Previous posts were focusing on the geomorphological changes occurring on environments near the glaciers. Here I decided to change of subject by concentrating on factors that control the glaciers to melt such as microbes. Many people don't know actually why glaciers melt so that's why I decided to show you this video:
Black ice absorbs heat, increasing ice melt
As everyone knows already, ice is usually bright in colour (white). Bright colours reflect sunlight back in space. However, due to rising temperature caused by Climate Change, microbes found their way into the glaciers, and make the ice to become dark and full of dust.
But where does the black ice come from?
The black ice is a mix of dust and microbes. Microbes are especially important in controlling the colour of the ice. As they grow they capture dust and accumulate it in certain areas of the glacier, making it darker.
Cylindric holes as evidence for ice melting
Those are formed by the accumulation of dark colour sediments, bacteria and organic matter that makes the ice melt faster. These features can expand really deep in the glacier and create lake under the surface, making it a favourable habitat for life to develop and be protected from the upper cold environment.
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