| Term: | Basal lubrication |
| Definition: |
Reduction of friction at the base of an ice sheet or glacier due to lubrication by meltwater. This can allow the glacier or ice sheet to slide over its base. Meltwater may be produced by pressureinduced melting, friction or geothermal heat, or surface melt may drain to the base through holes in the ice. IPCC2013
GCW |