EL PERMAFROST REPTANTE, INVENTARIO Y VERIFICACIÓN EN LAS CABECERAS DEL RÍO BERMEJO PERMAFROST CREEPING, INVENTORY AND VERIFICATION IN THE UPPER BASIN OF BERMEJO RIVER

Rock glaciers are frozen water reservoirs in the mountain areas of the world. Water resources are important for the local habitants and economies. The presence of rock glaciers is commonly used as a direct indicator of mountain permafrost conditions. In the headwaters of the upper basin of Bermejo river rock glaciers have been located using visual interpretation techniques in different types of satellite imagery and field identification. Ecosystems and their population in the Dry Andes are particularly fragile to any change caused by global warming. This study aims to provide preliminary observations of rock glaciers and associated periglacial geoforms. This is a contribution to the knowledge of the hydrology of the region to generate baseline information for adapting to possible future changes. Results put in evidence the advantages of using geomatics tools in areas of difficult accessibility, with reduced costs and work time.