Journal Entry

What's Your Glacier IQ?

As an avid readers of this journal and/or participant in our Polar Connect event, I'm sure that you are just waiting for an opportunity to test your glacial knowledge. Could you call yourself a glaciologist? Give yourself one point for each correct answer. Answers below.

  1. Why are glaciers slippery on the bottom?
Why are glaciers slippery on the bottom?Why are glaciers slippery on the bottom?

  1. What type of glacier is this? It ends in a body of water.

    a. valley glacier

    b. tidewater glacier

    c. mountain glacier

    d. piedmont glacier

What type of glacier is this?What type of glacier is this?

  1. Glaciers act like giant bulldozers, pushing rock and debris to the sides and front of them. These can be left as as mounds after the glacier retreats or melts. What are they called?

    a. eskers

    b. glacial mounds

    c. moraines

    d. cirques

The REU students on a hike below the glacier. What are the mounds called?The REU students on a hike below the glacier. What are the mounds called?
  1. Glaciers have plumbing systems. Why does water that exits from under a marine terminating glacier float to the top?
Why does water from under the glacier float to the top?Why does water from under the glacier float to the top?
  1. What is it called when large blocks of ice break off of the end of a glacier?
What do you call it when large chunks of ice break off of the front?What do you call it when large chunks of ice break off of the front?

  1. What is glacial sediment called?

    a. till

    b. glaciment

    c. sandy loam

    d. until

What is glacial sediment called?What is glacial sediment called?
  1. What is the original ingredient of a glacier?
What is the original ingredient in glaciers?What is the original ingredient in glaciers?
  1. What determines if a glacier grows, retreats or stays the same?
What determines if a glacier grows, retreats or stays the same? Steve and Ryan taking a break.What determines if a glacier grows, retreats or stays the same? Steve and Ryan taking a break.

  1. What do you call that portion of the Earth's surface covered by water in the solid form?

    a. iceosphere

    b. thermosphere

    c. cryosphere

    d. ionosphere

REU students hiking above a glacier. What do you call the part of Earth covered by ice?REU students hiking above a glacier. What do you call the part of Earth covered by ice?

  1. About what percent of the Earth is currently glaciated?

    a. 10

    b. 3

    c. 25

    d. 15

About what percent of Earth is currently glaciated? Ross checking out Keanland.About what percent of Earth is currently glaciated? Ross checking out Keanland.

Answers

  1. Meltwater under the glacier acts as a lubricant. This type of motion is called basal sliding.

  2. This is "our" glacier, Kronebreen and it is an example of a tidewater glacier.

  3. Moraines are accumulations of dirt and rocks that have been pushed along by the glacier as it moves.

  4. Glacial meltwater is fresh water that is added to marine saltwater. Fresh water is less dense than saltwater, making it more buoyant. It floats to the top. Good thinking if you got that right!

  5. Calving, of course!

It's called calving! Photo embellishments by Sarah BartholowIt's called calving! Photo embellishments by Sarah Bartholow

  1. It is called till. Till makes up the bulk of the sediment in the bottom of the fjord. In other words, all of that mud.

  2. Glaciers are made from snow that doesn't melt each year and instead accumulates. Compression forces the snow to re-crystallize and increase in density, turning it into an intermediate state called firn. With further compression and time, larger ice crystals form.

  3. The determining factor is the difference in how much snow is added versus how much the glacier melts and/or sublimates. It will grow if it is getting more snow, retreat if it melts/sublimates more and stay the same if the two are equal. This is called the glacier's mass balance.

  4. It is called the cryosphere, but don't let it make you sad.

  5. About ten percent!

How did you do? Scoring below for number correct

1-4 You're as cold as ice.

5-7 Getting warmer. Keep learning and you'll be advancing like a glacier!

8-10 Wow! You know your cryosphere. Good job, glaciologist!

Comments

Thu, 08/14/2014 - 14:53

Lucy

I am ridiculously happy to have scored about 7.5 on this test--compared to 0 on the last one. I have been riveted to these fascinating blogs you have been posting, Peggy, and to all that the whole team is undergoing. You have taught me much--not just about glaciers, but about being excited about a whole field you've never ever thought about before.
I knew the answer to No. 1 was meltwater, but I gave myself only 0.50 as I didn't know the term "basal sliding." I took 0.75 credit for No. 6, as I didn't know the word "till" but recognized it from the multiple choice. As for No. 8, I gave myself 0.25, as my answer was "climate," which was unarticulated but probably also correct-ish.

Thank you, thank you, for your enthusiasm and freshness!

Thu, 08/14/2014 - 22:43

Peggy McNeal

Excellent, Lucy! Your enthusiastic comments have been inspirational. I appreciate your positive feedback- it keeps me excited about writing the next post. Thank you so much and stay tuned for more! I think you should give yourself full credit for number 1. The answer is meltwater, I just threw basal sliding in as extra information. So your overall score is 8.5! Way to go!

Fri, 08/15/2014 - 09:09

Bobby

I got 4 right, so I am cold as ice. But I am on my way to advancing like a glacier