Glaciers - National Snow and Ice Data Center Glaciers begin to form when snow remains in the same area year round, where enough snow accumulates to transform into ice Each year, new layers of snow bury and compress the previous layers This compression forces the snow to recrystallize, initially forming grains similar to the size and shape of sugar grains
Science of Glaciers | National Snow and Ice Data Center These types of glaciers tend to surge periodically, while most glaciers never exhibit surges Components of a glacier Glaciers are dynamic, and several elements contribute to glacier formation and growth Snow falls in the accumulation area, usually the part of the glacier with the highest elevation, adding to the glacier's mass
Glacier Quick Facts | National Snow and Ice Data Center What is a glacier? A glacier is an accumulation of ice and snow that slowly flows over land Alpine glaciers are frozen rivers of ice, slowly flowing under their own weight down mountainsides and into valleys Ice sheets exist only on Greenland and Antarctica, and they spread out in broad domes in multiple directions
Why Glaciers Matter | National Snow and Ice Data Center Glaciers also impact sea level The cryosphere consists of all the places on Earth where water is frozen, including snow, sea ice, ice sheets, and glaciers Though glaciers and ice caps account for only 0 5 percent of total land ice, their contribution to sea level rise during the last century exceeded that of the ice sheets
Learn - National Snow and Ice Data Center Glaciers Two categories of glaciers exist: ice sheets and alpine glaciers Ice sheets cover vast areas of land in broad domes Alpine glaciers, are smaller, and found not only at the poles, but in high mountain regions across the globe
Google Earth Activities - National Snow and Ice Data Center Largest glaciers Google Earth screenshot — Credit: NSIDC Largest Glaciers and Glacier Complexes in the World Tour the globe to view outlines of the three largest glaciers and glacier complexes in each of the 19 glacial regions of the world as defined by the Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers Download: Largest Glaciers and Glacier Complexes (KMZ) Data Source: Largest Glaciers and
Homepage | National Snow and Ice Data Center Glaciers are huge masses of ice, snow, rock, sediment, and often liquid water that originate on land and move down slope under the influence of their own weight and gravity The two main types are continental glaciers (or ice sheets) and alpine glaciers
The story is in the ice: Documenting climate change through the Extreme . . . From 2007 to 2022, renowned photographer James Balog documented glacial change around the world through a project called the Extreme Ice Survey One and a half million images showcasing climate change in real time are now stored and managed at the National Snow and Ice Data Center
The Great Un-Freezing: Record Antarctic surface melt extent set . . . Surface melting for the Antarctic ice sheet appears to have set a record for the 46-year satellite observation period on January 2, 2025 All areas of the Antarctic coast that generally see significant summertime melting continue to accumulate melt days at a faster-than-average pace, except along the northern West Antarctic ice shelves, which are now near-average