Proposal for climate change impact research in western Central Andes of Peru

Abstract

In this paper an initiative of the Peruvian Geological Survey, INGEMMET, is shown to promote the research on geomorphology and climate change in Peru. The plan is to elaborate geomorphological maps of the Lima Metropolitan Area and it´s watershed headers (Chillon, Rimac and Lurin rivers), in order to generate analytical instruments to achieve the following objectives: (1) Decode the record of climatic changes in landforms. (2) Delimit water reserves stored as ice masses (cryosphere). (3) Recognize the relationship between the geomorphology and the geological hazards which may affect people and their economic activities. (4) Design a methodology that can be extrapolated to others Peruvian regions. To reach this objective, geomorphological mapping will be integrated into a GIS, so the morphoclimatic units and the related genetic processes will be identified. Also, their relative chronologies will be proposed. Then, the absolute dating of key units will be established, to confirm or correct the relative chronologies. The information will be compiled into databases, to be contrasted with other evidences and paleoclimatic proxies. This is intended to produce models of climate evolution, to contribute to the assessment of geological hazards, and the knowledge of current state of cryosphere, including recent trends and future forecasts.