Satellite image of Perito Moreno Glacier
The Perito Moreno glacier is a thick mass of ice located in the Lago Argentino department of the province of Santa Cruz, in southwestern Argentina, in the Patagonia region. It is integrated into the Los Glaciares National Park.
This glacier originates in the Southern Patagonian ice field. In its descent, reaches the southern arm of Lake Argentino, with a front of 5 km in length, surfacing over water with a height of about 60 m.
Due to its constant progress, it forms a dam with the waters of the southern arm ("Brazo Rico") of Argentino Lake which generates a drop in relation to the rest of the lake of up to 30 m. Due to the pressure of this liquid mass, leaks occur in the ice creating a tunnel with a vault over 50 m high. The collapse of this vault constitutes an unusual natural spectacle and is one of the main attractions of the park.
The name of the glacier honors Francisco Moreno, director of the museum of the Argentine Scientific Society and active explorer of the southern area of that country.
This glacier originates in the Southern Patagonian ice field. In its descent, reaches the southern arm of Lake Argentino, with a front of 5 km in length, surfacing over water with a height of about 60 m.
Due to its constant progress, it forms a dam with the waters of the southern arm ("Brazo Rico") of Argentino Lake which generates a drop in relation to the rest of the lake of up to 30 m. Due to the pressure of this liquid mass, leaks occur in the ice creating a tunnel with a vault over 50 m high. The collapse of this vault constitutes an unusual natural spectacle and is one of the main attractions of the park.
The name of the glacier honors Francisco Moreno, director of the museum of the Argentine Scientific Society and active explorer of the southern area of that country.