Title
160 glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) across the Tropical Andes since the Little Ice Age
Date Issued
01 January 2022
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Emmer A.
Wood J.L.
Cook S.J.
Harrison S.
Wilson R.
Diaz-Moreno A.
Reynolds J.M.
Torres J.C.
Mergili M.
Jara H.W.
Bennett G.
Caballero A.
Glasser N.F.
Melgarejo E.
Shannon S.
Tinoco T.
Torres L.
Garay D.
Villafane H.
Garrido H.
Martinez C.
Apaza N.
Araujo J.
Poma C.
Publisher(s)
Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
Assessing the extent to which glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are increasing in frequency in modern times and whether their incidence is driven by anthropogenic climate change requires historical context. However, progress on this issue is hampered by incomplete GLOF inventories, especially in remote mountain regions. Here, we exploit high-resolution, multi-temporal satellite and aerial imagery, and documentary data to identify GLOF events across the glacierized Cordilleras of Peru and Bolivia, using a set of diagnostic geomorphic features. A total of 160 GLOFs from 151 individual sites are characterised and analysed, tripling the number of previously reported events. We provide statistics on location, magnitude, timing and characteristics of these events with implications for regional GLOF hazard identification and assessment. Furthermore, we describe several cases in detail and document a wide range of process chains associated with Andean GLOFs.
Volume
208
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Investigación climática
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85121448816
Source
Global and Planetary Change
ISSN of the container
09218181
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus