edu.ucar.opensky::articles:18062 UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact 2025-12-26T02:58:44.659740 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata - Part 2: Extensions for Imagery and Gridded Data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7pg1t7m Pollution and its Impacts on the South American Cryosphere 2015-12-01T00:00:00Z publication https://n2t.org/ark:/85065/d7pg1t7m https://doi.org/10.1002/2015EF000311 Molina, L. author Gallardo, L. author Andrade, M. author Baumgardner, D. author Borbor-Córdova, M. author Bórquez, R. author Casassa, G. author Cereceda-Balic, F. author Dawidowski, L. author Garreaud, R. author Huneeus, N. author Lambert, F. author McCarty, J. author Mc Phee, J. author Mena-Carrasco, M. author Raga, G. author Schmitt, Carl G. author Schwarz, J. author UCAR/NCAR - Library publisher This article is a review of the science goals and activities initiated within the framework of the Pollution and its Impacts on the South American Cryosphere (PISAC) initiative. Air pollution associated with biomass burning and urban emissions affects extensive areas of South America. We focus on black carbon (BC) aerosol and its impacts on air quality, water availability, and climate, with an emphasis on the Andean cryosphere. BC is one of the key short-lived climate pollutants that is a topic of growing interest for near-term mitigation of these issues. Limited scientific evidence indicates that the Andean cryosphere has already responded to climate change with receding glaciers and snow cover, which directly affect water resources, agriculture, and energy production in the Andean region of South America. Despite the paucity of systematic observations along the Andes, a few studies have detected BC on snow and glaciers in the Andes. These, in addition to existing and projected emissions and weather patterns, suggest a possible contribution of BC to the observed retreat of the Andean cryosphere. Here we provide an overview of the current understanding of these issues from scientific and policy perspectives, and propose strategic expansions to the relevant measurement infrastructure in the region. UCAR/NCAR - Library OpenSky Support PO Box 3000 Boulder CO 80307-3000 opensky@ucar.edu http://opensky.ucar.edu/ homepage pointOfContact PDF Text theme Resource Type 2016-01-01T00:00:00Z publication Copyright Author(s) 2015. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. None eng geoscientificInformation