{"id":17868,"date":"2021-02-04T00:26:53","date_gmt":"2021-02-04T03:26:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/?p=17868"},"modified":"2025-02-10T12:49:15","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T15:49:15","slug":"planchon-and-peteroa-volcanic-complex-binational-glaciers-are-in-retreat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/places\/planchon-and-peteroa-volcanic-complex-binational-glaciers-are-in-retreat\/","title":{"rendered":"Planch\u00f3n and Peteroa volcanic complex: Binational glaciers are in retreat"},"content":{"rendered":"

The <\/span>Planch\u00f3n-Peteroa-Azufre<\/span><\/i> volcanic complex is located about 70 kilometers from <\/span>Curic\u00f3<\/span><\/i> and bordered by Argentina. This complex represents one of the most striking mountain phenomena in the central <\/span>Andes<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the complex\u2019s areas, there are several mountain glaciers, which initiate important rivers: concerning Chilean territory, the <\/span>Claro<\/span><\/i> river links later to the <\/span>Teno<\/span><\/i> river in <\/span>Los Que\u00f1es<\/span><\/i> (the closer town) and with a part of the <\/span>Colorado<\/span><\/i> river\u2019s basin. On the Argentinean side, the <\/span>Valenzuela<\/span><\/i> river transforms into the <\/span>Grande<\/span><\/i> river. <\/span><\/p>\n

This complex is the northernmost of volcanoes from the <\/span>Maule<\/span><\/i> region, where there are the extinct <\/span>Azufre <\/span><\/i>and the <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcanoes. The <\/span>Planch\u00f3n<\/span><\/i> volcano is rebuilt over them and has several craters and similar structures at the top.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to historical precedents, this <\/span>Planch\u00f3n<\/span><\/i>–<\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> complex is very active. There is a high risk of causing lahars if some eruption eventually comes, due to the extensive ice cover distributed in the <\/span>Azufre <\/span><\/i>area. This is a hazard for living beings in rivers that feed those glaciers already mentioned.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Planch\u00f3n<\/span><\/i>–<\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcanic complex \/ \u00a9 Gerald Prins (April 2015).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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\u00a0<\/span>Glaciers in <\/b>Planch\u00f3n<\/i><\/b>–<\/b>Peteroa<\/i><\/b> volcanic complex and their importance<\/b><\/p>\n

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View of the volcanic complex and the <\/span>Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Norte<\/span><\/i> glacier from the top of the <\/span>Azufre 1 <\/span><\/i>volcano\/ \u00a9 Nicol\u00e1s M\u00e9ndez (January 2012).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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This complex collects a vast frozen-ice volume distributed in twelve mountain glaciers, six glaciarets, and four covered glaciers, resulting in approximately 15.11 km\u00b2 in January 2019. According to those figures, Argentina has 6.3 km\u00b2 of that amount, while Chile has 8.81 km\u00b2.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Glacier covered by ashes in <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcano \/ \u00a9 Juan Esteban Berrio (February 2019).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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The Eastern slope of <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcano is covered by the glacier.\u00a0<\/span>
March 2008 (above) – \u00a9 Ing. Alvin \/ Mach 2018 (below) – \u00a9 Luis Faundez.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Hanging glacier in crater 1 post-eruption of the <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcano in 2010 \/ \u00a9 Cristobal Bayer Monnard (March 2011).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Norte<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Sur<\/span><\/i> glacier in March 2008 \/ \u00a9 Ing. Alvin (April 2018) \/ \u00a9 Juan Esteban Berrio.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Hanging glacier<\/span> El Azufre<\/span><\/i> or <\/span>PPA4<\/span><\/i> in Chilean territory \/ \u00a9 DGA (December 2013).<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Continuous retreat<\/b><\/p>\n

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This diagram demonstrates the evident retreat in the volcanic complex, where the <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcano has an area loss of 75% from 1985 to 2011 \/ \u00a9 Juan Esteban Berrio.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Among the summits of the <\/span>Azufre<\/span><\/i> volcano, five mountain glaciers detach from a hill. Two of them are located on the Argentinean side, named as <\/span>Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Norte<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Sur<\/span><\/i> glacier. On the Chilean side, there are no official names, although the study of glacier variations – made by the Center for Scientific Studies (CECs according to Spanish initials) in 2011 – denominated them as <\/span>PPA2<\/span><\/i> y <\/span>PPA3<\/span><\/i>. Both glaciers visually have a similar and continued retreat over time. The <\/span>Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Norte<\/span><\/i> glacier had an area of 2.45 km\u00b2, which has decreased to 1.86 km\u00b2\u00a0approximately. The front has retreated around 450 m by the north side, while the south is 187.3 m. Finally, the study exposes an annual loss of the glacier volume of 49.6 m in the north and 20.8 m in the south limit \/ \u00a9 Juan Esteban Berrio.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Moreover, the <\/span>Pe\u00f1\u00f3n Sur<\/span><\/i> glacier used to cover an area of 1.44 km\u00b2, but nowadays it just covers 1km\u00b2, unfortunately.<\/span><\/p>\n

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We already had the premise about the constant retreat \u2013 and as we had said \u2013 it\u2019s more intense the glacier loss on the <\/span>Peteroa<\/span><\/i> volcano, showing a significantly bigger loss than its neighbor, as demonstrated in the diagram \/ \u00a9 Juan Esteban Berrio.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

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Eventual future complications\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

The volcano complex has experienced a substantive glacier loss during these last years. Several complications would affect both countries because, as we know, these frozen bodies are tributaries of rivers that provide us with the vital components downstream. Not only the volcanic activity might cause important natural events but also the glacier loss around it, affecting the fragile ecosystem and impacting glaciers settled in different mountainsides. <\/span><\/p>\n

The complex is outside a protected area; it doesn\u2019t belong in a National Park, Nature Reserve, Natural Monument, or Nature Sanctuary category. Another important aspect is that the complex is exempt from mining activity so far. However, the complex\u2019s retreats are more evident, according to satellite images. The accelerated defrosting is a clear consequence of warmer summers and less cold winters that hold back the same snow accumulation as earlier periods.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chile gets its freshwater supply mostly from the Chilean Andes and has 11% of the glaciers globally. We are privileged, but, at the same time, spectators of these natural changes, which are increased by our economic system and lifestyle, even though sometimes those aspects aren\u2019t considered in the development.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, even though a law that protects glaciers would exist, the melting cannot be stopped. However, it would help to protect some of them that are irrationally invaded and not considered a sustainable future.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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References:<\/b><\/p>\n