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Glaciated Landscapes

The glacial budget, mass balance and feedback

  • 3 things to know
  • Component 1 Section A

Overview

Glacial budget, net mass balance and equilibrium line.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Define the glacial budget.

Key term

What is meant by net mass balance?

Key term

Where on a glacier is the accumulation zone?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Define the glacial budget.

    Model answer

    The glacial budget is the balance between accumulation and ablation over a year. A positive budget makes the glacier grow and a negative one makes it shrink.

  2. 2

    What is meant by net mass balance?

    Model answer

    Net mass balance is total accumulation minus total ablation for a whole year. The figure is normally quoted as a depth of water equivalent.

  3. 3

    Where on a glacier is the accumulation zone?

    Model answer

    The accumulation zone is the upper part of the glacier where snowfall exceeds melting. The surface there gains mass every year.

  4. 4

    Where is the ablation zone?

    Model answer

    The ablation zone is the lower part of the glacier where melting exceeds snowfall. The surface loses mass and old ice and debris are exposed.

  5. 5

    Define the equilibrium line.

    Model answer

    The equilibrium line is the boundary where annual accumulation exactly equals annual ablation. Nothing is gained or lost on that line over the year.

  6. 6

    What happens to the equilibrium line as the climate warms?

    Model answer

    The equilibrium line rises to a higher altitude. The ablation zone grows at the expense of the accumulation zone, so the glacier shrinks.

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