Summary
Glaciers in tropical regions are very sensitive to climate changes. An important contribution to the melting of tropical glaciers is due to light absorbing particles (LAP), including black carbon (BC), that accelerate snow melting through multiple effects. The main BC sources in the Andean region are forest fires in the Amazon and anthropogenic emissions from the urban agglomerates. Other LAP suspended in the atmosphere include dust, brown carbon, and volcanic ashes. We will monitor BC and LAP nearby the Huascaran glacier to investigate seasonal variation of LAP concentrations. The integration of field observations with satellite retrieved data and meteorological modeling will support the identification of LAP sources in the region and the evaluation of BC reduction measures. Training of local personnel on data acquisition and data analysis is part of the project legacy.

Objectives
The main objective of this project is to identify and quantify atmospheric BC particles / light absorbing particles (LAP) responsible for Peru Glaciers melting and promote knowledge transfer about BC impacts on glaciers in Peru. In order to accomplish this objective, four specific goals should be addressed:
• development of a methodology for atmospheric black carbon monitoring and related measures;
• quantification of light absorption produced by different LAP deposited on snow;
• evaluation of BC emission reduction measures;
• outreach.

Project Partners
• CNR - ISAC

Other informations
This project is run in collaboration with INAIGEM (Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Glaciares y Ecosistemas de Montaña)