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Uncover the fascinating world of glaciers through "Fast Times at Glacial High," a journey to understand these massive ice formations. Learn how glaciers form on land, their types like Alpine Glaciers, and interesting facts such as how glaciers store 75% of the world's freshwater. Discover glaciers' movement mechanisms, like Basal Slip and Plastic Flow, and how they create stunning features like crevasses and erode landscapes. Experience the beauty and power of glaciers while exploring their impact on the environment.
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And this is their story….. “Fast Times at Glacial High” ERIC MARCH
What is a glacier? • A glacier is a massive, long-lasting, moving mass of compacted snow and ice. • Glaciers can only form on land, wherever the amount of snow that falls in winter exceeds the amount that melts in summer. • There are two types of glaciers…
Alpine Glaciers • Form on mountains because mountains usually have deep winter snowfall and the summers are short and cool. • This type exists on every continent, EVEN on the EQUATOR in Africa on Mount Kenya and in South America on Mount Cayambe. Mt. Kenya
Miscellaneous Info • Did you know that… • Glaciers store about 75% of the world's freshwater. • Glacierized areas cover more than 15,000,000 square kilometers of the Earth. • Glacier ice crystals can grow to be as large as baseballs. • Glacial ice often appears blue because ice absorbs all other colors except blue; which is reflected. • Ice shelves may calve icebergs that are over 80 kilometers long. • Almost 90% of an iceberg is below water--only about 10% shows above water. • North America's longest glacier is the Bering Glacier in Alaska, measuring 204 kilometers long.
Interesting Fact of the Day • Byron Glacier • Located in Alaska, On Mt. Alyeska • One hour south of Anchorage • Receding fairly quickly due to global warming • Tundra is slowly being replaced by larger plants.
Glacial Movement • All glaciers can be thought of as rivers…just really big, frozen rivers! • Because all glaciers are moving, most at an average of 10 inches per day!
Glacial Movement • Glaciers move two ways: • Basal Slip • Plastic Flow
Basal Slip • The entire glacier slides over bedrock, much the same way that a bar of soap slides down a board
Plastic Flow • The glacier deforms like a fluid as it moves downhill
Plastic Flow • The glacier deforms like a fluid as it moves downhill
Glacial Movement • Glaciers can move with both basal slip and plastic flow • Steep alpine glaciers will be mostly basal slip • Shallow continental glaciers will be mostly plastic flow
Features of Moving Glaciers • Glaciers flowing over bumps in the bedrock produce crevasses
Glacial Erosion • Water freezes in gaps in the bedrock, freezes, and dislodges boulders that get swept up by the glacier and dragged along!