The Pleistocene Glaciations of Chile

The Andes form one of the world's great mountain ranges, and the extreme altitudinal, latitudinal and climatic variability of the Chilean Andes provides the setting for a remarkable range of glacial environments. During the Quaternary, glacier advance and recession have reflected variations in important climatic systems such as the southern westerlies and South American Summer Monsoon. As a result, Chile has assumed considerable importance as a location where the patterns and timing of Southern Hemisphere climatic events can be reconstructed, and where models of global climate change can be tested.