Glacier in retreat: Mer de Glace Flashcards
The ‘Mer de Glace’ means what in English?
Sea of Ice.
The Mer de Glace (Sea of Ice) is the largest glacier Europe at ? km long and ? m deep.
7km long
200m deep
The Mer de Glace is one of the biggest attractions in the Chamonix area - why?
Accessed by the Montenvers Railway, there is an ice cave carved under the glacier which you can walk through!
From the train station, you have to go down via a small cable car… why is this necessary?
Because when the railway was built, this was how deep the glacier was! Now, the glacier is much thinner and sits far below the station in the valley!
How far does the glacier move each year?
90 metres - so the ice cave has to be carved out again every few months!
The Mer de Glace drains which side of the mountain ‘Mont Blanc’?
North
By 2040, how far is the glacier predicted to have retreated by?
A minimum of 1200 metres!
Why has the glacier been retreating for the past 150 years or more?
Climate change = warmer temperatures = less snowfall and more melting, which in turn = retreat of the glacier.
What evidence is there for this retreat?
Photographs show retreat and the glacier filling less and less of the valley.
Recessional moraines have been left behind as the glacier retreats back up the valley.
Increased output of meltwater at the snout / into rivers.
Location of railway station relative to the current position of the glacier.
