Answer to Question 1
Glaciers form by the continual accumulation of snow that recrystallizes under its own weight into an ice mass. This process is similar to the layering in sedimentary rock. To become a glacier, though, the snow and ice are transformed under pressure, recrystallizing into a type of metamorphic rock (Glacial ice can be considered both a mineral and a rock.) In general, as the snow accumulates during the winter, the increasing thickness results in increased weight and pressure exerted on the underlying layers. During the summer, melt and rainwater inputs contribute water to the pack, which stimulates further melting. As the water seeps down, though, it refreezes. Air space between ice crystals are compressed as the snow packs to greater density. The snow that survives the summer and is still present in the winter begins the slow transformation to glacial ice. Snow to firn to glacial ice. This process takes many years. In Antarctica, where it is dry and snowfall is minimal, it can take 1,000 years.
Answer to Question 2
Answers will vary, but in general, denudation refers to the collective processes of weathering, mass movement, erosion, transportation, and deposition. This chapter focuses primarily on weathering and mass movement.
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