Environmental Variations during the Holocene in Patagonia Icefield, South America

• Project/Area Number: 15253001
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Geography
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: ANIYA Masamu University of Tsukuba, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Professor, 大学院・生命環境科学研究科, 教授 (10111361)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): AOKI Tatsuto Kanazawa University, Department of Geography, Associate professor, 文学部, 助教授 (30345649) ; ENOMOTO Hiroyuki Kitami Institute of Technology, Department of Civil Engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (00213562) ; ANMA Ryo University of Tsukuba, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Assistant professor, 大学院・生命環境科学研究科, 講師 (70311595) ; 佐藤 和秀 長岡工業高等専門学校, 教授 (80113398) ; 中野 孝教 筑波大学, 地球科学系, 助教授 (20155782) ; 澤柿 教伸 北海道大学, 大学院・地球環境科学研究科, 助手 (70312410)
• Project Period (FY): 2003 – 2005
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2005)
• Budget Amount: ¥30,290,000 (Direct Cost: ¥23,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥6,990,000); Fiscal Year 2005: ¥8,840,000 (Direct Cost: ¥6,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,040,000); Fiscal Year 2004: ¥10,660,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,460,000); Fiscal Year 2003: ¥10,790,000 (Direct Cost: ¥8,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥2,490,000)
• Keywords: Patagonia Icefield / Holocene / environmental variations / calving / Exploradores Glacier / Perito Moreno Glacier / パタゴニア氷原 / エクスプロラドーレス氷河 / ペリート・モレーノ氷河 / パタゴニア / 古地磁気

Research Abstract

The objective of this research project was to establish Holocene Environmental Changes in Patagonia, South America. We have selected two glaciers, Glaciar Exploradores from the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI), and Glaciar Perito Moreno from the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI) and sent two separate parties for field investigation in the period 2003-2005. The following is the summary of our activities and major findings.
Glaciar Exploradores is located on the northeast corner of the NPI. In front of this glacier is located a big terminal moraine, and similar TMs characterize many NPI glaciers. Therefore, determining the age of this moraine is important to establish the Holocene glacier advance in the NPI. From six datings of wood pieces and tree ring counts, it was inferred that this moraine was formed sometime during the Little Ice Age, between 14^<th> and 17^<th> century. In order to understand glacier dynamics that constructed this terminal moraine as well as to elucidate character istics of the glacier, we measured glacier flow in austral summer (two seasons) and austral winter (one season). During summer, glacier flow was 7-11 cm/day. The glacier thickness near the snout was deduced to be about 260-300 m. We also set up several meteorological stations on and around the glacier. We started hydrological measurement of outlet stream in Dec. 2004 and we succeeded to obtain a year round record for the first time. The average annual mean temperature near the snout was 7.4℃m, precipitation was about 3300 mm, and specific outflow of stream was about 6600 mm.
Glaciar Perito Moreno is a calving glacier, and the variation of a calving glacier is often not directly related to climate changes. So it is important to know the factors that cause the glacier variation. Therefore, at Glaciar Perito Moreno, we measured glacier surface elevation, strain, calving activities, ablation, lake level, glacier flow with automated recording GPS, and temperature, in order to clarify the relationship between the amount of calving and glacier dynamics. The glacier surface lowered between 2004 and 2005, and we observed decrease in the emergency velocity near the middle of the ablation area. Flow speed near the middle of the glacier was 0.8-1.2 m/day, while at the snout it was often 1.5 m/day at many spots. Although we have measured many factors that would affect glacier dynamics, we could not find any firm relationship with calving activities.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Overview of Glaciological Research Project in Patagonia 2003 (2005)
  • Author(s): Aniya, M., Satow, K., Skvarca, P., Anma, R., Aoki, T, Sawagaki, T., Tanikawa, T., Naruse, R., Glasser, N., Harrison, S
  • Journal Title: Bulletin of Glaciological Research 22 Pages: 109-119
  • NAID: 10014309993
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Overview of Glacialogical Research Project in Patagonia 2003. (2005)
  • Author(s): Aniya, M., Satow, K., Skvarca, P., Anma, R., Aoki, T, Sawagaki, T., Tanikawa, T., Naruse, R., Glasser, N., Harrison, S.
  • Journal Title: Bulletin of Glaciological Research 22 Pages: 109-119
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] Overview of Glaciological Research Project in Patagonia 2003 (2005)
  • Author(s): Aniya, M., Satow, K., Skvarca, P., Anma, R., Aoki, T., Sawagaki, T.Tanikawa, T., Naruse, R., Glasser, N., Harrison, S.
  • Journal Title: Bulletin of Glaciological Research 22 Pages: 109-119
  • NAID: 10014309993
• [Journal Article] 北パタゴニア氷原・エクスプロラドーレス氷河の特徴と短期流動速度 (2004)
  • Author(s): 澤柿教伸, 青木賢人, 安仁屋政武
  • Journal Title: 北海道の雪氷 23 Pages: 7-10
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
• [Journal Article] Characteristics of Exploradores Glacier, Northern Patagonia Icefield, and its short-term flow velocity. (2004)
  • Author(s): Sawagaki, T., Aoki, T., Aniya, M.
  • Journal Title: Snow and Ice in Hokkaido 23 Pages: 7-10
  • Description: 「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
• [Journal Article] 北パタゴニア氷原・エクスプロラドーレス氷河の特徴と短期流動速度 (2004)
  • Author(s): 澤柿教伸, 青木賢人, 安仁屋政武
  • Journal Title: 北海道の雪氷 23号 Pages: 7-10