Glaciers & Landscape

Glacial Studies – two dimensions

- Glacier Dynamics – Glaciology

- Glacier Form – Glacial Geomorphology

Glacier Systems

-systems approach

Input (Mass & Energy) Output (Mass & Energy)

Glacier

Water Vapour Water Ice Rock Detritus Heat

Precipitation Rock Detritus Gravity Solar Radiation Geothermal Heat

Two Subsystems –

- Accumulation

- Ablation

Equilibrium Line (Threshold)

Other Thresholds –

- Glacier Bedrock

- Glacier Atmosphere

Response time – glaciers experience a change of input

Lag before the response becomes discernible at snout

Glacier economics

Balance between rates of input, throughout output

Feedback mechanism

Negative feedback- effects of a change of input are damped down or eliminated

Positive feedback – change is exaggerated or propagated

Scale Awareness

Ideas of Tricart, 1965

Model examples (understanding schemes)

Ice Sheet or Ice Cap

Valley Glacier