Ice sculpture in stream and Mulas Muertas volcano Chile
by James Brunker
Title
Ice sculpture in stream and Mulas Muertas volcano Chile
Artist
James Brunker
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
An intriguing ice sculpture on the edge of a meltwater stream on the flanks of the Ojos del Salado volcano, the world's highest volcano and the 2nd highest peak in the Andes Mountains / Americas. In the background is the Mulas Muertas volcano (literally "Dead Mules" in Spanish, 5920m / 19,420ft). Both volcanos are in a remote region in the Puna de Atacama, a vast high altitude volcanic desert plateau in the central Andes shared by Chile and Argentina. The small snowfield in the centre right is full of penitentes or snow / ice spikes. The penitentes are formed by process of differential ablation - a combination of a dew point that is often below freezing, very dry conditions and high solar radiation levels can mean that the snow sublimates (goes straight from a solid to gaseous state without forming a liquid). Hollows and cracks (which are darker) absorb much more solar radiation and expand quickly downwards between the spikes, which lose mass much more slowly. Most of the very limited fresh water in the Puna comes from snowfalls and snowfields; the region has historically been so arid that there are very few glaciers and little evidence of glaciation in the past.
Photograph © James Brunker. Reproduction, publication, transmission or use in any form without written permission prohibited.
Uploaded
August 14th, 2023
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