The basis of our research programme is an expedition series carrying out a long-term monitoring study on the Ojos del Salado. The aim of these expeditions is to reveal the current environmental state and the undergoing processes of the Ojos del Salado region which well represents the separate mountain blocks of the Dry Andes. Thus, these expeditions could significantly contribute to our understanding about the consequences of the warming climate in the world’s highest desert and tundra environment such as changes in the presence of ice and liquid water.
The research programme is divided into several stages which include different sets of the following activities: installing scientific equipment, surveying the current state of the environment, downloading the measured data. However, sample collections and several special measurements are also carried according to the needs and ideas of our collaborators. Our two-yearly expeditions started in 2010 with a field excursion, and now it is one of the world’s highest data collection endeavours.
The main goal of our expeditions is to acquire data from 6 altitude bands, from 4200 m to 6893 m, on the presence, coverage, changes and degradation of permafrost. In every investigated elevation band we installed instruments measuring temperatures on the ground and below the ground as well, we aim to download the data in every two years. Besides the data collection our other key goal is to investigate, analyse and model the active and former geomorphological processes of the high altitude desert. The phenomena related to the transient presence of liquid water, the erosion and accumulation of wind are especially important. However, finding an explanation to the presence of transient lakes at extreme altitudes and investigating the influence of post-volcanic activities, such as fumaroles and hot-springs, on the evolution of the environment are also important questions.
Expected results
By starting the continuous data survey and by carrying out other representative measurements we can investigate several parameters, which are mostly related to the presence of water, indicating the climate change. These investigations will give specific information about the changing environmental conditions in the region. Thus we will have a comprehensive view about the dynamics and scope of the changes in this type of environment.
Scientific significance
Although the environmental extremity and other extreme features of our study site were known, the factors generating and shaping the extreme features of this environment are largely unknown. This is mostly due to the remoteness and the harsh, unforgiving conditions of this region which make the human exploration hard. Our long-term monitoring study, field survey and the subsequent analyses, will give information about key environmental parameters of this extreme system. Changes of these parameters will give information about the dynamism and consequences of the recent climate variations too.
Media significance
Newsworthiness of this expedition is mostly due to the extreme conditions at the site plus due to the fact that a similarly long-term survey mission has not been conducted at altitudes like this before. The media showed high attention during our first expedition, when our main goal was to reach the top of the Ojos del Salado as first Hungarians. Every big medium in Hungary reported the event, which showed that the wider public has a quite strong interest in the region and in our activity. The site of the 2012 and 2014 expeditions was the same volcano but that time we have carried out carefully planned scientific measurements and observations.
