Chapter 36 - The Formation of a Glacier

Glaciers are formed of ice which consists of compacted recrystallized snow. Not all snow becomes a part of the glacier, only the snow above the snowline that thickens over time and survives through the summer will add to the glacier. Snow turns into ice through stages. The first stage consists of newly fallen snow, which is less dense, and melts enough to make each flake irregular in shape. A later, more dense snow fall, will compact the first stage less dense snowfall making a much more dense layer of snow. As the snow melts slightly, and freezes again, its crystal structure is slightly changed, and each individual snow flake is made more irrecular. Over time the spaces between snow flakes are completely removed leaving very dense snow compaction which is the ice that makes up a glacier. This picture is of a glacial cirque which would have formed throuh this process.