Rodrigo Abarca-del-Rio

University of Concepción · Departamento de Geofísica

Lakes are integrators of environmental change occurring at both the regional and global scale. They present a wide range of behavior on a variety of timescales (cyclic and secular) depending on their morphology and climate conditions. Lakes play a crucial role in retaining and stocking water, and because of the significant global environmental chan...

In 2000, the World population was 6.2 billion people; it reached 7 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach 9.5 billion (±0.4) in 2050 and 11 billion (±1.5) in 2100, according to the 2012 UN projections (Gerland et al. in Science 346:234–237, 2014). The trend after 2100 is still one of the global demographic growths, but after 2060, Africa is the o...

The mapping and forecasting of droughts and floods is an important potential field of application of global soil moisture and water storage products from satellites and models. Especially when extremes in near-surface soil moisture propagate into extremes in total water storage, agricultural production and water supply can be severely impacted. Thi...

We analyse phase lags between the 11-year variations of three records: the semi-annual oscillation of the length of day (LOD), the solar activity (SA) and the cosmic ray intensity (CRI). The analysis was done for solar cycles 20–23. Observed relationships between LOD, CRI and SA are discussed separately for even and odd solar cycles. Phase lags wer...

Global Atmospheric Angular Momentum (AAM) is an intrinsic index for describing processes that affect the atmospheric circulation on time scales ranging from intraseasonal to secular. It is associated with length-of-day (LOD) variability through conservation of global angular momentum in planet Earth and thus is of considerable importance for quanti...

Between March and June 2020, activity in the major cities of Latin America declined due to containment efforts implemented by local governments to avoid the rapid spread of COVID-19. Our study compared 2020 with the previous year and demonstrated a considerable drop in tropospheric NO2 levels obtained by the SENTINEL 5P satellite in major Latin Ame...

Monitoring geophysical hazards requires a near real-time response and precise interpretation of InSAR data, typically recording minute surface deformations. Accurate tropospheric adjustment is an essential aspect of InSAR processing. This study provides a free database of ready-to-use Tropospheric Correction for InSAR for the three volcanic zones f...

Despite ungauged basins exist across countries of a wide range of incomes, assessing water resource availability is an essential issue in low-income zones with less dense hydrologic measurement networks. In a megadrought context, hydrological resources availability is critical in the central south of Chile, leading to water scarcity problems for th...

Remote sensing techniques are frequently applied for the surveying of remote areas, where the use of conventional surveying techniques remains difficult and impracticable. In this paper, we focus on one of the remote glacier areas, namely the Tyndall Glacier area in the Southern Patagonian Icefield in Chile. Based on optical remote sensing data in...

The Köppen-Geiger classification is one of the most common climate classification systems in the world. It allows classifying ecosystem distribution based on temperature and precipitation, two critical factors in climate, and vegetation cover’s sensitivity. We analyzed the dynamics and spatial consistency of agroclimatic variables in each type of K...

This document seeks to contribute to society and its decision-makers with the best available scientific evidence on Chile’s Renewable Energy (RE) Export Potential and the opportunities and challenges that such potential opens for Chile’s commitment to carbon neutrality. It also aims to provide a useful input for the dialogues that the country will...

Lake surface water temperature (LSWT) is a crucial water quality parameter that modulates many lake and reservoir processes. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor it from a long-term perspective. Over the last decades, many methods to retrieve LSWT fields from satellite imagery have been developed. This work aims to test, implement and automate six...

Se estima el comportamiento del caudal del estero Batuco, principal afluente de la microcuenca agroforestal Batuco en la Comuna de Ránquil, entre enero de 1975 y diciembre de 2064, en el escenario del cambio climático RCP8.5. Para tal efecto se simuló hidrológicamente la microcuenca Batuco, usando el modelo y software en versión gratuita WEAP. La i...

We present a formal seismic segmentation model of the Chile Margin derived from a multivariate analysis of gravity anomalies, basal friction and interplate locking from GPS velocities. These independent proxies of the frictional structure along the megathrust integrate over timescales of 101 to 107 years. We analyze their covariance using Principal...

The objective of this work is to validate a model to characterize and evaluate the water resources (supply and downstream demands) of the hydrological basins associated with the Conguillío National Park, located in the Andes Mountains in central-southern Chile (38°14'–38°54'S). This area is part of the Chilean biodiversity hotspot, of the first geo...

As climate change is of global concern, the electric generation through fossil fuel is progressively shifted to renewable energies. Among the renewables, the most common solar and wind, the wave energy stands for its high-power density. Studies about wave energy resource have been increasing over the years, especially in coastal countries. Several...

The quantitative estimation of rock strata thickness below the vertical seismic resolution limit is a great challenge for seismic exploration. Most previous studies are focused on thin layers interspersed within an infinite homogeneous rock which does not exhibit interference effects due to the presence of other rock strata. These cases are not rep...

In this study remote sensing was used as an early alert tool for chlorophyll-a changes in a continental aquatic ecosystem in central Chile. To this end, 14 LANDSAT images of Laja Lake (36° 54 'S, 71° 05' W, 1,360 meters above sea level) were taken over a 6-year period. Eleven spectral indexes were calculated. At the same time, chlorophyll-a concent...

We analyse RIL events between 1950 and 2002 to investigate the role played by climate variability, using the “El Niño-Southern Oscillation” (ENSO), the Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) and local precipitation as predictors, through logistic and probabilistic (Logit and Probit) modelling. From the probabilistic regression analysis, it is clear that rain...

Worldwide, Rainfall-Induced Landslide (RIL) affects the population with significant socioeconomic damage and high economic losses in developing countries. Nowadays, RIL hazard has gained attention from the scientific community in developing countries where low instrumental is available for identification and monitoring. However, RIL-prone zones ide...

Abstract. Earthquakes and tsunamis are the natural events that generate subsequent geomorphological land cover changes. The damage is usually of such importance and of such a diverse nature that it is imperative to have tools that allow quick and precise monitoring. Thus, know which classification methods have the best potential to obtain greater p...

Fifteen pumping tests were performed in the Deccan basalt region of the Morna river basin in Akola district of Maharashtra in India. It is an artesian well as it is in the discharge zone of this coastal aquifer. Transmissivity (T) and storage coefficient (S) must be considered as aquifer parameters and used in groundwater recharge analysis. During...

In the present study, remote perception was used as a tool for early warning of changes in primary productivity in inland aquatic ecosystems. For this, 14 LANDSAT images of the high Andean Laja lake, Chile, images made over a period of 5 years were selected. Vegetation indexes of Normalized Difference (NDVI) and Green Normalized Difference (GNDVI)...

Currently there exists a multitude of global high-resolution precipitation gridded database (e.g. CMORPH, TRMM, PERSIANN, PGFv3 with different spatial and temporary resolutions). However, the representation of its precise spatial temporal variability is still severely limited, even more into regions with complex topography. Chile is not exempt from...

Slow type mass wasting processes occur mainly by hydrometeorological conditions (HMWP-SM). Despite the importance of these events, there are only a few studies in South American in comparison to shallow landslides and mudflows. We use InSAR time series and satellite-based precipitation products for understanding a possible correlation between them...

The elaboration of hydrological models implies the knowledge of all the variables involved in the water cycle (water flows, precipitation, evaporation, etc.), and usually faces with the limited and intermittent record of rainfall and streamflow. This is regrettable because apart from the typical aspect of hydrology, good knowledge of the water flow...

L’île de Pâques continue àsusciter nombre d’interrogations, notamment quant aux origines anthropiques et/ou climatiques des changements écologiques majeurs qui se sont produits à partir du XVe siècle. Dans cet article, l’analyse combinée d’observations climatiques instrumentales (1982- 2015), d’indicateurs paléoclimatiques (1500-2000) et de simulat...

En la actualidad existe una multitud de bases de datos climáticos globales. Sin embargo estos solo se encuentran a 0.25 grados como máxima resolución (ba- se Gldas), aunque sin gran descripción de la variabilidad en zonas de complejo terreno. Nuestro objetivo es implementar un modelo tipo-climático a alta resolu- ción (800 metros) que permita el es...

InSAR/FEM

We predict flood events fitting two simple logistic regression models between mesoscale rainfall and El Niño-Southern Oscillation [ENSO] index with local scale flooding into the Biobío River Basin in Chile from 1948 to 2002. Two different and complementary logistic models were studied: Logit and Probit. The models perform alike suggesting that the...

We show that the monthly recorded history (1866–2014) of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), a descriptor of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, can be correctly described as a dynamic system supporting a potential nonlinear predictability well beyond the spring barrier. Long-term predictability is strongly connected to a detailed...

Slow movement processes correspond to slow to extremely slow deformation in slopes. Slow movement is often known to be the cause of severe damage to structures and infrastructures. In the Northern Biobío hillside (NBH), many slow movements were not previously identified, which led to building damage. To evaluate their triggering factors, we use two...

Climate change scenarios are computed on a large scale, not accounting for local variations presented in historical data and related to human scale. Based on historical records, we validate a baseline (1962–1990) and correct the bias of A2 and B2 regional projections for the end of twenty‑frst century (2070–2100) issued from a high resolution dynam...

Lakes are integrators of environmental change occurring at both the regional and global scale. They present a wide range of behavior on a variety of timescales (cyclic and secular) depending on their morphology and climate conditions. Lakes play a crucial role in retaining and stocking water, and because of the significant global environmental chan...

In 2000, the World population was 6.2 billion people; it reached 7 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach 9.5 billion (±0.4) in 2050 and 11 billion (±1.5) in 2100, according to the 2012 UN projections (Gerland et al. in Science 346:234–237, 2014). The trend after 2100 is still one of the global demographic growths, but after 2060, Africa is the o...

We show that the monthly recorded history (1878-2013) of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), a descriptor of the El Ni\~no Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, can be well described as a dynamic system that supports an average nonlinear predictability well beyond the spring barrier. The predictability is strongly linked to a detailed knowledge...

The SARAL/AltiKa project is based on a single Ka band altimeter (35.75 GHz), which is the first oceanography altimeter to operate at such a high frequency. Ka band offers reduced radar footprint in comparison to traditional Ku band altimeters and negligible ionospheric effects. In this paper we present and evaluate benefits of AltiKa altimeter appl...

Located within the Altiplano at 3,686 m above sea level, Lake Poopo is remarkably shallow and very sensitive to hydrologic recharge. Progressive drying has been observed in the entire Titicaca-Poopo-Desaguadero-Salar de Coipasa (TPDS) system during the last decade, causing dramatic changes to Lake Poopo's surface and its regional water supplies. Ou...

Complementary analysis of satellite mission data (altimetry, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometers (MODIS)) and climate fields over 2000–2009 was conducted to investigate the variability of the water cover surfaces and the geographical source of water inflowing into the Lake Poopó system. The results suggest that over the time span of 2000...

An adequate understanding of the ocean–atmosphere interface is important for understanding climate variability on different time scales. Thus, this research focuses on surface heat fluxes over seasonal scales and their changes during El Niño and La Niña along the eastern Pacific coast (10ºN–40ºS), consistent with oceanographic and meteorological fi...

Understanding present-day global sea level rise requires a correct evaluation of past sea level field variability. We use sea level height fields obtained by satellite altimeters between 1992 and 2006, sea level height fields from recent reanalyses of oceanic circulation (SODA) and worldwide tide gauges series for the time interval 1958–2006, to in...

This work proposes a linear algorithm which relates precipitable water (PW) with altitude and distance from the coast, on a regional scale. For precipitable water, the ERA-Interim (ECMWF) database for the period 1989-2010 was used, while a digital elevation model was used for the geographical variables. The results obtained indicate statistical sig...

El presente trabajo estudia eventos de inundaciones en el pasado, asociándolos a indicadores climáticos y precipitaciones durante la fecha de los eventos adversos. Se estudiaron lo hechos ocurridos durante la segunda mitad del siglo XX en la zona Central de Chile (32ª a 37º S). Se usaron registros de inundaciones recopiladas por Aldunce en el año 2...

This study presents results of calibration/validation (C/V) of Jason-1 and Jason-2 satellite altimeters over Lake Issykkul located in Kyrgyzstan, which was chosen as a dedicated radar altimetry C/V site in 2004. The objectives here are to estimate absolute altimeter biases and to quantify the altimetry instrument error budgets for lakes studies, in...

An accurate and continuous monitoring of lakes and inland seas is available since 1993 thanks to the satellite altimetry missions (Topex–Poseidon, GFO, ERS-2, Jason-1, Jason-2 and Envisat). Global data processing of these satellites provides temporal and spatial time series of lakes surface height with a decimetre precision on the whole Earth. The...

In this work an attempt is made to determine whether the annual and semiannual components of the NmF2 observed over Concepción (36.8°S; 73.0°W), Chile, exhibit long-term trends. Monthly median hourly values of NmF2 determined from ionosonde observations are analyzed. Although the assessed trends for NmF2 and for the semiannual and annual components...

In ungauged basin, space-based information is essential for the monitoring of hydrological water cycle, in particular in regions undergoing large flood events where satellite data may be used as input to hydrodynamic models. A method for near 3D flood monitoring has been developed which uses synergies between radar altimetry and high temporal resol...

Accurate and continuous monitoring of lakes and inland seas has been possible since 1993 thanks to the success of satellite altimetry missions: TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P), GFO, JASON-1, and ENVISAT. Global processing of the data of these satellites can provide time series of lake surface heights over the entire Earth at different temporal and spatial sca...

Accurate and continuous monitoring of lakes and inland seas has been possible since 1993 thanks to the success of satellite altimetry missions: TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P), GFO, JASON-1, and ENVISAT. Global processing of the data of these satellites can provide time series of lake surface heights over the entire Earth at different temporal and spatial sca...

We propose an alternative approach for the embedding space reconstruction method for short time series. An m-dimensional embedding space is reconstructed with a set of time delays including the relevant time scales characterizing the dynamical properties of the system. By using a maximal predictability criterion a d-dimensional subspace is selected...

We use stable carbon isotope records measured on planktic and benthic foraminifers and their difference (delta13Cp, delta13Cb, ∆delta13Cp-b) and stable oxygen isotopes of benthic foraminifers (delta18O), to identify and describe the temporal changes of nutrient content, circulation and ice volume off northern Chile at ~25°S during the last 1 Myr, t...

Lago General Carrera (Chile) also called Lago Buenos Aires (Argentina) or originally Chelenko by the native habitants of the region is located in Patagonia on the Chilean-Argentinean border. It is the largest lake in Chile with a surface area of 1850 km2. The lake is of glacial/tectonic origin and surrounded by the Andes mountain range. The lake dr...