Harrison Glacier
Encyclopedia
Harrison Glacier is located in the U.S. state
of Montana
in Glacier National Park. Situated on a southeast facing ridge immediately south of Mount Jackson
, Harrison Glacier is the largest glacier in Glacier National Park and was estimated in 2010 to have an area of 466 acre (1.9 km²). Though many experts have stated that all the glaciers in Glacier National Park may disappear by the year 2030, Harrison Glacier lost only 9 percent of its surface area in the 40 year period between 1966 and 2005 and will likely still exist well beyond 2030. Compared to many of the vanishing glaciers in Glacier National Park, Harrison Glacier has a much higher altitude accumulation zone
(approximately 9000 feet (2,743.2 m)) which has allowed it to maintain some equilibrium in its glacier mass balance
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
in Glacier National Park. Situated on a southeast facing ridge immediately south of Mount Jackson
Mount Jackson (Montana)
Mount Jackson is located in the Lewis Range, Glacier National Park in the U.S. state of Montana. Mount Jackson is the fourth tallest mountain in Glacier National Park and it is situated on the Continental Divide. Both the mountain and its namesake Jackson Glacier are easily seen from the...
, Harrison Glacier is the largest glacier in Glacier National Park and was estimated in 2010 to have an area of 466 acre (1.9 km²). Though many experts have stated that all the glaciers in Glacier National Park may disappear by the year 2030, Harrison Glacier lost only 9 percent of its surface area in the 40 year period between 1966 and 2005 and will likely still exist well beyond 2030. Compared to many of the vanishing glaciers in Glacier National Park, Harrison Glacier has a much higher altitude accumulation zone
Accumulation zone
On a glacier, the accumulation zone is the area above the firn line, where snowfall accumulates and exceeds the losses from ablation, . The annual Glacier equilibrium line separates the accumulation and ablation zone annually...
(approximately 9000 feet (2,743.2 m)) which has allowed it to maintain some equilibrium in its glacier mass balance
Glacier mass balance
Crucial to the survival of a glacier is its mass balance, the difference between accumulation and ablation . Climate change may cause variations in both temperature and snowfall, causing changes in mass balance. Changes in mass balance control a glacier's long term behavior and is the most...
.
See also
- List of glaciers in the United States
- Glaciers in Glacier National Park (U.S.)Glaciers in Glacier National Park (U.S.)There are at least 35 named glaciers in Glacier National Park . In 1850, Glacier had 150 glaciers. There are 25 active glaciers remaining in the park today. Since the ice ages stopped 10,000 years ago, there have been many slight climate shifts causing periods of glacier growth or melt-back...