snow worm

an oligochaete worm that lives on temperate glaciers or perennial snow; there are several species that range in color from yellowish-brown to reddish-brown or black; they are usually less than 1 millimeter (0.04 inch) in diameter and average about 3 millimeters (0.1 inch) in length; some feed off red algae.

slush zone

common near the snow line on a relatively flat portion of a glacier where melting snow forms slush.


a mixture of snow and grease ice.


the bonding together of ice crystals.


an isolated block of ice that is formed where the glacier surface is fractured.

rock glacier



sedimentary ogives

alternating bands of light and dark at the firn limit of a glacier; the light bands are usually young and lightest at the highest level up-glacier, becoming increasingly older and darker as they progress down-glacier.

rock flour


retreating glacier





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