Glaciers and Ice Masses
- Created by: Liam Gray
- Created on: 17-01-13 10:18
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- Glaciers and Ice Masses
- Niche Glaciers
- Niche Glaciers are very small and occupy hollows and gulleys on north-facing slopes in the northern hemisphere.
- Valley Glaciers
- Valley Glaciers are larger masses of ice that move down from an icefield or a cirque basin source. Usually follow former river courses. Bounded by steep sides.
- Corrie/Cirque Glaciers
- These are larger than Ninche Glaciers but they are small masses of ice occupying "armchair shaped" hollows in the mountains.
- Piedmont Glaciers
- Formed when valley glaciers extend onto lowland glaciers and spread out and merge.
- Ice caps and Ice sheets
- Huge areas of ice apart from exposed summits of high mountains called Nunataks, the whole landscape is buried.
- Confined to Antarctica and Greenland
- Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate change both short term and long term
- Glacial Budget / Net Balance
- Difference between total accumulation and total ablation for one year
- Glacial Systems
- Glaciers behave as a system, with inputs, outputs, stores and transfers.
- Inputs derived from snow falling onto glacier directly.
- Outputs include evaporation, calving and meltwater streams.
- Upper Part of Glacier
- Inputs exceed outputs, zone of accumulation.
- Lower Part of Glacier
- Outputs exceed inputs is Zone of Ablation
- Zone of equilibrium is where the rates of accumulation and ablation are equal
- Niche Glaciers
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