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| Upsala Glacier | |
|---|---|
| Name | Upsala Glacier |
| Other names | Glaciar Upsala |
| Location | Southern Argentina and Chile, Southern Patagonian Ice Field |
| Status | Retreating |
Upsala Glacier
Upsala Glacier is a major outlet glacier of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field located in southern Argentina near the Lago Argentino basin and the Los Glaciares National Park. The glacier has been a focus for studies by institutions such as the CONICET and international teams from Smithsonian Institution, University of Buenos Aires, University of Chile, University of Magallanes, and Universidad de Buenos Aires. Its dynamics and rapid terminus changes have made the glacier a prominent case in research on climate change impacts in the Southern Hemisphere.
Upsala Glacier lies on the eastern flank of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in the Santa Cruz Province of Argentina, feeding into the Brazo Upsala arm of Lago Argentino. It is bordered by prominent geographic features including the Fitz Roy Massif and nearby glaciers such as Perito Moreno Glacier, Viedma Glacier, and Spegazzini Glacier. The glacier drains part of the ice field that spans both Argentina and Chile, with adjacent protected areas including Los Glaciares National Park and proximity to settlements like El Calafate.
Upsala Glacier is characterized by a wide, heavily crevassed terminus and a calving front that interacts with the proglacial waters of Lago Argentino. The glacier's mass balance has been monitored using field surveys by CONICET, remote sensing from Landsat and Sentinel-2 satellites, airborne campaigns by NASA and European Space Agency, and geodetic measurements from teams at University of Buenos Aires and University of Copenhagen. Ice flow velocities measured by synthetic aperture radar and GPS studies from Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires show complex surge-like behaviors tied to basal hydrology and terminus retreat. The ice thickness and subglacial topography have been profiled by radar surveys performed by researchers affiliated with British Antarctic Survey and Instituto Antártico Argentino.
Exploration of the Upsala Glacier region involved 19th and 20th century expeditions by figures and organizations such as Francisco Pascasio Moreno, the Argentinean Comisión de Límites, and European mountaineering parties from United Kingdom and Germany. The glacier's name commemorates connections to the Uppsala University expedition or the Swedish scientific presence in Patagonia, linking it historically to Scandinavian researchers and cartographers. Early mapping by the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (Argentina) and observations by the Yale Perito Moreno Expedition contributed to baseline records used by later teams including researchers from Smithsonian Institution and Universidad de Magallanes.
Since the late 20th century, the glacier has undergone pronounced retreat, with major calving events documented by CONICET, NASA, European Space Agency, and academic teams from University of Buenos Aires and University of Chile. Causes identified include regional warming linked to global warming, changes in precipitation regimes influenced by the Southern Annular Mode, basal melting associated with warmer fjord waters similar to processes affecting glaciers in the Patagonia Icefields, and feedbacks from reduced albedo. Retreat has altered sediment flux to Lago Argentino, affecting glacial lake levels monitored by the Instituto Nacional del Agua (Argentina) and impacting freshwater delivery to downstream systems and communities such as El Calafate and El Chaltén. The glacier’s changes have been cited in reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and studies published by teams from University of Grenoble and University of Washington.
The proglacial and lacustrine environments adjacent to the glacier support assemblages studied by biologists at Universidad Nacional del Comahue, CONICET, and international partners like ICES and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Aquatic ecosystems in Lago Argentino host fish species investigated by researchers from National University of Patagonia San Juan Bosco, while terrestrial zones harbor subantarctic flora and fauna documented by ecologists from Los Glaciares National Park staff, University of Buenos Aires, and Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. Retreat-driven habitat changes influence populations of birds monitored by Aves Argentinas and mammals recorded by field teams associated with Wildlife Conservation Society and regional conservation organizations.
The glacier and surrounding park attract visitors via tour operators based in El Calafate and excursions organized by agencies registered with Administración de Parques Nacionales (Argentina). Scientific research operations are conducted by institutions including CONICET, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Smithsonian Institution, NASA, European Space Agency, and universities across Argentina, Chile, United States, and Europe. Studies range from glaciology and paleoclimatology using ice-core proxies comparable to work at Greenland and Antarctica, to remote sensing projects using platforms from Landsat and Sentinel-2. Tourism infrastructure and research logistics intersect with transportation providers such as local ferry operators on Lago Argentino and regional accommodations in El Calafate.
Management of the glacier’s landscape falls under the jurisdiction of Los Glaciares National Park authorities and national bodies like the Administración de Parques Nacionales (Argentina) and scientific oversight by CONICET. Conservation initiatives have been informed by international agreements and reports involving UNESCO and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and local stakeholder engagement includes park rangers, tourism operators from El Calafate, indigenous community representatives, and researchers from Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Adaptive management strategies address visitor impact, scientific monitoring programs in collaboration with NASA and European Space Agency, and regional climate adaptation planning coordinated with provincial agencies such as the Santa Cruz provincial government.
Category:Glaciers of Argentina Category:Southern Patagonian Ice Field