DURATION

December 2011 -  December 2012.

LOCATION

All the activities are performed in the Central Glaciers of Chile and in the Patagonian range.

FRAMEWORK

This programme is promoted within the Convention on Non-Reimbursable Technical Cooperation Action Plan for the Conservation of Glaciers to Climate Change, signed between the Inter-American Development Bank and the Republic of Chile, in which beneficiary and executor of the technical cooperation is the General Water Directorate (DGA) under the Chilean Ministry of Public Works.

After a successful bid, Ev-K2-CNR Committee became the consultant of the DGA and its related Unit of Glaciology and Snow (UGN). In particular, Ev-K2-CNR is carrying out the work schedule in collaboration with national and international Universities and Research centers like the University of Milan (Department of Earth Sciences “Ardito Desio”), the Polytechnic of Milan (DIIAAR) and the National Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS).

OVERALL OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the development of technical-scientific studies in the context of Glacier Monitoring Network, as well as to develop activities for institutional strengthening of the Directorate General of  Water.

MAIN ACTIVITIES

Generation of data for the Glacier Monitoring Network. The researchers of Ev-K2-CNR are working together with UGN-DGA on the basis and guidelines of the National Strategy for Glacier Monitoring as follows:

• To support the glaciology group in the detailed design and implementation of  monitoring in pilot areas, data analysis, and in obtaining results that help the management of glaciers in the country for the medium and long term, considering the environmental impacts and climate change

• Installation of glaciological and meteorological instruments for monitoring glaciers

• In-Situ measurements on glaciers, including both the ablation and accumulations areas, and the proglacial environments

• Data analysis to obtain results of mass balance, ice-flow velocity, surface energy balance and water discharge

• Ablation modeling and related issues to climate change and water discharge flow

 Hydrology:

• Support in the localization, design, installation and inspection of new fluviometrical stations on mountainous areas