Glacier albedo reduction and drought effects in the extratropical Andes, 1986–2020
Author
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Shaw, Thomas E.
Author
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Ulloa Palominos, Génesis del Pilar
Author
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Farías Barahona, David
Author
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Fernández Vásquez, Rodrigo Alejandro
Author
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Lattus, José M.
Author
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McPhee Torres, James
Admission date
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2021-10-29T15:13:07Z
Available date
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2021-10-29T15:13:07Z
Publication date
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2021
Cita de ítem
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Journal of Glaciology 67 (261), 158–169, 2021
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Identifier
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10.1017/jog.2020.102
Identifier
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https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/182507
Abstract
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Surface albedo typically dominates the mass balance of mountain glaciers, though long-term trends and patterns of glacier albedo are seldom explored. We calculated broadband shortwave albedo for glaciers in the central Chilean Andes (33-34 degrees S) using end-of-summer Landsat scenes between 1986 and 2020. We found a high inter-annual variability of glacier-wide albedo that is largely a function of the glacier fractional snow-covered area and the total precipitation of the preceding hydrological year (up to 69% of the inter-annual variance explained). Under the 2010-2020 'Mega Drought' period, the mean albedo, regionally averaged ranging from similar to 0.25-0.5, decreased by -0.05 on average relative to 1986-2009, with the greatest reduction occurring 3500-5000 m a.s.l. In 2020, differences relative to 1986-2009 were -0.14 on average as a result of near-complete absence of late summer snow cover and the driest hydrological year since the Landsat observation period began (similar to 90% reduction of annual precipitation relative to the 1986-2009 period). We found statistically significant, negative trends in glacier ice albedo of up to -0.03 per decade, a trend that would have serious implications for the future water security of the region, because glacier ice melt acts to buffer streamflow shortages under severe drought conditions.
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Patrocinador
dc.description.sponsorship
CONICYT/ANID through the doctoral scholarships programme
CONICYT/ANID project AFB180004
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Lenguage
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en
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Publisher
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Cambridge University Press, England
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Type of license
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States