GEOG 1010 Lecture 16: Lecture16
Document Summary
Ice and snow as glaciers cover ~ 10% of earths surface (16,000,000 km2) mostly in antarctica/greenland. Contains 84% of all fresh water resources (in the glacial ice) Glacial deposits account for large areas of fertile soil. An accumulation of snow and ice thick enough to flow under its own weight. Valley (mountain, alpine): long, narrow glaciers confined to bedrock valleys that flow from high elevations to low elevations much like streams. Ice sheets: unconfined glaciers larger than 50,000 km2 (2 ice sheets at present time: in greenland & antarctica) Ice caps: unconfined glaciers that are smaller than (50,000 km2) ice sheets (both ice sheets & ice caps exhibit radial flow) High altitudes where temperatures are colder then the surrounding countryside. Snowline: elevation above which snow persists throughout the year. Only form where surface elevation is higher then snowline elevation. Snow metamorphism: snow is a mineral that metamorphoses at temperatures & pressures close to earth"s surface.
