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The glaciers that are still left on earth are found in high elevations or arctic climates where the temperature is fairly cold year round. Most of the glaciers are receding at a rapid pace however due to global warming occurrences Global warming is also accelerated at the poles, which are also the arctic climates. While we may not notice a 1 degree change in a temperate climate, there may be a 3-5 degree change at the poles which drastically speeds glacial melt. When the top layer of ice and snow on a glacier melts, it forms a pool of water. This pool of water absorbs the suns heat instead of reflecting it like ice and snow does. This accelerates the melting even more, and the water will start to flow through fissures, or small cracks in the glacier. These fissures become large rivers of melt water flowing through the glacier to the solid land mass below. The water then proceeds between the land and ice to the lower elevations. At the poles, and in Greenland this is the sea. This causes the glacier to be able to slide downhill, to the ocean. When this melt-water flows into the ocean and land based glacial ice falls into the ocean, we get sea level rise. There have already been small levels of documented sea level rise, but it is predicted that it could reach 10 feet or more by the end of this century.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoGlacial ice growth is a local phenomenon, whereas global warming is world wide. Just because the global temperature average is going up does not mean the temperature cannot decline in any particular area.
However, virtually nowhere are glaciers growing. In the Himalayas glacial ice is not retreating as fast as some had suggested, but half the glaciers there ARE retreating a little bit. Most everywhere else glaciers are retreating quite rapidly. Antarctic ice extent waxes and wanes with the seasons, opposite arctic pack ice. Although Antarctic ice has increased in overall extent, the volume of Antarctic ice has declined. So the total amount of ice continues to be reduced.
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How will glaciers and icebergs be affected by global warming?
In global warming basically the carbon dioxide is trapped in the earth which causes the Earth to heat up so the glaciers and ice bergs start to melt.
The earth is warming up very fast threatning both plant and animal lifewhat is this warming up called?
global warming
Why are glaciers changing in size?
Seasonal change of glaciers size in North and South pole is due to seasonal temperature variation. In winter (earth tilted away from sun), temperature drop and ice accumulated up and vice versa when the summer come (earth tilted toward the sun) temperature increase and ice melted. Now global warming is melting glaciers all over the world, and they are getting smaller.
Why do you need glaciers?
A heck of a lot of people depend on the seasonal melting water from glaciers. Some places get the majority of their water from this. And, some glaciers keep streams cool enough for salmon and other wildlife to live. Also, if the glaciers melt, the ocean level would rise about 230 feet, and that would threaten all shorelines and coastal cities. And, less snow and ice on the surface of the earth would give the earth a lower albedo, which could, in turn, speed up global warming.
Is the warming of the sea caused by global warming?
The warming of the sea is part of global warming. If the earth warms up, then the oceans warm up too (but a little more slowly).
How will glaciers and icebergs be affected by global warming?
In global warming basically the carbon dioxide is trapped in the earth which causes the Earth to heat up so the glaciers and ice bergs start to melt.
What are five real dangers to life on earth because of global warming?
Heat wavesFloodingFamineInsect-borne and other diseasesLife as rivers dry up and glaciers disappear
When glaciers melt what does that mean Global warming?
It means that the world is heating up.
What are your claims that global warming is happening?
glaciers are melting,sea level is rising,temps are up
How can global warming affect glaciers and ice caps?
Global warming affects glaciers by melting them. The water runs into the oceans, raising the sea levels.Global warming affects oceans by warming them. Warm water expands, so ocean levels are rising even further!
How does glaciers remove and build up earth's surface?
well glaciers grow and retract based on the temperature of the earth. glaciers weight a lot. A bag of ice from the party store weighs 20lbs and is less then two cubic feet of ice. Now image the weight of a block of ice that is a mile high and hundred of miles across growing. It digs into the earth and pushes it around. As it grows it picks up boulders and so on and builds things up like hills or cuts things out like lakes. Likewise as it melts and retracts it dumps things that it picked up as it was growing and got frozen in the ice.
The earth is warming up very fast threatning both plant and animal lifewhat is this warming up called?
global warming
How do glaciers change the climate of a location?
Glaciers are large masses of COLD. When they get smaller, the micro-climate nearby warms up, further speeding up more melting, which leads to slightly more warming, and so on.
Why are glaciers changing in size?
Seasonal change of glaciers size in North and South pole is due to seasonal temperature variation. In winter (earth tilted away from sun), temperature drop and ice accumulated up and vice versa when the summer come (earth tilted toward the sun) temperature increase and ice melted. Now global warming is melting glaciers all over the world, and they are getting smaller.
Does Earth warm up?
scientests have been finding out that the earth is warming up by methane
How will global warming affect the EARTH not us?
Global warming will make the earth hotter. Some parts of it will be wetter, and others drier, even becoming deserts. Tropical rainforests will probably die. Ice will melt and sea levels will rise changing the coastlines of most countries. Rivers that rely on ice from meting glaciers will dry up.
Is the warming of the sea caused by global warming?
The warming of the sea is part of global warming. If the earth warms up, then the oceans warm up too (but a little more slowly).
