| Term: | Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) |
| Definition: |
A change of glacier surface elevation due to vertical motion of the glacier bed under the influence of mass redistribution in the underlying solid Earth. Present-day mass redistribution in the Earth's interior is dominated by continuing adjustment to the redistribution of surface water at the end of the most recent ice age. Corrections are also required for vertical motions of tectonic origin in some regions, such as the Karakoram. IHPGlacierMassBalance
The deformation of the Earth and its gravity field due to the response of the earth-ocean system to changes in ice and associated water loads. It is sometimes referred to as glacio-hydro isostasy. It includes vertical and horizontal deformations of the Earth's surface and changes in geoid due to the redistribution of mass during the ice-ocean mass exchange. IPCC2013 GCW |