Sections of the Perito Moreno Glacier, also known as the “White Giant,” collapsed earlier this week. The glacier is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Argentina.
Evidence of glaciers melting and breaking are often cited as evidence of global warming, but the Perito Moreno Glacier bucks the trend. Unlike other glaciers in Argentina and around the world, it had been growing for years.
“What is happening … is not well understood,” Andrés Rivera, a glaciologist in Chile, told National Geographic in 2009. “If you account for the gains and losses of all of Patagonia’s glaciers, they are [still] losing huge amounts of ice.”
The rupture of the Perito Moreno Glacier is no great concern, however. According to NASA, it’s a part of the natural cycle resulting from the glacier’s unique geography. The glacier serves as a natural dam between two bodies of water, Brazo Rico and Lago Argentino.
Water levels in the Brazo Rico can rise up to nearly 100 feet higher than that in the Lago Argentino, putting pressure on the glaciers. The pressure is periodically released as the ice breaks, creating a natural spectacle for tourists.
The last rupture occurred in March of 2012, and the cycle lasts for around 4 to 5 years, according to NASA.
