iskapper

Iskapper is the Danish term for ice caps, referring to large, dome-shaped masses of ice that cover underlying terrain and flow outward from their central region. In glaciology, iskappe denotes an ice body smaller than an ice sheet, typically covering a continental area or a broad mountainous region. The word is formed from the Danish roots is (ice) and kappe (cap), and is commonly used in Danish-language geography and climate literature to describe these features and their dynamics.

Iskapper differ from glaciers in geographic scale and behavior. While a glacier can form in a valley or on a slope, an iskappe spreads over a substantial area and often forms a more or less continuous ice cover over the landscape. In English-language contexts the corresponding term is usually "ice cap" or "ice caps." The Danish terminology helps distinguish between different glaciated forms within regional scientific and educational discussions.

In climate-change discussions, iskapper are noted for their responses to warming temperatures, including thinning and retreat that can contribute to sea-level rise and alterations in regional hydrology and albedo. Danish researchers use satellite data, field measurements, and other remote-sensing methods to monitor ice-cap extent, mass balance, and surface velocity. The concept of iskappe thus anchors both regional glaciology and broader conversations about climate impacts. See also Ice cap, Glaciology, Climate change.