GENERAL GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Fun Fact: Ice flow direction is determined by the glacier surface: a glacier will always flow in the direction the ice is sloping. This means a glacier can flow up hills beneath the ice as long as the ice surface is still sloping downward.

Detailed explanation-2: -Alpine glaciers flow downhill until they melt or meet the ocean. Continental glaciers flow outward from where they are thickest (usually areas of highest snow accumulations) and continue until they cross into warmer climates or meet the ocean.

Detailed explanation-3: -Snow falls in the accumulation area, usually the part of the glacier with the highest elevation, adding to the glacier’s mass. As the snow slowly accumulates and turns to ice, and the glacier increases in weight, the weight begins to deform the ice, forcing the glacier to flow downhill.

Detailed explanation-4: -Alpine glaciers begin to flow downhill from bowl-shaped mountain hollows called cirques. As the glaciers overflow the cirque, they move downward. They dig deep into the terrain, forming rugged, dramatic landscapes. As they move, glaciers erode or wear away the land beneath and around them.