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Difference between revisions of "Glacier"
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==Classification== | ==Classification== | ||
Glacial bodies larger than 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) are called [[ice sheet|ice sheets]] or continental glaciers. Several kilometers deep, they obscure the underlying topography. Only [[ | Glacial bodies larger than 50,000 km2 (19,000 sq mi) are called [[ice sheet|ice sheets]] or continental glaciers. Several kilometers deep, they obscure the underlying topography. Only [[nunatak]]s protrude from their surfaces. The only extant ice sheets are the two that cover most of [[Antarctica]] and Greenland. They contain vast quantities of fresh water, enough that if both melted, global sea levels would rise by over 70 m (230 ft). Portions of an ice sheet or cap that extend into water are called ice shelves; they tend to be thin with limited slopes and reduced velocities. Narrow, fast-moving sections of an ice sheet are called ice streams. In Antarctica, many ice streams drain into large [[ice-shelf|ice shelves]]. Some drain directly into the sea, often with an [[ice tongue]], like Mertz Glacier. | ||
==Post-glacial rebound== | ==Post-glacial rebound== | ||
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A geomorphological feature created by the same process on a smaller scale is known as dilation-faulting. It occurs where previously compressed rock is allowed to return to its original shape more rapidly than can be maintained without faulting. This leads to an effect similar to what would be seen if the rock were hit by a large hammer. Dilation faulting can be observed in recently de-glaciated parts of Iceland and Cumbria. | A geomorphological feature created by the same process on a smaller scale is known as dilation-faulting. It occurs where previously compressed rock is allowed to return to its original shape more rapidly than can be maintained without faulting. This leads to an effect similar to what would be seen if the rock were hit by a large hammer. Dilation faulting can be observed in recently de-glaciated parts of Iceland and Cumbria. | ||
[[Sif Island]], first discovered in February 2020, is thought to have been created by post-glacial rebound caused by the retreating [[Pine Island Glacier]]. | |||
==Climate change== | ==Climate change== | ||
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[[Category:Science]] | [[Category:Science]] | ||
[[Category:Featured Articles]] | |||