Geodetic observation of ice load induced crustal deformations in southern Patagonia (Argentina)

• Applicant: Dr.-Ing. Andreas Richter
• Subject Area: Geodesy, Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing, Geoinformatics, Cartography
• Term: from 2012 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 219575542

The ice fields and glaciers of Patagonia have been retreating since the Little Ice Age. The ice-mass loss represents a surface load which produces a visco-elastic deformation of the earth crust. The proposed project aims at the geodetic measurement of the velocity of this ice-load induced crustal deformation. For this purpose, a regional network of 15 sites over the eastern flank of the Southern Patagonian Icefield, in the basins of Lago Argentino and Lago Viedma in the Argentine province Santa Cruz, shall be observed repeatedly by GPS/GNSS. A recent model of glacial-isostatic crustal deformation predicts for this area exceptionally high deformation velocities. A validation of this model by the observational results allows valuable conclusions regarding the regional ice-load history as well as the rheological lithospheric properties in the area under investigation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants