Different Glacial Environments

There are 3 different types of glacial environments:

1) Polar
2) Periglacial
3) Mountain

1. Polar Climates

- Typically cold and dry all year
- High variations in precipitation rates
- High katabatic winds (Katabatic winds are cold mountain winds-the dense air flows down from the mountains to the lowlands chilling the ground as it passes over
- Found in a high pressure belt means that there is sinking air and therefore the air has a limited moisture holding capacity meaning there is unreliable and sparse rainfall
- Albedo (80-90%) reflection of insolation (e.g Greenland)

E.g Antartica 

2. Periglacial Climates

- Have significant cover of snow and ice but not all year round 
- Found in areas of high altitude and latitude 
- Large seasonal temperature ranges (winter=below -50°C, Summer=above 20°C)
- Low precipitation rates because of the low air temperature meaning a limited moisture holding capacity
- Located within a high pressure system and next to a glacial environment and is influenced by them.

-Reasons these areas are cold:

1) High latitude: they receive low insolation due to the curviture of the Earth.

2) High altitude: temperature declines on average 1°C per 100m
                        gained, also the moisture holding capacity is reduced.

3) Albedo: Areas that reflect solar radiation (only absorb 10-20%)

3. Mountain Climates

- They are cool they lose about 1°C per 100m gained
- They are wet due to orographic rainfall (Rain that is produced as air is forced to rise over high ground such as a mountain barrier, it subsequently cools. Condensation occurs and precipitation is produced)
- The air also thins the higher you get.