ice-shelf
Coastal ice platform
An ice shelf is a thick platform of ice extending from a coastline over the ocean, formed when glaciers or ice sheets flow seaward and float on the water.
Ice shelves occur primarily in Antarctica and Greenland.
When large sections break off, they become icebergs—a process called calving.
The Ross Ice Shelf is roughly the size of France.
Floating glacial fragment
- floeDrifting sea ice
- calveGive birth to cattle
- driftGradual movement, no direction
- groundingConnecting to earth
thermohaline · upwelling · buoyancy · freeboard · draft
Ice mass separation
- fractureSplit in hard material
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
- breakupRomantic relationship's termination
- thinningReducing density or number
retreat · cracking · destabilization · fragmentation · crevasse · rifting · ablation · weakening
Organized in grid format
- crevasseDeep glacial fissure
- riftCrack or estrangement
- basalOf the foundation
- buttressingSupporting from the side
thickness · surface · edge · margin · cavity · underside · firn
Extremely great in size
- immenseExtremely large in scope
- expansiveCovering a large area
- massiveExtremely large and heavy
- extensiveCovering a large scope
continental · sprawling · enormous · sweeping · boundless · platform · sheet · expanse
Southern polar region
- RossScottish promontory name
- LarsenNordic family name
- ArcticEarth's northernmost zone
- GreenlandLargest island on Earth
glaciology · icebreaker · expedition · coring · McMurdo
iceberg
Floating glacial fragment
grounding · thermohaline · upwelling · buoyancy · freeboard · draft
calving
Ice mass separation
- fractureSplit in hard material
- disintegrationProcess of breaking apart
- breakupRomantic relationship's termination
thinning · retreat · cracking · destabilization · fragmentation · crevasse · rifting · ablation · weakening · deterioration
tabular
Organized in grid format
buttressing · thickness · surface · edge · margin · cavity · underside · firn
vast
Extremely great in size
extensive · continental · sprawling · enormous · sweeping · boundless · platform · sheet · expanse
Antarctic
Southern polar region
Greenland · glaciology · icebreaker · expedition · coring · McMurdo
ice-shelficeberg
Floating glacial fragment
open water · ice floe · drift ice · pack ice · sea ice
ice-shelfopen water
Unobstructed body navigable freely
open ocean · tropical waters · meltwater · liquid water · seawater
ice, shelf, ices, iced, icier, iciest, icily, iciness, shelves