Month: August 2025

The Perito Moreno Glacier, a 30 km long outlet of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field in Argentina, has been considered unusually stable among Patagonian glaciers, exhibiting almost no retreat between 2000 and 2019. In this paper we present our findings of an acceleration in ice loss since 2019, with retreat exceeding 800 m in some areas and a 16-fold increase in thinning rates at the terminus, from 0.34 m yr⁻¹ (2000–2019) to 5.5 m yr⁻¹ (2019–2024). Using helicopter-borne radar surveys in March 2022 and bathymetric mapping of the proglacial lake, integrated with satellite-derived surface height and velocity data, we identify a prominent subglacial ridge beneath the glacier terminus that likely sustained its prior stability. Current thinning trends suggest imminent detachment from this ridge, which would trigger rapid multi-kilometre retreat into a deep basin, promoting further mass loss via calving.

Publication available on: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02515-7

The oceans around New Zealand are warming much faster than the global average, affecting the region’s climate. Mountain regions like the Southern Alps are particularly sensitive, as small shifts in temperature and precipitation strongly influence glaciers, ecosystems, and water supply. To isolate the role of ocean warming, this study uses an atmospheric model to simulate New Zealand’s climate for 2010–2020 under two sea surface temperature (SST) scenarios: observed warming and a cooler baseline (1981–2010 average). The comparison shows that warmer oceans made the atmosphere warmer and more humid, especially in autumn and summer. This most likely affected wind patterns and atmospheric moisture transport, leading to changes in precipitation across the South Island. In the high elevations of the Southern Alps, many effects are amplified, with stronger warming, reduced snowfall, and a greater dominance of rainfall.

Publication available on: https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JD043572