GLACIARES COLOMBIANOS: EVOLUCIÓN RECIENTE Y ESTADO ACTUAL

RESUMEN Las montanas nevadas colombianas, han experimentado durante el Holoceno, importantes avances y retrocesos en su masa glaciar como respuesta fundamental a cambios climaticos. A partir de analisis con sensores remotos (fotografias aereas e imagenes de satelite) se ha podido reconstruir la evolucion de area desde el Neoglacial para los seis masas glaciares actuales del pais, teniendo una extension para el periodo 2002 - 2003 de 55 km 2 , lo cual representa una disminucion cercana al 80% durante los ultimos 150 anos. Actualmente la perdida de area se estima entre el 1 y 3% anual. En cuanto a la perdida de espesor de hielo se ha observado en un periodo de 10 meses un promedio de tres metros aproximadamente en el volcan nevado Santa Isabel (Cordillera Central). Estos datos anuncian la inevitable desaparicion del hielo en la alta montana colombiana en tan solo algunas decadas. Palabras clave: Glaciar, ablacion, balance de masa, retroceso glaciar. GLACIERS IN COLOMBIA: RECENT EVOLUTION AND PRESENT CONDITION ABSTRACT The snow-covered mountains Colombian, have experimented during the Holoceno, important advances and backward movements in their mass glacier like fundamental answer to climatic changes. From analysis with remote sensors (aerial photographies and satellite images) it has been possible to reconstruct the evolution of area from Neoglacial for the six masses present glaciers of the country, being had an extension for period 2002 - 2003 of 55 km2, which represents a diminution near 80% during last the 150 years. At the moment the lost one of area is considered between 1 and annual 3%. As far as the loss of thickness of ice to observed in a period of 10 months an average of three meters approximately in the snow-covered volcano Santa Isabel (Central mountain range). These data announce the inevitable disappearance of the ice in the high Colombian mountain in only some decades. Key words: Glacier, ablation, balance of mass, backward movement glacier.