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JANUARY 2024 What Glaciers Reveal About Climate Change by Golriz Golkar UNCORRECTED PROOF • NOT FOR SALE ANCIENT GolkarUNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEWhat Glaciers Reveal About Climate Change by Golriz Golkar Consultant: Dr. Leigh A. Stearns Professor Department of Geology University of Kansas UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEPublished by Capstone Press, an imprint of Capstone 1710 Roe Crest Drive, North Mankato, Minnesota 56003 capstonepub.com Copyright © 2024 by Capstone. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on the Library of Congress website. ISBN: 9781669060802 (hardcover) ISBN: 9781669060758 (paperback) ISBN: 9781669060765 (ebook PDF) Summary: Glaciers have been around for a long time. Many formed during the last ice age, about 20,000 years ago. They have shaped Earth’s landscape, helped cool the planet, and provided living things with fresh water—all while weathering changes in Earth’s climate. Studying glaciers can tell us a lot about how Earth’s climate has shifted over time, how human activities are impacting the climate, and what might occur in the future. Packed with information, vibrant photos, and hands-on activities, this book helps students learn about glaciers, how they’re changing, and what that might mean for the planet’s future. Editorial Credits Editor: Ericka Smith; Designer: Tracy Davies; Media Researcher: Svetlana Zhurkin; Production Specialist: Katy LaVigne Image Credits Getty Images: Andrew Peacock, 19, EyeEm/Jorge Gobbi, cover (top and bottom), Joe Raedle, 18; International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration: James Kirkham, 22, 23; NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin using Landsat data from the U.S. Geological Survey: 21; Shutterstock: Artisticco, 10, Daniel Prudek, 24, 25, Earl D. Walker, 27, GoodStudio (iceberg), back cover and throughout, Guitar photographer, 29, jet 67, 6, K_Boonnitrod, 5, koya979 (ICE letters), cover, back cover, 1, Mikhail Dudarev, 11, photosoft (ice texture), back cover and throughout, romvo (cracked ice), cover and back cover, saiko3p, 9, Terry Kelly, 15, titoOnz, 8, TTstudio, 26, VectorMine, 13; Svetlana Zhurkin: 7, 14; USGS: 28, Adam Clark, 4, Caitlyn Florentine, 17, Louis Sass, 20, Wieteke Holthuijzen, 16 All internet sites appearing in back matter were available and accurate when this book was sent to press. UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALETABLE OF CONTENTS Disappearing Glaciers .....................................4 All About Glaciers ..............................................6 Climate Change and Glaciers ........................12 Learning from Ancient Ice ............................. 18 Glaciers in the Future ...................................... 26 Glossary .........................................................................30 Read More ........................................................................31 Internet Sites ...................................................................31 Index ..................................................................................32 About the Author ..........................................................32 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEINTRODUCTION DISAPPEARING GLACIERS Glacier National Park in Montana was once home to about 150 glaciers. Today, fewer than 30 remain. The ones left are less than half their original size. And scientists think that within 30 years, most of them will be gone. But glaciers are not melting just in Glacier National Park. They are slowly disappearing all over the world. They’re melting in places like Iceland, Pakistan, and Tanzania too. Why? Climate change —long-term changes in weather patterns—is raising Earth’s temperature. Glacier National Park 4 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALELosing glaciers can have a big impact on life on Earth. Melting glaciers causes a rise in sea levels, which increases coastal flooding and erosion . Winters are getting shorter in many places, so snow and ice melt earlier in the spring. This can contribute to droughts and wildfires, especially in the fall. But glaciers have been around for thousands of years. So they hold important clues about the effects of climate change. Scientists are studying them to learn about Earth’s past climate. They’re also learning how human behavior is speeding up climate change. A glacier on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania 5 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALECHAPTER 1 ALL ABOUT GLACIERS What Are Glaciers? These huge, bright white and blue chunks of ice are the result of a long process. Glaciers are large masses of flattened snow and ice. They build up over time. The weight of the packed snow turns the snow into ice. Glaciers vary in size. Some are just the size of a football field. Others can be 100 miles (161 kilometers) long. Ice sheets are huge pieces of glacial ice that cover land. They can be miles deep. There are only two main ice sheets left on Earth. One covers about 80 percent of Greenland. The other covers about 98 percent of Antarctica. Glacial ice contains air bubbles under pressure. As pressurized air escapes from the ice, it gives glaciers a popping sound. If you put a piece of glacial ice in a glass of water, you would see and hear air bubbles pop out. FACT 6 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALEA DIY Glacier Steps 1. Fill half of the freezer bag with ice cubes. 2. Fill a pitcher with water (enough to fill the freezer bag) and add a few drops of blue food coloring. Mix the water and food coloring together and pour them into the bag over the ice. 3. Close the freezer bag and keep it in the freezer for 24 hours. 4. Remove the bag from the freezer and place it on a baking sheet. After a few minutes, gently remove the bag from the ice clump (glacier). 5. Try a few experiments with your glacier. Fill the two small bowls with cold and warm water. Pour a teaspoon of warm water over the glacier and see what happens. Next, pour a teaspoon of cold water over the glacier and observe. Does the glacier melt differently with each water temperature? 6. Sprinkle some salt over the glacier. How does the salt affect the glacier? 7. Place the glacier in full sunlight. You might want to place an old towel beneath the tray in case some of the water spills out as it melts. How long does it take for the glacier to melt completely? Do you think it might melt more slowly in the shade? Materials • a large, resealeable freezer bag • ice cubes • a pitcher of water • blue food coloring • a baking sheet • salt • 2 small bowls • a teaspoon Ask an adult to help you with this activity. 7 UNCORRECTED PROOF - NOT FOR RESALENext >