Bering Glacier
| Bering Glacier | ||
|---|---|---|
 The glacier in 2002 |
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| location | Alaska (USA) | |
| Mountains | Chugach Mountains | |
| Type | Valley glacier | |
| length | 76 km | |
| Exposure | southwest | |
| Altitude range | 1200 m - 0 m | |
| width | ⌀ 8 km | |
| Coordinates | 60 ° 22 ′ N , 143 ° 9 ′ W | |
|
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| drainage | Vitus Lake → Seal River → Gulf of Alaska | |
The Bering Glacier is a glacier in the US state of Alaska . With a length of 76 km, it is the largest glacier in North America. It flows about 10 km away from the Gulf of Alaska in Vitus Lake , located south of Wrangell St. Elias National Park , and is fed by the Bagley Icefield .
Retreat of the glacier
The end of the glacier has retreated by around 12 km since 1900, but - like other glaciers in the region - it shows waves at irregular intervals (approximately every 20 years) that increase its flow speed, causing the end advances further. These waves are usually followed by a decline which, despite the periodic progress, leads to a regression of the glacier. The retreat of the Bering Glacier accelerated in the 1990s as a possible consequence of global warming . Scientists at Michigan Technological University working with the United States Geological Survey and Bureau of Land Management found in 2007 that the Bering Glacier releases about 30 km 3 of water annually.
Causing earthquakes
With the retreat of the glaciers, an increase in the frequency of earthquakes in the region has been noted. The ice mass of the glaciers is sufficient to depress the earth's crust and thus stabilize the boundary between the tectonic plates . However, if the glaciers lose mass, the pressure exerted on the earth's crust by the ice is also reduced. Due to the reduced soil compaction , the plates can move more freely and the likelihood of a collision increases. This is how the Wrangell Mountains and Elias Range were formed, namely by the clashes of the Pacific and North American plates .
Bering Glacier Program
The Michigan Tech Research Institute worked on the so-called Bering Glacier Program until 2008 . Among other things, the retreat of the glacier and its hydrological composition were researched. Another research station was built to record seismic waves .
References
literature
- Jürg Alean, Michael Hambrey: Glaciers of the World. Haupt Verlag, Bern 2013, ISBN 978-3258078038 .
- Robert A. Shuchman, Edward G. Josberger: Bering Glacier. Interdisciplinary Studies of Earth's Largest Temperate Surging Glacier. Geological Society of America, New York 2010, ISBN 978-0813724621 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ^ Dynamic Behavior of the Bering Glacier-Bagley Icefield System During a Surge, and Other Measurements of Alaskan Glaciers with ERS SAR Imagery. ESA, accessed January 8, 2014 .
- ↑ Bering Glacier. (PDF; 1.3 MB) Department of Natural Resources, accessed on January 8, 2014 .
- ↑ a b c d The Earth Observatory: Bering Glacier. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), accessed January 8, 2014 .
- ^ Bering Glacier Real-time Data. Michigan Tech Research Institute, accessed January 8, 2014 .
- ^ Molnia / Angeli: Comparison of the 2008-2011 and 1993-1995 Surges of Bering Glacier, Alaska . Ed .: NASA Astrophysics Data System. 2011, bibcode : 2011AGUFM.C11B0675M (English).
- ^ A b Jennifer Donovan: Michigan Tech Research Institute Dedication. (No longer available online.) Michigan Technological University May 10, 2007, archived from the original January 8, 2014 ; accessed on January 8, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Alean / Hambrey: Glaciers of the World. 2013, p. 150 f.
- ^ The Bering Glacier Program. (PDF; 529 KB) (No longer available online.) Michigan Tech Research Institute, archived from the original January 8, 2014 ; accessed on January 8, 2014 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Interdisciplinary Science at the Bering Glacier. Michigan Tech Research Institute, accessed January 8, 2014 .
