Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Ice shelf
An ice shelf is a large, floating sheet of ice with an extensive level or slightly undulating surface, and which is connected to and fed by glaciers, ice flows or ice caps.
An ice shelf is a large, floating sheet of ice with an extensive level or slightly undulating surface, and which is connected to and fed by glaciers, ice flows or ice caps. Ice shelves extend at least 2 metres above sea level on average and are usually between 200 and 1,000 metres thick. They are often broad (horizontally) and may partially rest on bedrock. Their seaward edge is called the (ice) front. Read more about types of sea ice here.
