In polar and alpine regions that are sufficiently cold, snowfall can persist from year to year and consequently can build up in layers. With time, the weight of the snow compresses the deeper snow layers to form solid ice, resulting in a sheet of ice and snow called a glacier.
Each layer of snow, which eventually becomes a layer of ice, carries with it some information about the environment and climate that existed when the snowfall occurred. By drilling down into glaciers and removing long cores of this layered ice and snow, scientists can better understand how Earth’s climate has changed over time. Read more
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