Its Foundations and Functions

Argentina has now a special agency for the co-ordination of glaciological studies in the region of the Patagonian ice field. The Instituto Nacional del Hielo Continental Patagónico was created by Decree of 23 May 1952. It is part of the Dirección Nacional de Investigaciones Técnicas, an office for the direction of technical research under the Ministry of Technical Affairs.

The main object of the new Institute is “to guide, direct, control, co-ordinate and carry out research and scientific studies on, and in, the neighbourhood of the Patagonian ice field, including the periglacial regions and those connected with the Quaternary Ice Age”. It is also responsible for a museum, information centre and library. The Decree grants “peculiar regional jurisdiction” in these respects, “without prejudice to the due co-ordination which an Institute of this nature should maintain with others concerned with research and studies of a related nature.”

The first Director, Major Don Emiliano Huerta, has written to say that the new Institute is now in existence. Major Huerta is anxious to establish contact with similar institutes and societies and to keep in touch with their work; his address is c/o Presidencia de la Nación, Ministerio de Asuntos Técnicos, Buenos Aires.