Glaciers - Processes Flashcards
1
Q
glaciers
A
- slow-moving mass of ice formed by the accumulation & compaction of snow
- persistent body of dense ice
2
Q
ice shelves
A
permanent floating sheets of ice connected to a landmass
3
Q
ice sheet
A
glacial ice more than 50,000 square kilometres
4
Q
formation
A
- snow accumulates + compressed into ice
- snow builds on top in new layers compressing even further
- 30-40 years for snow to form dense glacial ice
5
Q
movement
A
- gravity
- meltwater at the base which helps, known as basal slip
6
Q
crevices
A
ice gets streched/squashed = cracks
7
Q
glacials/ice ages
A
- cold periods
- nearly reached london
8
Q
interglacials
A
warm periods
9
Q
glacial budget
ablation
A
- melting zone
- ice is lost from budget
10
Q
glacial budget
accumulation
A
- material builds up
- added to glacial budget
11
Q
glacial budget
calving
A
- splitting the end of icebergs
- can become icebergs if snout is in the sea
12
Q
glacial budget
inputs
A
fresh snow + avalanches
13
Q
outputs
A
- melting
- evaporation
- sublimation
- calving
14
Q
glacial budget
A
- inputs and outputs of glacial system + overall balance between them
- if input > output, glacier grows
15
Q
plucking
A
melt water freezes onto rocks, as th glacier moves it rips out those fragment = rough, jagged surface
