Glacial troughs and fjords are deep erosional features calved into bedrock marking glacial activity [1,2]. The most characteristic difference between a trough and a fjord, is that a fjord ends in a coastal region, and is flooded by sea water [3]. These landforms can be located in a series of geographical locations and are characterised […]
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Accounts from under-represented groups and their relationships with Antarctica are still rarely acknowledged in stories about the continent’s human history[1]. Instead, there is a continued focus on the heroic era with mainly European male explorers. Whilst still critically important, literature is filled with their accounts, and therefore this page will focus on the encounters from
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This article about Antarctica’s tourism has been written by Laura Boyall and Benjamin Samingpai. A trip to Antarctica is not a common holiday destination for many people. However, since the 1950s, there has been a growing number of individuals travelling to the southernmost continent. And then from the 1980s, the growth has been exponential with
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This page introduces some of the ways in which people live, work and visit Antarctica, and how we govern this mighty, and beautiful, continent. You can also explore our People in Antarctica StoryMap Collection for an interactive timeline on the history of people in Antarctica, Antarctic Geopolitics, Tourism and Living in Antarctica. See also our
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The Greenland Ice Sheet is one of two continent-scale ice masses on Earth, with the other being the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The Greenland Ice Sheet is the largest ice mass in the Northern Hemisphere. It lies from 71°N northwards, between the Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean [1]. Almost 80% of Greenland’s landmass is covered by
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Ellipsoidal Basins is a geographical term used to describe deep, elongated lakes, formed by subglacial activity beneath past ice sheets [1]. Examples of these basins include the Great Lakes and Finger Lakes of North America [1,2]. These basins were formed either where the ice was topographically constrained (Finger Lakes), had vulnerable, softer, geology (the Great
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Trimlines are erosional features which mark the maximum vertical extent of a past glaciation [1]. Different types of trimlines exist, dependent on the length of time since the last glacial advance [2]. In recently glaciated valleys, they are marked by a distinct change in vegetation. Above the trimline, dense vegetation exists with species characteristic of
What are flutes? Glacial flutes are elongated, low-relief ridges formed subglacially and orientated in the direction of glacier flow [1,2,3]. Their size can range between several centimetres to a few metres both wide and high, and occur in groups of streamlined ridges known as ‘swarms’ [1]. Flutes are formed subglacially and are found in glacial
What is a Tidewater Glacier? Tidewater glaciers are glaciers which extend out, and terminate into the sea [1]. They are part of a group of glaciers known as calving glaciers, as their main method of ice loss is through iceberg calving, instead of surface melt [1,2]. Calving icebergs currently accounts for up to 70% of
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By Dr Richard Waller, Keele University, and Dr Bethan Davies, Royal Holloway University of London During the Younger Dryas, the Lake District was covered by plateau icefields and cirque glaciers[1]. The image below shows the larger plateau icefields (green) and the smaller cirque glaciers (red) in the Lake District and Snowdonia. You can explore all
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