Tamara Köhler

PhD-Thesis: "Geomorphic characteristics and permafrost hydrology of a semi-arid High Andean catchment"

Glacierized mountain systems host major freshwater and sediment sources for proximal and distal inland lowlands, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. The mountain cryosphere buffers hydrological seasonality in low-flow months via glacier and snow melt as well as permafrost thaw, thus being of vital ecologic and anthropogenic importance. Freshwater supply from the glacierized catchments in the semi-arid to arid Andes are of uttermost importance as it is the major water source for irrigation, industry and domestic use. In my dissertation I aim at gaining an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the distribution and structure of so far overlooked blockslopes and talus slopes in the Agua Negra catchment (Province San Juan, semi-arid Andes of Argentina). Based on this knowledge and hydrogeochemical analyses of water samples from different water sources I will quantify the contribution of these widespread landforms to the runoff of the Agua Negra River. The doctoral thesis is part of the DFG-funded project "Spatial occurrence and hydrological significance of Andean permafrost, Agua Negra, Argentina (HyPerm)".