| Term: | Hanging glacier |
| Definition: |
A glacier that terminates at or near the top of a cliff. NSIDCCryosphere
A glacier that originates high on the wall of a glacier valley and descends only part of the way to the surface of the main glacier. Avalanching and icefalls are the mechanisms for ice and snow transfer to the valley floor below. A glacier, usually small, that clings to a steep slope, or a glacier that terminates abruptly at the top of a cliff. IHPGlacierMassBalance A glacier that spills out from a high-level cirque or clings to a steep mountainside. Swisseduc A glacier lying above a cliff or steep mountainside. As the glacier advances, its calving can cause ice avalanches. AMSglossary GCW |