<
https://phys.org/news/2025-01-satellite-images-glaciers-shifting-national.html>
"In Europe and around the globe, melting glaciers are transforming both
landscapes and national borders. In this article, Elzė Buslavičiūtė and Dr.
Laurynas Jukna, researchers at the Institute of Geosciences of Vilnius
University, discuss space-based observations of this phenomenon.
When we think of glaciers, vast ice sheets in polar regions often come to mind,
such as those in Antarctica or Greenland. However, there are many more glaciers
in the world, and they are far more diverse. Globally, there are currently more
than 200,000 glaciers that do not fall into the category of ice sheets
(continental glaciers greater than 50,000 km²).
These include glacial valleys, hanging glaciers, mountain glaciers, ice caps,
etc., which are under 50,000 km² and often concentrated in mountainous regions.
Such glaciers are also common in Europe, particularly in Iceland, the
Scandinavian Peninsula, Svalbard, the Pyrenees, and the European Alps.
Glaciers are massive ice bodies that move under the force of gravity. They form
where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation. Over time, snow compacts
into firn—partially compacted granular snow—and, eventually, transforms into
solid glacier ice.
Roughly 20,000–22,000 years ago, glaciers (or, to be more precise, an ice sheet
that shifted from Scandinavia) shaped present-day European terrain, leaving
distinct marks on the landscape that still remain visible today. In modern
times, glaciers continue to play a critical role: they store freshwater,
sustain Europe's rivers and lakes, and regulate both water runoff and air
temperatures."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
