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Climate’s firm grip on glacier ablation in the Cordillera Darwin Icefield, Tierra del Fuego

Author

Listed:
  • Franziska Temme

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Christian Sommer

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

  • Marius Schaefer

    (Universidad Austral de Chile)

  • Ricardo Jaña

    (Instituto Antártico Chileno)

  • Jorge Arigony-Neto

    (Universidade Federal do Rio Grande)

  • Inti Gonzalez

    (Centro de Estudios del Cuaternario de Fuego-Patagonia y Antártica
    Universidad de Magallanes)

  • Eñaut Izagirre

    (University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU
    Basque Centre for Climate Change BC3)

  • Ricardo Giesecke

    (Universidad Austral de Chile
    Centro FONDAP de Investigación en Dinámica de Ecosistemas Marinos de Altas Latitudes (IDEAL))

  • Dieter Tetzner

    (British Antarctic Survey)

  • Johannes J. Fürst

    (Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg)

Abstract

The Cordillera Darwin Icefield (CDI) in Tierra del Fuego is one of the largest temperate ice bodies in the Southern Hemisphere. We simulate the climatic energy and mass balance of its glaciers (2000–2023), which are sensitive indicators of climatic changes in the Southern Hemisphere’s higher mid-latitudes. Year-round westerly winds cause strong climatic gradients across the mountain range, reflected in the energy and mass fluxes. Our results reveal a significant increase in surface melt (+0.18 m w.e. yr-1 per decade) over the past two decades. We also present the first estimate of dynamically controlled mass loss into adjacent fjords and lakes by frontal ablation, amounting to 1.44 ± 0.94 Gt yr-1 (26 % of the total CDI mass loss). Frontal losses are mainly channelized through few marine-terminating glaciers. While frontal ablation is important for predicting the fate of individual glaciers, for the CDI as a whole, atmospheric conditions exert the main control on the current glacier evolution.

Suggested Citation

  • Franziska Temme & Christian Sommer & Marius Schaefer & Ricardo Jaña & Jorge Arigony-Neto & Inti Gonzalez & Eñaut Izagirre & Ricardo Giesecke & Dieter Tetzner & Johannes J. Fürst, 2025. "Climate’s firm grip on glacier ablation in the Cordillera Darwin Icefield, Tierra del Fuego," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57698-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57698-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Matthias H. Braun & Philipp Malz & Christian Sommer & David Farías-Barahona & Tobias Sauter & Gino Casassa & Alvaro Soruco & Pedro Skvarca & Thorsten C. Seehaus, 2019. "Constraining glacier elevation and mass changes in South America," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(2), pages 130-136, February.
    2. Christian Sommer & Philipp Malz & Thorsten C. Seehaus & Stefan Lippl & Michael Zemp & Matthias H. Braun, 2020. "Rapid glacier retreat and downwasting throughout the European Alps in the early 21st century," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
    3. Romain Hugonnet & Robert McNabb & Etienne Berthier & Brian Menounos & Christopher Nuth & Luc Girod & Daniel Farinotti & Matthias Huss & Ines Dussaillant & Fanny Brun & Andreas Kääb, 2021. "Accelerated global glacier mass loss in the early twenty-first century," Nature, Nature, vol. 592(7856), pages 726-731, April.
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