November, 2000
This month we go to CNN where we learn that Europe's largest glacier, the 22 kilometer wide Breidamerkurjokull glacier in southern Iceland has retreated five miles since 1903. If the current rate of melting, continues the glacier is expected to break up entirely within five to ten years. Dr. David Evans of Glasgow University explains that the glacier's demise is a result of a natural, long term trend towards a warmer climate since the glacier first formed nearly 300 years ago.
Related Web Sites
All About Glaciers: This site contains general information about glaciers, current news stories, and links to on line glacier research, projects and glaciological organizations.
A Paleo Perspective On Global Warming: This NOAA site includes a description of global warming, the techniques used to study it, data, and discussions of temperature variation as far back as the mid-Cretaceous period, all accompanied by excellent graphic images and animations.
The World Glacier Monitoring Service: Lists general information on glaciers as well as a data base on the spatial distribution of glaciers world-wide and documented changes over time.
Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World: This USGS site presents data on the area and volume of present-day glaciers and predicted sea level rise potential if they melt. There is a link to the USGS glacier studies site.
The World Glacier Inventory: A NOAA data base containing information on 67,000 glaciers world-wide. Information can be searched by size, classification, activity, altitude and region.
Former Featured SAR Images: Excellent satellite imagery of glaciers from around the world (and of other Earth processes as well!).
Related Classroom Activities
Glacier Climbing: Provides background material on glaciers written for teachers and two classroom activities which model the movement of glaciers and a third which monitors glacial activity over the last 100 years.
Sample Quiz for Glaciers.net: This site currently provides a sample, short answer quiz on glaciers, references and links to glacier research groups.
Science News Write-Up: Write a report on this article for your class! Here is a suggested outline to help you organize the report.
News Archive
Earth Science News Archive: We are building an archive of these news features. Feel free to browse earlier articles and resources!