Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Fig. 6.2
Inventoried and updated glacier inventory and detailed glacier research in Chile
The most important work conducted by a Chilean is that carried out by Garín. He
focused on all the country, but in particular on the Patagonian Icefields performing
glacier inventory. Recent updates to his work can be seen in Fig.
6.2
.
In the recent years, there has been an increase in the amount of glaciolog-
ical studies conducted in Chile, predominantly from the Universidad de Chile
and National Antarctic Institute (INACH). There are also three other Glaciology
groups in research institutes namely Centro de Estudios de Cuaternario (CEQUA,
based in Punta Arenas -53
◦
S), Centro de Estudios Científicos (CECS, based in
Valdivia -39
◦
S) and Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA,
based in La Serena -30
◦
S); in addition, the glaciology unit of DGA (National Water
Direction), a government research unit. These research centers have engaged in
more region-focused and applied research.
One of these regional and applied research lines has focused on glacier inven-
tory. This inventory has been marked as one of the national priorities, as pertinent
policies on natural resources must be based on scientific base data, including glacier
inventory data.
6.4 Study Area
Huasco Catchment is located in the Atacama Region of Chile, which is part of the
Norte Chico (27-33
◦
S) (see Figs.
6.3
and
6.4
). The southernmost edge of the catch-
ment is known as the Arid Diagonal (Kull et al.
2002
), and it extends over the
