Icefields (SPI and NPI)
Located at the southwestern end of South America, there are two icefields called the Northern Patagonia Icefield (NPI) and the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI). Some people wrongly call them “Continental Ice” – a term used for masses of ice covering the greatest part of a continent. An “icefield” is an extensive mass of land ice covering a mountain region, except for the highest mountains.
The Southern Patagonia Icefield is located between Chile and Argentina and spans along 360 km (223 miles); it is formed by 48 main outlet glaciers flowing into big Lakes O’Higgins/San Martín, Viedma, and Argentino, in the east; and as a “tidal glaciers” into the Pacific fiords.
In 1945, the Southern Patagonia Icefield extended over an estimated total area of 13,500 km² (5,200 sq miles). In 1986, this area was reduced to 13,000 km² (5,020 sq miles); and in 2010, to 12,550 km² (4.845 sq miles), i.e. a reduction of 1000 km² (386 sq miles) in 65 years Between 1968/75 and 2000, the SPI was thinned by an average of 1,0m/year, meaning an annual loss of 13.5 km³ (3.2 mi³), which was tripled in the 1995-2000 period to reach an annual reduction of 38.7 km³ (9.28 mi³).
El más grande de Argentina y el más largo de Sudamérica. Mediciones año 2009: + Superficie de hielo: 977 km² (total, con afloramientos rocosos: 1022 km²) + Largo: 70 km + Estado: retroceso, pero menor que otros glaciares grandes del HPS. En 1782 el marino Antonio de Viedma fue el primer europeo que descubrió el…
Upsala is the third largest glacier of South America and the largest one flowing into Lake Argentino. May 2011 measurements: Ice area: ~765 km² (295 sq miles) (total, with rocky outcrops: ~840 km2 [324 sq miles]) Length: ~53.7 km (33.3 miles) Status: Drastically retreating, as shown in November 1968 and May 2011 images. Upsala glacier…
2010 Measurements: Ice area: 134 km2 (51.7 sq miles) Length: 17 km (10.5 miles) Status: Stable. As with other glaciers, it was Father De Agostini who named this glacier, and he did it after the Italian-Argentinian Botanist and Fungi Investigator. In 2010, the Spegazzini Glacier was 1.3 km (0.80 miles) wide, 17 km (10.5 miles)…
El más grande de Sudamérica Uno de los pocos con tendencia de avance. Mediciones año 1986: + Superficie de hielo: 1265 km². + Largo máximo: 64 km. En 1930 el Padre De Agostini navega los fiordos de Chile y llega al frente de un “colosal glaciar”, que termina en un murallón de 50 a 60…
Mayo Glacier, named by Perito Moreno, is located in the most rugged and narrow portion of the Southern Patagonia Icefield. The glacier covers a total area of 40.1 km² (15.4 sq miles) and is 14.5 km (9 miles) long. Its distinctive feature are the ogives – alternating bands of light and dark ice on a…
Thanks to its beauty and magnificence, Grey Glacier is one of the most visited glaciers of Torres del Paine National Park, Chile. The glacier flows from the Southern Patagonia Icefield through 3 ice fronts separated by two rocky outcrops, and its incredible icebergs float like “big sailboats” on Lake Grey, as described by Father A.M….
Father A.M. De Agostini named this glacier after Carlos Ameghino, a great Argentine wise man, who made important trips to Patagonia to search for fossils. In February 2011, Ameghino Glacier extended along 16.3 km (10 miles) and covered an area of 54.9 km² (21.19 sq miles) (with no rocky outcrops). Originating at 2,200 meters (7,200…
