Influence of temperature and precipitation on the glacier retreat of the Cordillera Blanca, 1990-2022, Ancash (#1729)

Authors

Alva Diaz, Luis Enrrique

Tincotrujillo, Jackelyn Rossmery

Abstract

Glacier retreat can have adverse consequences on water availability, energy generation, agriculture and the economy, so it is important to constantly monitor these resources. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of temperature and precipitation on glacial retreat of the Cordillera Blanca snow-capped mountains during the period 1990-2022. A descriptive-explanatory study with a non-experimental longitudinal design was used; the technique applied was remote sensing, applying the Normalized Differential Snow Index (NDSI), using Landsat 5 and 8 images from USGS Earth Explorer, and climatic data from NASA POWER. The results showed that during the period studied there is a constant glacial retreat at a rate of 5.30 km2/year, causing a loss of 28.58% of glacial mass in the period 1990-2022. Temperature had a statistically significant influence on this phenomenon, with the maximum temperature standing out with an increase of 0.035 °C/year. No significant statistical influence was found for the precipitation variable, although the great variability of this factor stands out, possibly due to the effects of the El Niño and La Niña phenomena.