LICA, the Laboratory for Cryosphere and Water Research, is part of the Institute of Scientific and Technological Research at the University of Atacama in Chile. Based in one of the world’s driest regions, the laboratory brings together researchers and technical specialists to study the cryosphere, water resources, and their connections to climate change. Its work supports understanding and sustainable management of water in the Atacama region through interdisciplinary research and collaboration with national and international partners.

LICA’s research spans glaciology, geocryology, hydrology, groundwater, and climate impacts. Projects include monitoring the mass balance of Glaciar del Potro, mapping glaciers and permafrost, assessing groundwater quality and availability, updating the Copiapó aquifer model, and forecasting snowmelt. The laboratory also contributes to CAPTA, a consortium developing water technologies for sectors such as agriculture and mining.

For researchers and the public, LICA provides digital tools and data resources, including an aquifer model, water-quality studies, glacier inventories, snow-cover analysis, and melt forecasts. Its field capabilities include geophysical instruments, multispectral-camera drones, and a mobile research laboratory.