Overview

• Since 2019, the glacier’s terminus has thinned at an average rate of 5.5 meters per year, more than sixteen times the pace seen from 2000 to 2019.
• Integrated helicopter-borne radar, lakebed sonar and satellite data show that parts of the glacier front have retreated up to 800 meters since 2019.
• Geophysical mapping found a subglacial ridge that anchored the glacier until 2019, now thinning and creating a tipping point for rapid destabilization.
• Regional warming of about 0.06 °C per decade and reduced precipitation have accelerated Perito Moreno’s mass loss over the last five years.
• If Perito Moreno collapses, its sudden contribution to sea level rise and loss of a major UNESCO World Heritage tourist attraction could have significant economic and environmental impacts.