ice cap
Noun: A permanent covering of ice and snow over a large land area, such as a polar region or a high mountain peak. An ice cap is smaller than an ice sheet but shares the characteristic of being a persistent, dome-shaped glacier that flows outward under its own weight.
The term "ice cap" is used to describe a specific type of perennial ice mass. It is typically used in geographical, environmental, and climatic contexts. * The ice cap on Mount Kilimanjaro is shrinking due to climate change. * Scientists are studying the dynamics of the polar ice cap. * The expedition aimed to cross the vast ice cap.
- Satellite imagery shows the steady retreat of the Arctic ice cap.
- Despite the summer sun, the mountain's ice cap remains intact.
- The survival of certain species depends on the stability of the ice cap.
- "Ice cap climate": A climate classification (EF in the Köppen system) where the average temperature of every month is below freezing, supporting permanent ice.
- The interior of Greenland has an ice cap climate.
- The term is often used in discussions about global warming and sea-level rise, referring to the melting of major ice caps.
- Ice sheet (n): A much larger, continental-scale expanse of glacial ice (e.g., the Antarctic ice sheet). An ice cap is generally considered smaller than an ice sheet.
- Glacier (n): A more general term for a persistent body of dense ice that is constantly moving. Ice caps are a type of glacier.
- Ice field (n): An extensive area of interconnected glaciers, often found in mountainous regions, which may feed into an ice cap.
- Ice mass
- Polar cap (specifically for polar regions)
- Dome glacier
The core meaning refers to a permanent, land-based ice cover. It is distinct from: * Sea ice: Frozen ocean water, which is not land-based. * Ice shelf: A floating platform of ice formed where a glacier or ice sheet flows onto the ocean.
- a mass of ice and snow that permanently covers a large area of land (e.g., the polar regions or a mountain peak)