glaciers have been shaping our world for millions of years but as climate change
millions of years but as climate change
millions of years but as climate change warms the planet glaciers are
warms the planet glaciers are
warms the planet glaciers are disappearing
disappearing
disappearing not only altering the landscapes they
not only altering the landscapes they
not only altering the landscapes they leave behind but changing our oceans
leave behind but changing our oceans
leave behind but changing our oceans weather and life on Earth as we know it
weather and life on Earth as we know it
weather and life on Earth as we know it a glacier is a huge mass of ice that
a glacier is a huge mass of ice that
a glacier is a huge mass of ice that moves slowly over land glaciers can be
moves slowly over land glaciers can be
moves slowly over land glaciers can be classified into two general groups
classified into two general groups
classified into two general groups alpine glaciers and ice sheets alpine
alpine glaciers and ice sheets alpine
alpine glaciers and ice sheets alpine glaciers form on mountain sides and move
glaciers form on mountain sides and move
glaciers form on mountain sides and move downwards through valleys sometimes they
downwards through valleys sometimes they
downwards through valleys sometimes they create valleys by pushing dirt soil and
create valleys by pushing dirt soil and
create valleys by pushing dirt soil and other materials out of their way these
other materials out of their way these
other materials out of their way these glaciers are found on every continent
glaciers are found on every continent
glaciers are found on every continent except Australia ice sheets
except Australia ice sheets
except Australia ice sheets unlike alpine glaciers are not limited
unlike alpine glaciers are not limited
unlike alpine glaciers are not limited to mountainous areas they form broad
to mountainous areas they form broad
to mountainous areas they form broad domes and spread out from their centres
domes and spread out from their centres
domes and spread out from their centres in all directions as ice sheets spread
in all directions as ice sheets spread
in all directions as ice sheets spread they cover everything around them with a
they cover everything around them with a
they cover everything around them with a thick blanket of ice including valleys
thick blanket of ice including valleys
thick blanket of ice including valleys planes and even entire mountains the
planes and even entire mountains the
planes and even entire mountains the largest ice sheets are called
largest ice sheets are called
largest ice sheets are called continental glaciers they cover vast
continental glaciers they cover vast
continental glaciers they cover vast areas including most of Antarctica and
areas including most of Antarctica and
areas including most of Antarctica and the island of Greenland glaciers can
the island of Greenland glaciers can
the island of Greenland glaciers can form over years when more snow piles up
form over years when more snow piles up
form over years when more snow piles up and melts soon after falling the snow
and melts soon after falling the snow
and melts soon after falling the snow begins to become denser and more tightly
begins to become denser and more tightly
begins to become denser and more tightly packed when new snow falls and buries
packed when new snow falls and buries
packed when new snow falls and buries the previous year’s snow the bottom
the previous year’s snow the bottom
the previous year’s snow the bottom layer becomes even more compressed the
layer becomes even more compressed the
layer becomes even more compressed the dense grainy ice that has survived one
dense grainy ice that has survived one
dense grainy ice that has survived one year’s melt cycle is called fern when
year’s melt cycle is called fern when
year’s melt cycle is called fern when the ice grows thick enough the fern
the ice grows thick enough the fern
the ice grows thick enough the fern grains fuse into a huge mass called
grains fuse into a huge mass called
grains fuse into a huge mass called glacial ice the glacier may begin to
glacial ice the glacier may begin to
glacial ice the glacier may begin to move under its own weight through a
move under its own weight through a
move under its own weight through a process called compression melting
process called compression melting
process called compression melting as they move glaciers erode or wear away
as they move glaciers erode or wear away
as they move glaciers erode or wear away the land beneath and around them when
the land beneath and around them when
the land beneath and around them when glaciers began their latest retreat less
glaciers began their latest retreat less
glaciers began their latest retreat less than 20,000 years ago they left behind
than 20,000 years ago they left behind
than 20,000 years ago they left behind many landscape features such as lakes
many landscape features such as lakes
many landscape features such as lakes valleys and mountains glaciers provide
valleys and mountains glaciers provide
valleys and mountains glaciers provide people with many useful resources
people with many useful resources
people with many useful resources glacial till provides fertile soil for
glacial till provides fertile soil for
glacial till provides fertile soil for growing crops and deposits of sand and
growing crops and deposits of sand and
growing crops and deposits of sand and gravel are used to make concrete and
gravel are used to make concrete and
gravel are used to make concrete and asphalt many rivers are fed by the
asphalt many rivers are fed by the
asphalt many rivers are fed by the melting ice of glaciers the most
melting ice of glaciers the most
melting ice of glaciers the most important resource provided by glaciers
important resource provided by glaciers
important resource provided by glaciers is freshwater Earth’s average
is freshwater Earth’s average
is freshwater Earth’s average temperature has been increasing
temperature has been increasing
temperature has been increasing dramatically for more than a century
dramatically for more than a century
dramatically for more than a century glaciers can act as indicators of global
glaciers can act as indicators of global
glaciers can act as indicators of global warming and climate change
warming and climate change
warming and climate change in several ways melting ice sheets
in several ways melting ice sheets
in several ways melting ice sheets contribute to rising sea levels as ice
contribute to rising sea levels as ice
contribute to rising sea levels as ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland melt
sheets in Antarctica and Greenland melt
sheets in Antarctica and Greenland melt they raise sea levels adding fresh water
they raise sea levels adding fresh water
they raise sea levels adding fresh water to the ocean every day the loss of
to the ocean every day the loss of
to the ocean every day the loss of glacial ice also reduces the amount of
glacial ice also reduces the amount of
glacial ice also reduces the amount of fresh water available for plants and
fresh water available for plants and
fresh water available for plants and animals on land large editions of fresh
animals on land large editions of fresh
animals on land large editions of fresh water change the ocean ecosystem as well
water change the ocean ecosystem as well
water change the ocean ecosystem as well as ocean currents
as ocean currents
as ocean currents additionally less salt in the ocean
additionally less salt in the ocean
additionally less salt in the ocean could disturb the Gulf Stream
could disturb the Gulf Stream
could disturb the Gulf Stream drastically changing the weather on land
drastically changing the weather on land
drastically changing the weather on land as well since glaciers are so sensitive
as well since glaciers are so sensitive
as well since glaciers are so sensitive to climate change the increased speed of
to climate change the increased speed of
to climate change the increased speed of glacier melt is an early warning system
glacier melt is an early warning system
glacier melt is an early warning system for the rest of the planet
for the rest of the planet
for the rest of the planet and if global warming goes unchecked
and if global warming goes unchecked
and if global warming goes unchecked many if not all alpine glaciers could
many if not all alpine glaciers could
many if not all alpine glaciers could disappear completely
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