What is it about?
High mountain glaciers in the tropical Andes have shown rapid retreat in recent decades, affecting water yield in downstream regions reliant on glacial melt for consumption, irrigation, and hydropower. Given their tropical latitude, glaciers in this region show strong sensitivity to air temperature, specifically the freezing level height (FLH) — the lowest level in the atmosphere in which temperatures are 0 °C.
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Why is it important?
Freezing level height (FLH) is expected to increase by ~230 m and ~850 m for RCP2.6 and RCP8.5, respectively. Based on contemporary FLH–glacial-extent relationships, even under the most optimistic scenario (RCP2.6), about half of the current glaciated area is expected to disappear by the end of the twenty-first century. For RCP8.5, however, glaciers may only remain for the highest peaks (>5800m asl).
Perspectives
Mesures for adaptation to climate change are necessary to ensure water security and its nexus to food security, and energy production in these areas.
Mario Rohrer
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: The freezing level in the tropical Andes, Peru: An indicator for present and future glacier extents, Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, May 2017, American Geophysical Union (AGU),
DOI: 10.1002/2016jd025943.
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