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The Perito Moreno Glacier famous "bridge" collapsed ... a phenomenon only seen every few years.
The Perito Moreno Glacier is one of 48 at Glaciers National Park, an international tourist destination visited by thousands of people each year in Santa Cruz Province
Like all glaciers, Perito Moreno flows from the mountains - in this case, the Andes - the mountain range dividing Argentina from Chile.
At its source snowfall is usually constant and the weight of the snow compresses the lower layers into virtually solid ice.
The Perito Moreno Glacier shows several unique features. For one thing it is, at the moment, the only glacier in the world in a state of equilibrium - neither advancing nor retreating.
Retreating is the norm due to global warming. Many glaciers have disappeared in recent decades and many others are shrinking rapidly.
The Perito Moreno Glacier, however, advances at the same rate ice breaks off and it has done so for many years. It has been rather advancing, in fact.
Another unusual characteristic is that this glacier flows into a lake right at the point where two branches connect through a fairly narrow channel.
From time to time, the glacier's face reaches all the way to the outcropping of land on the other side of the channel, sealing it off to create two separate lakes.
As the glacier pushes forward, the water level in one of the lakes rises at a faster rate than the other, causing an increasing pressure on the ice "dam".
Eventually the warm water melts enough of the ice to produce an underwater tunnel between the two lakes. As the tunnel expands, the water levels equalize.
Before long the tunnel becomes more of an underpass for a giant ice bridge. When this "bridge" inevitably collapses it's a spectacular sight.
It´s exciting to see how the large mass of ice falls apart close to the area where visitors are.
If you want to know how it feels, just contact Thennat Travel ... We will pleased to help you enjoy the true feeling of nature.
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