Is glaciology a science of what? What do experts do that work in this area? Let's try to find the answer to these and other questions.
What does glaciology study?
The term comes from the Latin words "glacies" - ice, and "logo" - doctrine, word. Glaciology is the science of ice that forms in the natural environment on the surface of the planet, in the lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.
The tasks assigned to science include:
- the study of the formation of glaciers, their conditions of existence;
- study of the composition and physical properties of ice;
- consideration of the geological impact of glaciers on the planet's surface;
- study of the geography of the spread of ice formations.
Glaciology is the science of ice, which is inextricably linked with physics and geology. Specialists in this field widely use the methods of mechanics and geographical sciences.
The history of science
The teachings began with the famous Swiss climber, geologist and naturalist Horace Benedict Saussure. He revealed the tasks and the subject of a new scientific trend in his manuscript essay “Journey to the Alps”. The work was compiled by scientists in the period from 1779 to 1796.
A specific range of problems facing glaciology was outlined in the 19th century. However, at this time, scientists felt a lack of systematic materials about glaciers. The specialists lacked knowledge about the physical properties of ice and its behavior. Therefore, the first serious stage in the development of glaciology as a science was characterized mainly by the accumulation of knowledge, the formation of scientific methods.
The beginning of the 20th century was marked for science by the start of a number of large-scale expeditions aimed at the study of glaciations concentrated in the Arctic Circle. Contributed to the disclosure of the essence of physical phenomena that occur in glaciers, the emergence of such accurate methods as: aerial photography, photogrammetry, thermal drilling, sounding of the soil. During this period, scientists managed to develop a unified classification of ice, to track the features of movement, formation and melting of glaciers.
Over the past century, extensive information has been collected on the geographical distribution of permafrost. Scientists managed to discover new glaciers and compile catalogs with their detailed descriptions.
What do glaciologists do?
Glaciologist is a profession, the essence of which is the study of ice formations formed in the natural environment. Such specialists study the features of the appearance of glaciers, their behavior, processes that lead to melting ice.
Glaciologist is a work that involves the study of avalanches, ponds that formed as a result of melting ice. Moreover, specialists in this category make dangerous routes on maps, thus preventing the occurrence of accidents and natural disasters.
What practical significance does glaciology have?
Glaciology is a science that studies, first of all, the wide distribution of glaciers on the surface of the planet. According to scientists, such formations occupy about 11% of all land. They concluded about 29 million km
3 of fresh water. The development of science contributes to the rational use of water resources of rivers and lakes, which are formed due to the melting of glaciers.
In addition, glaciology is the science of how to prevent natural disasters caused by changes in the behavior of glaciers. The practical side of the development of the doctrine also consists in keeping records of territories that are released as a result of the movement of glaciers in order to carry out economic activities.
Scientific institutes
To study the glaciers, a whole network of special institutions has been created today, which are available in Russia, the USA, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Great Britain, and other highly developed countries of the world. Since 1894, the International Glaciological Commission has been operating, which is engaged in the study of snow and ice.
In order to develop science, a number of stations have been organized, which are concentrated in the Polar Urals, Franz Josef Land, Altai, Novaya Zemlya, and in Northeast and Central Asia.
Important glaciological studies
The first serious expeditions aimed at exploring the largest glaciers in the world were organized between 1923 and 1933 by Soviet scientists. Observations were carried out in Central Asia, in the Urals, Novaya Zemlya. The purpose of the hikes was mainly to collect useful information about glacial formations.
An impressive impetus to the development of science was given by an expedition organized by the Soviet researcher G. A. Avsyuk in the period from 1950 to 1960. She was sent to observe the Tien Shan glaciers. As a result, scientists were able to establish the pace and patterns of permafrost movement.
In 1877, the world community decided to organize a special aerospace service, which should monitor the melting of snow and ice in various areas of the planet. The purpose of its creation was the formation of data on processes that lead to replenishment of fresh water reserves on Earth. For the first time such observations were made by the crew of the Salyut-6 space station. The studies were visual in nature. Scientists managed to collect the bulk of valuable data through the use of 12x and 6x binoculars. Pictures of the earth's surface, which were carried out from an altitude of about 350 km, made it possible to obtain a whole host of high-quality images, with which it was possible to perform fairly accurate measurements.
In 2012, domestic glaciologists who worked in Antarctica succeeded in successfully drilling an ice cap, the thickness of which was about 4 km. Scientists have gained access to the waters of a prehistoric ice lake. The study of a unique ecosystem that has been forming over several million years has revealed microorganisms previously unknown to science. The discovery was important for the development of not only glaciology, but also the field of space research. Its unexpected results suggested that such biologically active broths are present not only under the ice cap of the Earth, but also on other planets, as well as their satellites.