Global warming and the Southwest slope of Nevado Yerupaja, Peru

Authors

  • F. Inocente Escuela Profesional de Ingeniería Ambiental. Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez, Lima, Perú
  • J. Gonzales Escuela Profesional de Ingeniería Ambiental. Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez, Lima, Perú
  • E. Mendoza-Nieto Departamento de Agronomía. Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez, Lima, Perú
  • T. Méndez-Izquierdo Departamento de Ambiental. Universidad Nacional José Faustino Sánchez, Lima, Perú

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51431/par.v2i2.645

Keywords:

Global warming, deglaciation, glacial equilibrium line altitude, extreme vertical gradient

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze the effect of global warming on the glacial retreat of the Southwest slope of the snow-capped Yerupajá, between two moments, the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the year 2016. Methodology: Google earth satellite images were used, which were mapped and delimited current. glaciers and paleo-glaciers, the Altitude of the glacial and paleo-glacial Line of Equilibrium is determined using the Area by Altitude by Equilibrium Ratio (AAR) method. Finally, the variation of the air temperature registered by the evolution of the glaciers between the two moments, was calculated by means of the ELA-paleo ELA product by mean Vertical Thermal Gradient of the Earth. Results: Twenty-five current glaciers have been identified, with a surface area of 6.3 km2, and 19 paleo glaciers with 14 km2, reporting a loss of 7.7 km2; an ALE of 5246 m and the reconstruction of the paleo-glacier ELA of 5106 m were obtained, which implied a variation of 140 m from the LIA to 2016; In the same period, the variation in temperature found was 1.34 °C. Conclusions: Global warming has caused the reduction of more than half of the glacial surface of the Southwest slope of the Yerupajá snow-capped mountain, as well as a slope of the ELA due to an increase in temperature.

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References

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Published

2020-12-30

How to Cite

Inocente, F., Gonzales, J., Mendoza-Nieto, E., & Méndez-Izquierdo, T. (2020). Global warming and the Southwest slope of Nevado Yerupaja, Peru. Peruvian Agricultural Research, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.51431/par.v2i2.645

Issue

Section

Short communication