Columbia Glacier from Prince William Sound

The Columbia Glacier is a glacier in College Fjord the U.S. state of Alaska. It is one of several glaciers in the area named for elite U.S. colleges, in this case Columbia University. One of the fastest moving glaciers in North America, it is however one of the most rapidly retreating glaciers. Since the 1970's, the velocity of the ice near its terminus has quadrupled to 24 meters or so per day. However, this is almost cancelled out by the rapid loss of ice at the terminus. Since 1982, the ice has retreated 14km and has thinned considerably. Scientists believe that this is not due to global warming because other glaciers in the area are not retreating as fast. The Chugach Mountains of southern Alaska are the northernmost of the several mountain ranges that make up the Coast Ranges of the western edge of North America. ... Prince William Sound, on the south coast of Alaska. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... Fljótsdalur in East-Iceland A valley is a landform, which can range from a few square miles (square kilometers) to hundreds or even thousands of square miles (square kilometers) in area. ... Prince William Sound, on the south coast of Alaska. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... College Fjord is a fjord located in the northern sector of Prince William Sound, Alaska. ... A state of the United States (a U.S. state) is any one of the fifty states (four of which officially favor the term commonwealth) which, along with the District of Columbia, form the United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Area  Ranked 1st  - Total 663,267 sq mi (1,717,854 km²)  - Width 808 miles (1,300 km)  - Length 1,479 miles (2,380 km)  - % water 13. ... Columbia University is a private university whose main campus lies in the Morningside Heights neighborhood of the Borough of Manhattan in New York City. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... The acronym ICE can refer to: InterCity Express, a German high-speed train InterCity Express (CityTrain), an interurban train used by QR CityTrain in South East Queensland, Australia Internal combustion engine, a fuel engine In-circuit emulator, a computer hardware device In case of emergency, emergency number in mobile phones... Terminus can refer to: Terminal station, a bus or rail station acting as an end destination Terminus (mythology), a Roman god Jupiter (god) (also known by this name) Atlanta, Georgia, which was originally called Terminus Terminus (planet), the home planet of the Foundation in Isaac Asimovs Foundation series Terminus... The acronym ICE can refer to: InterCity Express, a German high-speed train InterCity Express (CityTrain), an interurban train used by QR CityTrain in South East Queensland, Australia Internal combustion engine, a fuel engine In-circuit emulator, a computer hardware device In case of emergency, emergency number in mobile phones... Terminus can refer to: Terminal station, a bus or rail station acting as an end destination Terminus (mythology), a Roman god Jupiter (god) (also known by this name) Atlanta, Georgia, which was originally called Terminus Terminus (planet), the home planet of the Foundation in Isaac Asimovs Foundation series Terminus... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... km redirects here. ... Global mean surface temperatures 1856 to 2005 Mean surface temperature anomalies during the period 1995 to 2004 with respect to the average temperatures from 1940 to 1980 Global warming is the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earths atmosphere and oceans in recent decades. ... A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ...

The bulk of the glacier's three mile wide terminus is hidden under the surface of the Prince William Sound. The icebergs there are recognised as a shipping hazard in the area. A glacier is a large, long-lasting river of ice that is formed on land and moves in response to gravity. ... Prince William Sound, on the south coast of Alaska. ... An iceberg (berg is the German word for mountain) is a large piece of ice that has broken off from a glacier or ice shelf and is floating in open water. ... Hazard is a term used in evaluating safety: A hazard is a potential unwanted event. ...

The Alaska Marine Highway vessel M/V Columbia is named after the Columbia Glacier. The Alaska Marine Highway System is the state-run Alaskan ferry system that has been operating year-round since 1963. ... The M/V Columbia is a mainline ferry vessel for the Alaska Marine Highway System. ...

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Columbia Glacier, Alaska

• Columbia Icefield