The Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina, once considered stable, is rapidly losing thickness and length due to climate change. German scientists have noted an alarming rate of mass reduction, with the glacier potentially disappearing within decades. Its significance as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction is at risk. Research revealed that from 2000 to 2019, the glacier lost approximately 34cm in thickness annually. Understanding its current state and future fate involved analyzing satellite imagery and using radar technology to map the glacier bed and ice dynamics.
German scientists reveal that it is quickly getting both thinner and shorter - leading to an alarming reduction in its overall mass. It could soon disappear altogether within our lifetime, possibly a matter of decades from now.
Climate change has 'already destroyed one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on Earth'. Climate change, especially warmer temperatures have triggered the evolution we can observe today.
If glaciers all completely melted, global sea levels would suddenly rise, flooding cities, displacing millions of people and destroying infrastructure.
To assess its 'current state and future fate', the team analysed satellite data and surveyed the glacier using a special radar system hung from a helicopter.
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