Astronaut Soichi Noguchi captured from ISS Northern Patagonian Ice Field including Laguna San Rafael National Park, Chile.
The Northern Patagonian Ice Field is a vestige of the Patagonian Ice Sheet, an extensive ice sheet that covered all of Chilean Patagonia and the westernmost parts of Argentine Patagonia during the Quaternary glaciations. Today, with its glaciers largely in retreat and only an area of 4,200km2, it is still the second largest continuous mass of ice outside of the polar regions. Its survival depends on its elevation (1,100-1,500m), favorable terrain and a cool, moist, oceanic climate. The ice field has 28 exit glaciers, the largest two – San Quintin and San Rafael- nearly reach sea level to the west at the Pacific Ocean.
The local scenery on the ground is as follows.
Reference: Soichi Noguchi’s Tweet
See earthview photo gallery: LiVEARTH