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1 sty 2014 · A valley or outlet glacier exhibiting a lobe- or fan-shaped section (“piedmont lobe”) immediately beyond the confining valley mouth, where the ice tongue emanates onto an unconstrained, lower slope angle terrain (Stroeven 2013). Valley glaciers may coalesce to form large, multilobate piedmont glaciers.
piedmont glacier. large ice lobe spread out over surrounding terrain, associated with the terminus of a large mountain valley glacier. The massive lobe of Malaspina Glacier in Alaska is clearly visible in this photograph taken from a Space Shuttle flight in 1989.
Piedmont glaciers can exhibit distinct features such as crevasses and seracs, which are formed due to differential movement within the glacier. Due to climate change and rising temperatures, many piedmont glaciers are retreating at accelerated rates, impacting local ecosystems and water supply.
ice sheet. ice shelf, thick mass of floating ice that is attached to land, formed from and fed by tongues of glaciers extending outward from the land into sheltered waters. Where there are no strong currents, the ice becomes partly grounded on the sea bottom and attaches itself to rocks and islands.
Piedmont glaciers occur when valley glaciers spill into relatively flat plains, where they spread out into bulb-like lobes. Malaspina Glacier in Alaska is one of the most famous examples of this type of glacier, and is the largest piedmont glacier in the world.
Definition. A valley or outlet glacier exhibiting a lobe- or fan-shaped section (“piedmont lobe) immediately. ” beyond the confining valley mouth, where the ice tongue emanates onto an unconstrained, lower slope angle terrain (Stroeven 2013). Valley glaciers may coalesce to form large, multilobate piedmont glaciers.
Glaciers, based on their locale and size, can be divided into two types—Alpine (Mountain/Valley) [Cirque, Valley, Piedmont, and Fjord glaciers] and Continental glaciers (Ice cap, Ice Sheets, and Ice Shelves).
