All About Glaciers
By Ashritha Raghavendra
June 03, 2022
What Is a Glacier?
A glacier is an accumulation of snow, rock, sediment, and water over several centuries. They are formed in areas where the temperature is close to the freezing point.
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Where Are Glaciers Found?
Glaciers are mostly found in the polar regions, such as Greenland, Antarctica, and the Canadian Arctic. Antarctica has 91% of the world’s glaciers.
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World’s Largest Glacier
The Lambert Glacier in Antarctica is considered the largest glacier in the world. It measures approximately 100 km wide, 400 km long, and 2.5 km deep.
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Freshwater Reservoirs
75% of the world’s fresh water originates from glaciers. These masses of ice melt very slowly to flow like rivers.
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Source of Irrigation
From Switzerland to Ladakh, farmers have relied on fresh water from glaciers for centuries, especially during the dry seasons.
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Indicators of Climate Change
Glaciers help keep the Earth cool by reflecting surface heat back into the atmosphere. Thus, when glaciers melt it directly impacts the global temperature.
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Melting Masses
The alarming increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions since the Industrial Revolution has increased the global temperature, thereby rapidly melting glaciers.
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Be the Change
Slowing down global warming can reduce glacial melting. Using public transportation, being energy efficient, and adapting alternate energy sources such as solar energy and biofuels could be a great start.
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