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Global Education  /  Global Issues  /  Polar regions  /  Glossary

International Polar Year glossary

Global warming
An increase in average global temperatures caused by natural events and human activities
Greenhouse effect
The warming process of the earth, where some of the sun’s energy is trapped by greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour and fluorocarbons) rather than being reflected back to space. This may be the result of natural events such as volcanic action, and is enhanced by human actions such as deforestation and burning of fossil fuels
Iceberg
A huge piece of floating ice that has broken off from a glacier or ice shelf, most of which is below the water
Ice sheet
A large area of ice that covers the land
Ice shelf
The ice floating in the sea at the edge of an ice sheet
Polar regions
Those areas inside the arctic or Antarctic Circle defined by latitude 66° 33´ north or south

 
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Last Modified : Thursday, 07 February 2008