Application of Radio Echo Sounding at the arid Andes of Argentina: the Agua Negra Glacier

The results of ground-based Radio Echo Sounding (RES) of the Agua Negra Glacier of the arid Andes of Argentina are analyzed. The glacier (30°15′S, 69°50′W) extends from 5.200 to 4600 m in altitude, and presents a smooth and convex upward surface without evident crevasses. Most potential crevasses seem to be sealed by the high rate of melting–freezing due to extreme differences between positive (diurnal) and negative (night) energy peaks. Seismic methods suggest the existence of a thick unit of debris or altered rock at the base of the glacier. Higher than normal seismic velocities indicate a very compact ice system (ice+voids), very dense near the glacier terminus. An impulse transmitter of 12 MHz was used for the RES survey, with 4 m half-length antennas, and an antenna separation of 30 m. Three profiles were surveyed and isolated measurements were taken in addition, covering about a tenth of the total glacier surface. Very clear bottom echoes occurred in most cases, indicating a maximum ice thickness of 50 to 55 m and an ice volume beneath the surveyed area of 2.0×106 m3. The total glacier volume is estimated as 10 times higher, representing an important water resource for this region. It is also possible that an older ice body lies beneath the debris that forms the present glacier base. The multistorey structure of local glaciers may be an inheritance of past glacial cycles, modulating the evolution of a complex glaciolithic system. These preliminary results, suggest the RES method works well on local glaciers, provided one take into account problems such as debris saturation, low-scale relief producing scattered echoes and low ice thickness. Its application should contribute to studies of the water reserves in this largely glacier-dependent arid region.