Glaciers play an important role in replenishing all the rivers of the world. 16 million sq. km - such is their total area, this is about 11% of the entire land. They contain huge reserves of fresh water. There are a huge number of them in Russia, with an area of about 60 thousand square meters. km. Glaciers in Russia are divided into two types, according to the method of their formation:
- Integuments. This is the vast majority of all glacial systems in the country. These include the ice of Franz Josef Land, Novaya Zemlya, Severnaya Zemlya and other Arctic islands. The average thickness on the islands in the Arctic Ocean is from 100 to 300 meters. They store huge reserves of fresh water.
- Mountain glaciers of Russia. Their share in the total area is only 5%. These are glacial accumulations of the mountain ranges of the Caucasus, the Urals, Kamchatka. For their formation, two conditions must be met: negative air temperatures and a large amount of precipitation. Often, if it often rains in the mountains, then they are accompanied by warm weather.
Glacier diversity
There are a lot of classifications of glaciers, including mountain glaciers. What varieties of them can be found in our country?
- Snow spots. Accumulation of snow in gentle valleys and slopes.
- Glaciersstepped slopes. Snow mass gathers at the shady foot of the mountain and feeds on avalanches.
- Hanging glaciers. They are located on steep slopes, as if hanging over it. They are small in size, but they are dangerous, as they can break down.
- Kar glaciers. Snow masses in chair-shaped valleys, with a steep back wall.
- Glaciers of volcanic peaks. Occupy the tops of the mountains.
- Stone glaciers. They have a common beginning - the top of the ridge, but the stakes are in opposite directions from it.
- Norwegian type. This type of glaciers is transitional from mountain to cover. Ice caps of plateau-like peaks spread downwards. Having reached the edge, they go down in separate pockets.
- Valleys are located in mountain valleys.
Mountain glaciers in Russia do not remain the same in area. Some shrink, others grow, and there are those that change their position as they move. What are the largest glaciers in Russia? The list of the 5 largest multi-year ice mountain systems is as follows.
Caucasus
This is the largest accumulation center of mountain glaciers. On the Russian part of the Caucasus Range, i.e. on its northern slope, huge masses are concentrated, with a total area of 1400 sq. km. This is more than 2000 glaciers. They are mostly small in size, up to 1 sq. km in diameter. The largest glacier in Russia is the Mount Elbrus complex in Kabardino-Balkaria, with an area of over 120 sq. km. Another large snowy peak in the Caucasus is the top of the extinct Kazbek volcano. This is where more than 60% ofall the ices of the Caucasus. A feature is their alpine character. The Russian part of the snowy peaks of the Greater Caucasus is located on its northern slope; it is smoother and more extended, in contrast to the Southern one. Here, more than 70% of the ice of the Greater Caucasus. The southern slope is steep and steep, it has 30% of the snows of the Caucasus Mountains. The glaciation of this ridge is important for feeding the rivers that originate here. These are tributaries of the Kuban River - Belaya, Zelenchuk, Laba - and the Terek River - Ardon, Urukh, Baksan. The glaciers of the Caucasus Mountains are retreating and their area is shrinking. Although this decrease is insignificant, the feeding of the rivers suffers from it. Over a century, the level of the snow line has risen by 70-75 cm. Sometimes there is a short-term advance of ice in some areas.
Altai
In second place in the list of the largest mountain glaciers in the country are the snows of Altai. Here, in the south of Siberia, there are about 1,500 hearths, which occupy an area of more than 900 square meters. km. The largest glaciations are on the Katunsky, South-Chuysky and North-Chuysky ridges. Large masses are concentrated on Mount Belukha, where the great Altai river Katun and its tributaries originate. These places have become the most favorite and popular among climbers throughout Altai. Here is the Akkem glacier. Some believe that he has a special energy, and charges his visitors with it. Another snowy peak of Altai is Aktru. The mountain is famous for its enormous temperature difference. In summer there is unbearable heat, and in winter - severe cold. For this, Aktru is considered a local cold point. The temperature here drops to minus62ºС. But even despite such difficult climatic conditions, there are a lot of people who want to see these glaciers in Russia. Pictures of their landscapes are simply mesmerizing.
Kamchatka
Modern glaciation of the peninsula is significant. The snow masses here are larger than in the Caucasus. There are about 450 of them, with a total area of over 900 square meters. km. Their main concentration is on the Sredinny Ridge and the Klyuchevskaya group. Russia's glaciers in Kamchatka have an interesting feature. They are classified as so-called caldera, because of the method of formation. They are formed in calderas and craters of volcanoes and hills, of which there are a huge number on the peninsula. In Kamchatka, the warm season is short, and the snow that falls on the tops of the hills does not have time to melt. Another feature of the Kamchatka snows is their low location. Glaciers descend from the peaks to a height of 1600 meters. Volcanic eruptions are of great importance in the life of snows. During the eruption, glaciers actively melt and fill the rivers with melt water.
Koryak Range
It is also called the Koryak Highlands. Located in the Far East, it captures the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug and the Kamchatka Territory. The total number of glaciers here is 1330, and their area is more than 250 sq. km. The Koryak highland consists of short ridges and ridges that stretch from the northeast to the southwest. Russian glaciers in the Far East are elongated, up to 4 km long. They are located very low, much lower than the snow line, at the level of 700-1000 meters. This isdue to climatic conditions and the proximity of the cold sea. Another glacier in Russia is Ice Mountain - its highest point is at 2562 meters.
Suntar Khayat Mountains
These Russian glaciers are located on the territory of Yakutia and the Khabarovsk Territory. There are 208 of them here, with a total area of over 200 square kilometers. The ridge stretched for 450 km, and its highest point - Mount Cape Khaya - at a level of almost 3000 meters. In addition to mountain glaciers, there are about 800 sq. km tyrynov. This is the name of a large perennial icing, which is formed when groundwater freezes.
The thickness of such ice is usually about 8 meters. Suntar-Khayata is the watershed of such large Siberian rivers as the Indigirka, Aldan, and the rivers of the Sea of Okhotsk basin.
