What is the meaning of the word "ice shelf"?
These structures are crucial for stabilizing glaciers and regulating sea levels, making them important in the study of climate change. The health and stability of ice shelves are key indicators of environmental shifts, particularly in the context of global warming.
Definitions:
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A large floating mass of glacial ice that extends from the coast and is attached to a landmass, typically found in Antarctica and Greenland. NOUN
- The Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica is one of the largest ice shelves in the world.
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A thick, floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice sheet flows down to a coastline and onto the ocean's surface. NOUN
- The collapse of the ice shelf led to an increase in the flow of glaciers into the ocean.