Author Question: How do glaciers form and how do they move? What will be an ideal ... (Read 37 times)

vinney12 · **on:** Jul 29, 2018

How do glaciers form and how do they move?

What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Under what conditions does a glacier front advance? Under what conditions does a glacier front retreat?

What will be an ideal response?

dyrone · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 29, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Answer: Glaciers form in climates cold enough that snow recrystallizes into ice. As snow accumulates, the underlying ice thickens until it becomes so heavy that the forces of gravity cause the glacier to move downslope. Glaciers move by a combination of basal sliding and plastic flow.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: When accumulation exceeds ablation, the glacier advancesit grows.
When ablation exceeds accumulation, the glacier retreatsit shrinks.