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| Campo de Hielo Norte | |
|---|---|
| Name | Campo de Hielo Norte |
| Other name | Northern Patagonian Ice Field (partial name restriction) |
| Location | Andes, Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, Chile |
| Area km2 | ~3,500 |
| Length km | variable |
| Type | Ice field |
Campo de Hielo Norte is a vast icefield located in the Andes of southern Chile adjacent to the Argentinaan border, forming part of the Patagonian cryosphere and feeding numerous glaciers and river systems. It lies within the southern Andes between the Paso Internacional Río Jeinemeni and the Lago General Carrera basin, influencing regional Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean drainage. The icefield is central to scientific studies involving the Southern Patagonian Ice Field, Patagonia, Paleoclimatology, and Andean glaciology.
The icefield occupies a high plateau in the Andes range, bounded by mountain systems including the Cordillera Darwin, Cordillera Sarmiento, and peaks near the Ojos del Salado southern ranges. It drains into basins such as the Baker River watershed, the Futaleufú River catchment, and headwaters feeding Lago General Carrera and Lago Cochrane. Political jurisdictions include Aysén del General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo and Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena, intersecting protected areas like Parque Nacional Laguna San Rafael, Parque Nacional Patagonia, and corridors near the Bernardo O'Higgins National Park. Neighboring towns and access points include Coyhaique, Balmaceda Airport, Puerto Río Tranquilo, and Chile Chico.
Glaciologists study outlet glaciers such as those terminating in the Baker River valleys and tongues approaching Lago General Carrera, comparing ice dynamics with the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and historical reconstructions from Little Ice Age moraines. Research institutions including the Universidad de Chile, Universidad de Concepción, INACH, and international teams from Smithsonian Institution and University of California have conducted mass balance and flow studies. Techniques involve satellite imagery from Landsat, Sentinel, and ASTER platforms, airborne surveys by NASA and CONAE, and fieldwork using GPS, ground-penetrating radar from teams linked to Met Office collaborations. Ice-core records are compared with archives like the NOAA Paleoclimatology Program and datasets from IPCC assessments.
Regional climate influences include southern westerly winds tied to the Antarctic Oscillation and teleconnections with the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. Precipitation patterns are influenced by the Pacific Ocean storm track and orographic uplift over the Andes, modulating snowfall accumulation on the icefield. Hydrologic outputs feed major rivers Baker River, Palena River, and Futaleufú River, which connect to fjord systems near Aysén Fjord and ultimately to the Pacific Ocean. Water resources are important for hydroelectric proposals considered by entities such as Endesa Chile and Colbún S.A., and for transboundary water management between Chile and Argentina under frameworks similar to treaties like the Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1881 between Chile and Argentina.
Alpine and subpolar ecosystems surrounding the icefield support flora including Nothofagus pumilio and Nothofagus antarctica forests, cushion bogs, and tundra communities documented by botanists from Universidad Austral de Chile and the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid. Fauna includes Huemul populations, Guanaco occurrences at lower elevations, and avifauna such as Andean condor, Magellanic woodpecker, and migratory species monitored by organizations like BirdLife International and SERNAPESCA initiatives. Aquatic habitats downstream sustain native fish like Galaxias maculatus and salmonids introduced by agencies like Instituto de Fomento Pesquero and studied by researchers at CIMAR programs.
Indigenous presence in the region includes historical use by groups related to the Tehuelche and Mapuche, with archaeological sites investigated by teams from Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino and Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. European exploration involved 19th-century expeditions by surveyors associated with figures such as Captain Robert FitzRoy-era voyages and later mapping by HMS Beagle successors and Chilean surveyors. 20th-century scientific expeditions included mountaineers affiliated with the Alpine Club and glaciology teams from Universidad de Magallanes and foreign universities. Modern logistics have utilized airfields like Balmaceda Airport and navigation via fjords charted by the Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service of the Chilean Navy.
Downstream hydropower potential attracted proposals from companies such as Endesa and multinational energy firms, prompting environmental assessments by agencies like CONAF and studies by Comisión Nacional de Energía. Forestry activity managed by firms operating in Aysén has affected lower catchments; timber interests include associations like the Wood Producers Association of Chile. Tourism, mountaineering, and adventure operators based in Coyhaique, Puerto Río Tranquilo, and Coihaique Alto provide guiding services, while scientific tourism intersects with programs from CONICYT and international NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy and WWF Chile.
Conservation efforts involve protected areas administered by CONAF and cross-border initiatives with Argentinaan counterparts modeled on trans-Andean conservation corridors promoted by organizations like IUCN and World Wildlife Fund. Threats include climate change driven by global greenhouse gas emissions tracked by IPCC, glacier retreat documented by USGS and regional universities, potential impacts from hydroelectric development by corporations such as AES Andes, and invasive species facilitated by transport networks overseen by Dirección General del Territorio Marítimo policies. Scientific monitoring programs by INACH, Universidad de Chile, and international consortia aim to inform policy instruments similar to Ramsar Convention frameworks and regional land-use planning.