Why The Crumbling Of Argentina's Iconic Glacier Is A Cause Of Concern
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Experts say Perito Moreno in Argentina has maintained its mass for decades. But accumulation of icebergs over the past few years has been a cause of concern for glaciologists
Argentina's iconic Perito Moreno glacier became a sight of awe and concern when a block of ice some 70 meters (230 ft) tall, the size of a 20-story building, collapsed into the blue waters of Lake Argentina.
Several tourists had gathered to witness the view of the glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in the southern province of Santa Cruz, which is shrinking quickly due to global warming.
Why The Breaking Off Of The Glacier Is Alarming
The breaking off of the glacier, called 'calving", has been keeping glaciologists worried as Perito Moreno, for decades, has been maintaining its mass even as warmer climates spurred faster glacial melting worldwide.
On the latest event, which took place on April 21, Pablo Quinteros, an official tourist guide at Los Glaciares National Park, told Reuters, 'Ice calving events of this size haven't been very common at the Perito Moreno glacier over the past 20 years… It's only in the last four to six years that we've started to see icebergs this big."
Argentine glaciologist Lucas Ruiz with state science body CONICET, whose research focus is the future of Patagonian glaciers in the face of climate change, said, 'It had been in more or less the same position for the past 80 years. And that's unusual."
'However, since 2020, signs of retreat have begun to be seen in some parts of the Perito Moreno glacier's face," said Ruiz, as quoted by Reuters.
He said the glacier could rebound as it has done before, but that for the moment it was losing between one and two meters of water equivalent per year, which if not reversed could lead to a situation where the loss accelerates.
A 2024 state-supported report, co-authored by glaciologist Lucas Ruiz, revealed that although Perito Moreno maintained a stable mass for nearly 50 years, the most significant and long-lasting ice loss has occurred since 2015.
On average, it has lost around 0.85 metres of mass per year over this recent period, the fastest rate in the past 47 years.
Scientists monitoring Perito Moreno say they have detected a slight but steady increase in air temperatures in the area, approximately 0.06°C per decade. At the same time, precipitation has decreased, which means less snowfall and, therefore, less new ice forming at the glacier's top. Meanwhile, melting and calving have increased at the base.
This imbalance, less accumulation above and more melting below has not only caused thinning of the glacier but has also led to its shrinking.
What Do We Know About The Perito Moreno Glacier?
The glacier was born in the Patagonian Continental Ice, which is the largest ice field in the world after Antarctica. It is located near the city of El Calafate in the Argentine province of Santa Cruz. The Perito Moreno originates at just 1,500 metres above sea level and the front is located at 200 metres above sea level, making it accessible to visit.
It is 50 km long and descends to Lake Argentino. Its frontage is 5 km and about 60 m high above the water level. The surface of the glacier is 250 km2, a little more than the surface of the City of Buenos Aires.
In 1881, the Boundary Treaty was signed between Argentina and Chile and it was determined that since it was located to the east of the Andes mountain range and its slope towards the Atlantic Ocean, the glacier remained under Argentine sovereignty.
The 'White Giant' comes under the Los Glaciares National Park — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What Is Glacial Melting?
Glacial melting is the process in which lass masses of ice lose mass, turning into water due to rising temperature or changes in environmental conditions.
Calving happens when ice break off from glacier's edge, forming icebergs or smaller ice fragments. The process erodes the glacier's base.
Some of the causes of glacial melting include:
Climate Change: Rising global temperatures, driven by greenhouse gas emissions, have increased air and water temperatures, accelerating surface and basal melting.
Reduced Snowfall: Less snow accumulation in colder months fails to replenish ice lost during warmer periods.
Black Carbon and Pollutants: Soot and other particles settle on glaciers, reducing their reflectivity and absorbing more heat, speeding up melting.
Geographic Factors: Glaciers in warmer regions or those with unstable bedrock are more prone to rapid melting.
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May 19, 2025, 13:31 IST
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