Characteristics and Nature of Pans in the Semi-arid Temperate/Cold Steppe of Tierra del Fuego

This work has the aim of presenting the geomorphological and morphometric characteristics of deflation hollows or pans which occur in northern Tierra del Fuego under temperate/cold climate. The shape, size, perimeter and density of each pan are analysed, as well as the landforms developed in their periphery. The study was conducted in the San Sebastian Bay and between the Chico and Grande rivers, grouped according to the geomorphological unit in which they were generated. Digital terrain models and optical images were used to digitalize the perimeter of the depressions and shallow lakes and to discriminate geomorphological features. The studied pans are deflation landforms generated in diverse geomorphological environments of fluvial and marine origin. The higher density of pans per square kilometre is found amongst the geomorphological units of marine origin, whereas those of larger size correspond to geomorphological units of fluvial environments, which are not functional in present times. All these closed depressions have aeolian accumulation landforms placed leeward.