Glacial Budget Flashcards
What is accumulation?
The input of snow and ice into the glacier
What is ablation?
The output of water from a glacier as the ice melts
What happens in the upper part of the glacier?
You get more accumulation than ablation so it’s called the zone of accumulation
What happens in the lower part of the glacier?
You get more ablation than accumulation so it’s called the zone of ablation
What is a glacial budget?
The difference between total accumulation and total ablation for one year
What is a positive glacial budget?
When accumulation exceeds ablation
The glacier gets larger and the snout advances down the valley (mainly in winter)
What is a negative glacial budget?
When ablation exceeds accumulation
The glacier gets smaller and the snout retreats up the valley (mainly in summer)
What happens if there’s the same amount of ablation and accumulation in a year?
The glacier stays the same size and the position of the snout doesn’t change
What is calving?
A type of output from the system
When chunks of ice break off the snout
What is the final type of output?
The loss of water to the air by evaporation and sublimation
