting by Reuters TV; Writing by Fabian Cambero; Edit by Adam Jourdan and Rod Nickel)
