The Perito Moreno Glacier is melting rapidly in Argentina

• The Perito Moreno Glacier is known for its fastest melting rate in the last century.
• The melting rates have increased from 1 to 18 feet per year since 2019.
• The glacier is an important tourist attraction and part of UNESCO's World Heritage Site.

The Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina, previously considered stable, is now experiencing the fastest melting in recent centuries. Along with new research, the glacier, which is about 30 kilometers long, is showing significant losses in ice mass, surpassing previous estimates.

Research published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment indicates that glaciers have retreated in some areas over the last several years and may retreat even more in the near future. Researchers noted that since 2019, the melting rates of glaciers have significantly accelerated.

According to Moritz Koch, one of the authors of the study, the change in the stability of glaciers is linked to global warming. "We are observing that glaciers have reached a point of no return," noted Koch.

The study included the use of radar technology to measure ice thickness during two aerial surveys in 2022. It was found that in the zone where the glacier contacts the water, the melting rate accelerated from one foot per year between 2000 and 2019 to 18 feet per year from 2019 to 2024.

The Perito Moreno Glacier, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1981, is an important tourist attraction, drawing hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. The melting of glaciers not only has local consequences but may also contribute to global sea level rise. Researchers warn that if all glaciers on Earth were to melt, it would lead to a rise in ocean levels by 230 feet.

Tags: Weather