Altitude Variation of Snow Cover in Nevado Huascaran and its Relationship to ENSO During the Period 2001-2016

The Equilibrium Line Altitude (ELA) is the most fundamental altitude in glacier studies that is related to the ablation and accumulation process in the glaciers. These processes play an important role which depend on the local climate. Nevado Huascaran is located in the Peruvian Andean Mountain and its ELA is affected by events of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The objective of this study is to estimate the Altitude Variation of Snow Cover (AVSC) in the Nevado Huascaran and analyze its relationship to ENSO. The Digital Elevation Model (DEM), Fractional Snow Cover (FSC) and The Oceanic Niño Index (ONI) are used. These data are processed and analyzed using filters and Wavelet Analysis. The results showed an AVSC anomaly with a period of around 2.99 years. This is a clear evidence on how ENSO influences over the Nevado Huascaran.