ICE SHELF Meaning and
Definition
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An ice shelf is a thick floating mass of ice that is attached to a coastline and extends into the surrounding ocean or sea. It is formed when ice sheets, which are large bodies of ice covering land, flow into the ocean and continue to extend over the water. Ice shelves are typically found in polar regions, particularly in Antarctica and the Arctic.
These formations are enormous, with thicknesses ranging from hundreds to thousands of meters. They are often several kilometers wide and extend along the coastlines for tens to hundreds of kilometers. Essentially, ice shelves serve as a continuation of the ice sheet onto the ocean surface.
Ice shelves are composed of compacted snow, accumulated over hundreds or thousands of years, which gradually turns into ice due to immense pressure. They receive constant input from glaciers and ice streams that flow from ice sheets on land. Since ice shelves are already floating, they do not contribute to the rise in sea levels when they melt. However, they play a crucial role in preventing the rapid flow of ice from the interior regions towards the ocean, acting as a barrier.
Ice shelves can become unstable and vulnerable to collapse due to various factors such as warmer air and ocean temperatures, the thinning of ice, or the presence of large cracks known as rifts. When an ice shelf disintegrates or breaks off from the coastline, it can lead to increased glacier flow and contribute to rising sea levels.
Common Misspellings for ICE SHELF
- uce shelf
- jce shelf
- kce shelf
- oce shelf
- 9ce shelf
- 8ce shelf
- ixe shelf
- ive shelf
- ife shelf
- ide shelf
- icw shelf
- ics shelf
- icd shelf
- icr shelf
- ic4 shelf
- ic3 shelf
- ice ahelf
- ice zhelf
- ice xhelf
Etymology of ICE SHELF
The word "ice shelf" originated from the combination of two terms: "ice" and "shelf".
The term "ice" comes from the Old English word "īs", which is related to the Old High German word "īs", meaning "ice". This word ultimately traces back to the Proto-Germanic "īsaz".
The term "shelf" comes from the Old English word "sceald", which referred to a ledge or projection. It is related to the Middle Low German word "schele" and the Old Norse word "skjol", both having similar meanings.
When these two terms are combined, "ice shelf" refers to a large floating platform of ice that extends from land into the ocean, forming a shelf-like structure. They are commonly found in polar regions, such as Antarctica and Greenland.
