14
Argentine Glacier Grows Despite Global Warming
(AP)
–
Argentina's Perito Moreno glacier is one of only a few ice fields worldwide that have withstood rising global temperatures. Nourished by Andean snowmelt, the glacier constantly grows even as it spawns icebergs the size of apartment buildings into a frigid lake, maintaining a nearly perfect equilibrium since measurements began more than a century ago. "We're not sure why this happens," one glacialist said.
Viewed at a safe distance on cruise boats or a wooden observation deck, Perito Moreno's jagged surface radiates a brilliant white and glows deep blue underwater. Water on one side surges until it breaks an ice wall up to 200 feet above lake level, creating a thunderous crash and eliciting applause from tourists. "The glacier has a lot of life," said a guide who leads tours over the glacier's snow fields.
Copyright 2009 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.