11 Magnificent Wonders Of The Ice World

December 4, 2012

[i][b]1. Blue River, Greenland[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yTYsbebgXsg/UK__2gK0cwI/AAAAAAAAM-c/Rg3GR1HRxI0/s1600/gZPRv.jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7j8KEvaJuso/ULAB_v9puCI/AAAAAAAAM-k/p-JVp8ztwO4/s1600/Amazing_Blue_River_08.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]This river is a kayaking heaven in Greenland. The melting [/size][/font][/color][i][b]Petermann Glacier[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] fill up the low lying areas with stunning blue water.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]The filling pattern changes seasonally causing the river to change its shape. The vibrant blue color comes from [/size][/font][/color][i][b]glacial silt[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3].[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]2. Glacier Waterfalls in Svalbard, Norway[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y7YZvt7IglA/ULO3-2oTpXI/AAAAAAAANBg/Okxskz87U0o/s1600/POLAR+QUEST+SVALBARD+icy+waterfalls+Adrian+Nordenborg.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--Jh_6fr2T_0/ULOuk02A0WI/AAAAAAAANBQ/N5DzLg12MIs/s1600/4786671903_b33316ea55_b.jpg[/img]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Svalbard, which means "cold coasts", is an archipelago in the Arctic, constituting the northernmost part of Norway as well as of Europe. It is located about 400 miles (650 km) north of mainland Europe, midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Despite being so close to the North Pole, Svalbard is comparatively warm, thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream, which makes it habitable. In fact, Svalbard is the northernmost permanently inhabited region on the planet.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]3. Crystal Cave, Iceland[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKWY2ZQN8c8/UK9dX2rcquI/AAAAAAAAMts/xyZu1yp_JhY/s1600/5396434721_ab66d016a7_b.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[i][b][img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jwQHPFKzLHs/UK9d4g48yiI/AAAAAAAAMt0/wipQ2cE88y4/s1600/6569199259_476ea8beb1_o.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]This cave in the glacier ice is the result of glacial mill, or Moulin where rain and melt water on the glacier surface are channeled into streams that enter the glacier at crevices. The waterfall melts a hole into the glacier while the ponded water drains towards lower elevations by forming long ice caves with an outlet at the terminus of the glacier.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]4. Briksdal Glacier, Norway[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3lVPRZ9sVUU/ULOc_zXC2kI/AAAAAAAANAo/HefJhu8DVYY/s1600/katt_147briksdalsbreen+(2).jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QZDg94Ty_SA/ULOgtDBI2zI/AAAAAAAANA4/x9nssdjzm2w/s1600/4423919897_fcbed16e17_b.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_BldAp3lTM0/ULOho_jOidI/AAAAAAAANBA/PioEn5eNFn8/s1600/467057901_f9f0086b32_b.jpg[/img]

[i][b]Briksdalsbreen[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] or Briksdal glacier is one of the most accessible and best known arms of the Jostedalsbreen glacier. It is located in Norway and is part of Jostedalsbreen National Park. Briksdalsbreen terminates in a small glacial lake, Briksdalsbrevatnet, which lies 346 metres (1,135 ft) above sea level.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Visitors from all over the world come to see the beautiful Briksdalsbreen glacier outlet, so beautifully situated amid waterfalls and high peaks.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]5. Birthday Canyon, Greenland[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JiJ6pU4qKPM/UK9C_a8gHFI/AAAAAAAAMl0/M0JaxGeBLxk/s1600/ice-canyon-greenland+(1).jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PStNgqGkJME/UK9Gv4riNfI/AAAAAAAAMnw/QN7gFQjv4U4/s1600/PLF7K+(1).jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b]Birthday Canyon[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3], carved by meltwater, is 150 feet (45 m) deep. This photo was taken in 2008. Along the edge of the canyon, lines on the wall show the stratigraphic layers of ice and snow laid down over the years.[/size][/font][/color]

[b][i]6. Elephant-Foot Glacier, Greenland[/i][/b]
[b][i][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LavbpXsYipE/UK9MpM_wU4I/AAAAAAAAMps/bHQWOYBBqJo/s1600/Glacier2_p.jpg[/img][/i][/b]
[b][i][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gJjPMWYHNAk/UK_Eanb_7SI/AAAAAAAAM0Y/AARdlBQzIA4/s1600/groenland-3.jpg[/img][/i][/b]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]The Arctic [/size][/font][/color][i][b]Elephant-Foot Glacier[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] found in northern Greenland. The grey zone at low elevation on the glacier is the ablation zone incised by meltwater channels, clearly separated from the white surface accumulation zone higher up.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]7. Frozen Wave, Antarctica[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RNfQ7sFXids/UK-tgVEoRrI/AAAAAAAAMwI/-CQVFXTUGqM/s1600/frozen-wave-large3.jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--R8-ruQAvhE/UK-1X1YgGVI/AAAAAAAAMyU/T-qs48iw31A/s1600/frozen-wave-large1.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]This unique frozen wave is located in Antarctica. It was discovered by american scientist [/size][/font][/color][i][b]Tony Travouillon[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] in 2007.[/size][/font][/color]
[i][b]Blue ice[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] is created as the ice is compressed and trapped air bubbles are squeezed out. The ice looks blue because, when light passes through thick ice, blue light is transmitted back out but red light is absorbed.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]8. Striped Icebergs, Southern Ocean[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AxGzi3LTHL0/UK_CYoM1jII/AAAAAAAAM0Q/mPuOVFb1g3I/s1600/2701199485_28a0c70a3c_o.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[i][b][img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-00vTfT4shDA/UK_HSNKaWuI/AAAAAAAAM2c/PtFYd6dRYOw/s1600/jade_iceberg.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Most often icebergs have blue and green stripes, but may be brown. This phenomenon often occurs in the Southern Ocean. Striped icebergs with multiple color bands, including yellow, brown, black and blue, are quite common in the cold waters around Antarctica. Icebergs are formed when large chunks of ice break off from the ice shelf and fall into the sea.[/size][/font][/color]
[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Because glaciers are composed of snow falling on Antarctica for millennia, the ice is made up of fresh water. Thus it turns out that the floating fresh ice interacts with salt water. Sea water is in contact with supercooled glacier also freezes, as if covering it with a crust. [/size][/font][/color][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]This top layer of ice formed from sea water contains organic matter and minerals. Lapped by the waves, and blown by the wind, icebergs can be painted with amazing color bands of different shapes and textures.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]9. Ice Towers of Mount Erebus, Antarctica[/b][/i]

[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z9LGcF0ua5A/UK_3peqeseI/AAAAAAAAM8U/cmDcu6OYAA4/s1600/tumblr_m4sq2dFGOP1r4itgfo1_1280.jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ezIn9Go4_o/UK_4OilcpFI/AAAAAAAAM8c/pcY5scLme8g/s1600/erebus_4+(1).jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Hundreds of ice towers stud the flanks of 12,500ft. (3.800 m) high [/size][/font][/color][i][b]Mount Erebus[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3] like day-old stubble on the face of a giant. The constantly active volcano is perhaps the only place in Antarctica where fire and ice meet, mingle and create something unique encompassing both their natures.[/size][/font][/color]

[i][b]10. The Fang in Vail - Frozen Waterfall, USA[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mQiGvH9bp4Y/ULS7K5wKJWI/AAAAAAAANCI/s3teLADwM2Y/s1600/FangPano_mr+(1).jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]The Fang is a waterfall located near the town of Vail, [/size][/font][/color][i][b]Colorado[/b][/i][color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]. The enormous ice pillar forms from this waterfall only on exceptionally cold winters, and when it does the column can measure up to 50 meters (165 ft) high and has been known to have a base measuring 8 meters (26 ft) wide[/size][/font][/color]

December 4, 2012

[i][b]11. Penitentes, Chile & Argentina[/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-taxn_mFyrPg/ULSu7AjQcYI/AAAAAAAANBw/d1k2D05Zexs/s1600/penitentes_aconcagua.jpg[/img][/b][/i]
[i][b][img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m3kGURX8FDU/ULSvoT00spI/AAAAAAAANB4/DK3iBuTpfYA/s1600/7j122.jpg[/img][/b][/i]

[color=#000000][font=Verdana, sans-serif][size=3]Penitentes are amazing ice spikes formed naturally on plains at high altitudes areas especially on the Andes Ranges which are located more than 4000 meters (13,000 ft) above sea level. These ice pinnacles called penitentes attain varying heights from a few centimeters resembling grass lands to even 5 meters (17 ft) giving an impression of an ice forest. Their blades stand pointing towards the sun. When ice starts to melt in the early sunrays they slowly and steadily appear.[/size][/font][/color]