Abstract

In January 2003, shallow firn cores were recovered from Glaciar Esmeralda on Cerro del Plomo (33°14? S, 70°13? W; 5300 m a.s.l.), central Chile, and from Glaciar La Ollada on Cerro Mercedario (31°58? S, 70°07? W; 6070 m a.s.l.), Argentina, in order to find a suitable archive for paleoclimate reconstruction in a region strongly influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. In the area between 28° S and 35° S, the amount of winter precipitation is significantly correlated to the Southern Oscillation Index, with higher values during El Niño years. Glaciochemical analysis indicates that the paleo-record at Glaciar La Ollada is well preserved, whereas at Glaciar Esmeralda the record is strongly influenced by meltwater formation and percolation. A preliminary dating of the Mercedario core by annual-layer counting results in a time-span of 17 years (1986-2002), yielding an average annual net accumulation of 0.45 m w.e.