Lakes and Glaciers from Fuegian Andes. Morphology, Distribution and Origin: Springer Geology

C.N. San Martín, J.F. Ponce, A. Coronato

Research output: Book/ReportBook

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The intense glacial activity produced in the Fuegian Andes during the Quaternary period generated numerous erosive glacial landforms with abundant depressions, many of which presently are occupied by glaciers and freshwater lakes. A characterization of these glaciers and lakes is presented based on their geomorphological distribution, morphology and origin. The glaciers in the argentinian sector of the Fuegian Andes occupy cirques placed between 880 and 1380 m a.s.l. and are less than 1 km2 in area. The lakes are distributed in cirques, glacial valleys, transfluence glacial surfaces (cols), interdrumlin areas, and on slopes and areas of scouring. Lakes are located between 17 and 1057 m a.s.l. and most of them have an area of less than 0.1 km2. The origin of lakes located in lower elevations goes back to glacial retreat after the Last Glacial Maximum. The lakes in hanging valleys would have developed after 11,700 yr cal. BP, when the glaciers retreated from moraines corresponding to the Younger Dryas. Cirque lakes would have been the last to develop. The presence of Little Ice Age moraines allows us to assign a relative age to some of these lakes. At present, new lakes continue to develop and appear in cirques as the glaciers retreat. These glaciers and lakes of the Fuegian Andes constitute geological resources of tourist and scientific interest, and serve as freshwater reservoirs, lending importance to their preservation and study. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
Original languageEnglish (US)
Number of pages16
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 14 2021

Publication series

NameSpringer Geology
ISSN (Print)2197-9545
ISSN (Electronic)2197-9553

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements We thank Mark Shapley (University of Minnesota) for reviews that improved the preliminary manuscript. This study was suported by the Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica (grant number PICT 201-1009).

Funding Information:
We thank Mark Shapley (University of Minnesota) for reviews that improved the preliminary manuscript. This study was suported by the Agencia Nacional de Promoci?n Cient?fica y Tecnol?gica (grant number PICT 201-1009).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Keywords

  • Freshwater reservoirs
  • Glacial geomorphology
  • Glacial retreat
  • Lakes and glaciers

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility tags

  • GAFA

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