Science reporter

Science reporter

What are Glaciers? Is an article on page31 of Science reporter

Science reporter Most of us have been fascinated by glaciers, glacial landforms and the immense erosive force that they wield. formed by a combination of snow, rock, ice accumulation and low temperatures, glaciers grow over multiple decades and flow downslope due to gravity. Science reporter Sporting a philosophical duality analogous to Yin and Yang these colossal bodies of ice are characterised by two opposing dynamic phenomena - accumulation, which is a zone where the glacier grows in mass and volume (typically during snowfall and other modes of snow transport), Sciencereporter and ablation, which is how it melts or reduces in mass (typically occurring in summer months). The resulting and ever-changing glacial mass therefore provides an accurate indication of even the most miniscule changes in global climate.science reportermagazine Warmer than usual periods result in increased ablation and the glaciers melt at a higher speed than they can accumulate fresh snow/water. Glaciers have marked their presence on our planet for millions of years. From the fjords of Norway to the glaciated valleys such as those seen in Yosemite National Park (USA) and from the uninhabited vast unending ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica to the militarized zones on the Siachen. science reporter magazine When a glacier moves downstream it leaves behind distinctive signatures into the bedrock underneath such as deep-set furrows, grooves and striations. Imagine transporting a sack of sharp pebbles, barbed ice and granular dirt on a buttery smooth surface. science reporter magazine The abrasions left behind are unmistakable and it makes for a remarkable cycle — deeper the travelling rocks and boulders carve into the surface below, more is the material now trapped under the glacier, further increasing its erosion power for the onward journey.