01:460:207 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Glacier, Surface Runoff, Environmental Geology
10 Apr 2017
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Drift the name for all material of glacial origin found anywhere on land or at sea, including sediment and large rocks. Larger persistent body of ice that moves over land under its own weight through the force of gravity, not formed in a single season. Ablation (opposite of accumulation) processes that remove snow/ice from glaciers. Snow/ice accumulation must exceed ablation for a glacier to form. Ex. precipitation in winter melting/runoff in summer. Poles are protected from the strongest sunlight. Takes few seasons to thousands of years. Depends on climate and rate of snow accumulation. Firn granular snow, on top of glacier where it is not compressed into ice. Thickness can be > than 1 km. Contain more ice than all alpine glaciers. Netflow is downslope (gravity); either at down a hillslope/down glacier"s surface (thick to thin areas) Mass accumulates at top of glacier and is lost at bottom. Flow is slow - 10m/year; exception surge.
