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Most lakes in the world occupy basins scoured out by glaciers. Glacial motion can be fast (up to 30 metres per day (98 ft/d), observed on Jacobshavn Isbræ in Greenland) [1] or slow (0.5 metres per year (20 in/year) on small glaciers or in the center of ice sheets), but is typically around 25 centimetres per day (9.8 in/d). [2]
Greenland ice sheet as seen from space. An ice sheet is a body of ice which covers a land area of continental size - meaning that it exceeds 50,000 km 2. [4] The currently existing two ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica have a much greater area than this minimum definition, measuring at 1.7 million km 2 and 14 million km 2, respectively.
Cartoon showing the isostatic vertical motions of the lithosphere (grey) in response to a vertical load (in green) In geology, lithospheric flexure (also called regional isostasy) is the process by which the lithosphere (rigid, thin outer layer of the Earth) bends under the action of forces such as the weight of a growing orogeny or changes in ice thickness related to glaciation.
A higher amount of inland glacial melt ultimately increases the amount of outlet glacier output. [14] Studies predict that outlet glaciers found in Greenland can increase the global sea level considerably following an increase in global temperature, and a subsequently higher drainage output. [15] Examples include: [14] Helheim Glacier, Greenland
Projections: Melting of glacial mass is approximately linearly related to temperature increase. [17] Based on current national pledges, global mean temperature is projected to increase by +2.7 °C over the pre-industrial era, which would cause loss of about half of Earth's glaciers by 2100 with a sea level rise of 115±40 millimeters. [17]
Isostatic depression is the sinking of large parts of the Earth's crust into the asthenosphere caused by a heavy weight placed on the Earth's surface, often glacial ice during continental glaciation. [2] Isostatic depression and isostatic rebound occur at rates of centimeters per year. Greenland is an example of an isostatically depressed region.
Basal sliding is the act of a glacier sliding over the bed due to meltwater under the ice acting as a lubricant.This movement very much depends on the temperature of the area, the slope of the glacier, the bed roughness, the amount of meltwater from the glacier, and the glacier's size.
Water from moulins may help lubricate the base of the glacier, affecting glacial motion. Given an appropriate relationship between an ice sheet and the terrain, the head of water in a moulin can provide the power and medium with which a tunnel valley may be formed.