1-Main objective:

"Assessing the potential role of rapid mountain glacier retreat on decreasing freshwater quality and increasing toxicity in the Cordillera Blanca, Peruvian Andes"

2-Study site:

The Cojup, Shallap, Quilcayhuanca and Huamashraju valleys of the Cordillera Blanca, Peruvian Andes ( 9°S; 77°W).

3-Context:

Funded by a NERC-Newton Fund grant (NE/S013288/1), the project is entitled "CASCADA - Toxin or Treat?".

PI: Professor Jemma L. Wadham (University of Bristol)

Co-I: Professor Peter W. Nienow (University of Edinburgh)

Co-I: Professor Martyn Tranter (University of Bristol)

Co-I: Dr. Andrew S. Hein (University of Edinburgh)

The work of Andrew S. Hein and Tancrede P.M. Leger on this project aims at providing accurate chronological data informing Holocene and neoglacial glacier evolution history for longer-term comparison with present-day retreat.

4- Involvement:

• Sampling with Co-I Dr. Andrew S. Hein during fieldwork and laboratory Quartz separation work on moraine boulder surface samples for 10Be cosmogenic surface exposure dating.

• Glacial numerical modelling reconstructions of dated glacial advances using a spatially-distributed ice-flow model coupled with a positive degree-day (PDD) surface mass balance parameterisation.

5- Outcome:

• in preparation