jäätikköpeitteitä

Jäätikköpeite is the Finnish term for an ice sheet. An ice sheet is a vast expanse of glacial ice covering a landmass. Currently, the only two ice sheets on Earth are the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Greenland Ice Sheet. These massive bodies of ice can be thousands of meters thick and cover millions of square kilometers.

The formation of ice sheets begins with snowfall accumulating over long periods, eventually compacting under its own weight into ice. As more snow falls, the ice thickens and spreads outwards under its own gravitational pressure. These immense ice masses significantly influence global climate and sea levels. Their presence affects ocean currents, weather patterns, and the Earth's albedo (reflectivity).

The melting of ice sheets is a major contributor to global sea-level rise. Scientists monitor their thickness and movement to understand the impacts of climate change. Historical ice sheets, like the Laurentide Ice Sheet that covered much of North America during the last glacial period, have shaped landscapes through erosion and deposition, leaving behind features such as moraines, eskers, and drumlins. The study of ice cores drilled from ice sheets provides invaluable data about past climate conditions and atmospheric composition.