| Term: | Cirque glacier |
| Definition: |
A small glacier that forms within a cirque basin, generally high on the side of a mountain.
Glacier that resides in basins or amphitheaters near ridge crests; most cirque glaciers have a characteristic circular shape, with their width as wide or wider than their length. NSIDCCryosphere A glacier occupying a cirque. A cirque is a rounded recess with steep sides and back wall, formed on a mountainside by glacial erosion. Cirque is an Anglicized French word that has displaced the synonyms 'corrie' (from Scots Gaelic) and 'cwm' (from Welsh) of early glaciological usage. IHPGlacierMassBalance A glacier occupying a cirque. Swisseduc Small glacier lying wholly within a cirque, or topographic hollow, created by glacial excavation located high in mountainous areas. AMSglossary Small glacier that just occupies a cirque. PhysicalGeography A glacier which occupies a separate rounded recess which it has formed on a mountain side. SPRI GCW |