GEOG 1265 Chapter Notes - Chapter 17: Pyramidal Peak, Firn, Bergschrund
6 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Cryosphere: portion of the hydrosphere and ground that is perennially frozen, generally at high latitudes and elevations. Its elevation varies by latitude, higher near the equator, lower poleward. Firn: a stage in the transition of snow. Glacial ice: a stage in the transition of snow. Glacier: mass of ice sitting on land or floating as an ice shelf in the ocean next to land. Cirque: area of origin is a snowfield, usually in a bowl-shaped erosional landform. Calving: where alpine glaciers flow down to the sea, calving occurs as masses of ice break off the glacier into the sea and form icebergs. Ice sheet: an extensive continuous mass of ice that may occur on a continental scale. Ice cap: a smaller, roughly circular ice mass, less than 50,000km^2 in size. Ice field: ice mass covering a mountainous region. Firn line: elevation about which the winter snow and ice remain intact throughout the summer melting season but below which melting occurs.
