Erosion By Ice/Glacier: A Glacier is a large mass of ice that is persistently moving under its own weight over the land or as linear flows down the slopes of mountains in broad trough-like valleys. Glaciers are formed in the areas where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation (melting and sublimation) over many years, often centuries. Glaciers move under the influence of the force of gravity.
There are four main types of glaciers: continental glaciers, ice caps, piedmont glaciers, and valley glaciers.
Continental Glaciers: These massive ice sheets are found in places like Antarctica and Greenland. In Iceland, the largest continental ice sheet covers an impressive 8,450 square kilometers, with ice thickness reaching 1,000 meters.
Ice Caps: Think of ice caps as blankets of snow and ice covering mountains. They’re the starting points for valley or mountain glaciers.
Piedmont Glaciers: These glaciers spread out like a continuous ice sheet at the base of mountains, a common sight in places like southern Alaska.
Valley Glaciers (Alpine Glaciers):These glaciers are located in higher regions, like the Himalayas in our country and other tall mountain ranges around the world. Unlike continental glaciers, they move down the mountain slopes towards lower areas.
Glaciers are like nature’s sculptors, shaping landscapes through a combination of erosion, transportation, and deposition. In highlands, glaciers create erosional features. They do this by plucking and abrasion.
Read Also: Importance Of Glaciers on Earth
