Manon Cramer

PhD-Thesis (working title): “Towards a quantification of cryospheric components in a semi-arid environment (High Andes, Argentina)”

Cryospheric elements such as glaciers, snow cover, and permafrost play a vital role in sustaining water availability in the arid and semi-arid Andes, each contributing differently to catchment runoff. In my dissertation, I aim to quantify these individual components and assess their respective contributions to the hydrological cycle within the high-altitude Agua Negra catchment (San Juan Province, Argentina), with a particular focus on permafrost. Using geophysical methods, particularly seismic techniques, I investigate the distribution and characteristics of permafrost and its active layer. This work seeks to enhance our understanding of the cryosphere’s role in runoff generation in a region where water resources are both scarce and essential.