Schaffer, Nicole; Cusicanqui, Diego; MacDonell, Shelley; Robson, Benjamin A; Carcamo, Yerelin: Ice-debris landform Inventory, following the RGIK (2023) guidelines, Province of Limarí, Chile (primary imagery used dated 2021-2024) [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.993244 (dataset in review)

An ice-debris landform inventory has been created for the Province of Limarí, Chile, following the recently established international guidelines for inventorying rock glaciers (Brardinoni, et al. 2026; RGIK, 2023) where applicable. The inventory includes glaciers (debris-free and debris-covered glaciers), rock glaciers (RG), uncertain RG, and identifies other landforms of hydrological interest. RG are defined as "debris landforms generated by the former or current creep of frozen ground (permafrost), detectable in the landscape with the following morphologies: talus front, lateral margins and optionally ridge-and-furrow surface topography" (RGIK, 2023). Landforms that have an obvious talus front but no lateral margins are categorized as uncertain RG. RG are divided into three types depending on the pattern and speed of their movement downslope (activity class) as defined in RGIK (2023). Active RG are those with the highest rate of movement downslope, relict RG show no evidence of movement and transitional RG are between these two extremes. These categories were primarily assigned using geomorphological characteristics as the kinematic data available was limited. Ice-debris landforms with the highest potential for containing ice (glaciers and active or possibly active RG) were delineated with "extended" geomorphological footprints (outlines). The extended footprint includes the entire glacier or RG. For RG a "restricted" footprint was also drawn which excludes the external parts (e.g. font and lateral margins). Both footprint types exclude the rooting zone for RG. Approximately 25% of the inventory was reviewed in detail by three international experts on RG and the suggested changes were subsequently applied to the rest of the inventory. Beyond the RGIK guidelines, we also classify each landform in terms of its inferred Relative Ice Concentration based on the glacier type and activity class, following Janke et al. (2015, 2017). While the percentage of ice within the same rock glacier type can be highly variable, the relative ice content scheme we propose is a reasonable first approximation which will need to be verified and refined with field measurements. ESRI basemap was used as the primary image for evaluating the glacier type, including the activity class of RG, and delineating landforms. These ESRI basemap images (WorldView or GeoEye) have a pixel size between 0.31-0.46 m and range from 2021-2024. This inventory should be considered as a refinement of, and complement to, the national glacier inventory (IPG2022) rather than a replacement. For additional methodological details please consult the metadata document (Limari_inv_metdata_20260217.pdf).