glaciares

Glaciares, in Spanish, refers to glaciers—large, persistent masses of ice that form over many years from the accumulation, compaction, and recrystallization of snow. Glaciers originate in regions where snowfall exceeds ablation for long periods, typically in high mountain terrain or polar areas. Once formed, they move slowly under their own weight, sculpting valleys, fjords, and moraines as they flow.

Glaciers are categorized by morphology and flow. Valley glaciers occupy mountain valleys; ice caps and ice sheets cover extensive areas; cirque (or corrie) glaciers reside in bowl-shaped hollows; piedmont glaciers spread beyond their valleys when they emerge onto flatter ground; tidewater glaciers terminate in the sea and calve to form icebergs. They are dynamic systems that respond to climate, gaining mass through snowfall and losing it through melting, sublimation, and calving. Basal sliding and crevassing enable movement, and surface features such as seracs and crevasses are common.

Glaciers are key components of the global hydrological cycle, storing substantial freshwater and releasing meltwater that sustains rivers. They are sensitive indicators of climate change; many have retreated and thinned in recent decades due to warming, contributing to sea-level rise. In addition to climate impacts, they influence ecosystems, water resources, and hazard patterns such as glacial lake outburst floods. Protected areas, such as Los Glaciares National Park in Argentina, preserve several glaciers and serve as sites for research and tourism.