Constraining glacier elevation and mass changes in South America

Matthias H. Braun (), Philipp Malz, Christian Sommer, David Farías-Barahona, Tobias Sauter, Gino Casassa, Alvaro Soruco, Pedro Skvarca and Thorsten C. Seehaus
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Matthias H. Braun: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Philipp Malz: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Christian Sommer: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
David Farías-Barahona: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Tobias Sauter: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Gino Casassa: Universidad de Magallanes
Alvaro Soruco: Universidad Mayor de San Andrés
Pedro Skvarca: Centro de Interpretación de Glaciares
Thorsten C. Seehaus: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg

Nature Climate Change, 2019, vol. 9, issue 2, 130-136

Abstract: Abstract 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.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41558-018-0375-7

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