The Sollipulli Glacier, located in the caldera of the Nevados de Sollipulli volcano in Melipeuco (La Araucanía Region, Chile), is considered one of the most important crater glaciers in South America.
With a thickness that once exceeded 600 meters and an extension of about 4 kilometers, it constitutes a vital water reserve and a natural archive of climate change.
Critical state: loss of thickness and acceleration of melting
A study by the University of Concepción, along with international collaborators, revealed that the glacier lost about 70 meters of thickness since the year 2000 and doubled its melting rate in the last 14 years.
- Until 2012, the loss was 2 to 3 meters per year.
- Since 2012-2013, the rate increased to more than 4 meters annually, representing a 100% acceleration.
Researcher Alfonso Fernández explained that the glacier has an average thickness of 400 meters, although in some areas it reaches 600. The accumulated loss is equivalent to between 15 and 20% of its total volume.
Future scenarios: a lake in the caldera?
Scientists warn that if the retreat continues, the glacier could transform into a lagoon within the volcanic caldera. This scenario poses natural risks:
- An accumulation of water could generate a sudden drainage, causing floods in low-lying areas.
- The evolution will depend on the increase in temperature and regional climatic conditions.
Strategic importance of the Sollipulli
The glacier fulfills essential functions:
- Water reserve: it supplies basins and mountain valleys, fundamental for the water security of the region.
- Climate archive: its ice cores allow the reconstruction of thousands of years of environmental and climatic history.
- Tourist and scientific attraction: located in a 4 km diameter caldera, it is considered a “school volcano” for mountaineering and research.
Global and regional context
The retreat of the Sollipulli adds to a trend observed in other glaciers in Chile and around the world:
- The glaciers of Patagonia have lost surface area and thickness at an accelerated rate.
- International studies show that climate change is raising the isotherm and reducing the regeneration capacity of mountain glaciers.
The Sollipulli Glacier is undergoing a critical retreat process that reflects the impacts of climate change in the La Araucanía mountain range.
Its loss of thickness and the doubling of the melting rate in just 14 years are alarm signals that compel the strengthening of scientific monitoring and the design of adaptation strategies for the communities that depend on its waters.
