Colour Atlas of Glacial Phenomena

Considering that glaciers and ice sheets cover about 10% of the Earth’s land surface in a world where human civilization is increasingly impacted by the effects of changing glacial activity, Colour Atlas of Glacial Phenomena presents itself as an indispensable guide for students, professionals, and researchers who want to be better informed while studying and tracking the future influences of glaciers and ice sheets on the global environment. While stressing both the beauty and utility of glaciers, the authors cover critical features of glaciers and their landforms and provide useful explanations of the key concepts in glaciology and glacial geology. The authors expand to demonstrate how our lives are influenced by the Cryosphere, a key component of the Earth system and how this heightens the vulnerability of glaciers and ice sheets to deterioration. This illustrated book also helpfully maps out regions of mountain glaciers and ice caps around the world for a practical reference and discusses the products of glacial erosion and deposition integral to understanding rising global sea levels.

Table of Contents:
Foreword. Preface. Acknowledgments. About the Authors. Introduction to Glacial Phenomena. A-Z Atlas. Index.

About the Author :
Michael J. Hambrey is emeritus professor of glaciology and former director of the Centre for Glaciology in the Department of Geography & Earth Sciences, at Aberystwyth University, Wales, UK. He was also founding director of the Climate Change Consortium of Wales. His research interest includes glacial geology and structural glaciology. He has published more than 200 scientific papers and several books, including a university-level textbook Glacial Environments (1994), as well as the popular books Glaciers (2nd edn, 2004) and Gletscher der Welt (2013) with Jürg Alean, and Islands of the Arctic (2002) with Julian Dowdeswell. Mike has undertaken glaciological fieldwork in Norway, New Zealand, the Swiss Alps, the Andes, the Himalaya, the Canadian Arctic, Yukon, Alaska, Greenland, Svalbard and Antarctica. For his work in the polar regions, he has been awarded the ‘Polar Medal’ twice by Her Majesty the Queen (1989 and 2012). He has served on a number of UK national and international committees dealing with glacial and polar issues. Jürg Alean was formerly a teacher of geography at the Kantonsschule Zürcher Unterland in Bülach, Switzerland. He has undertaken extensive fieldwork in the Swiss Alps, the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and South America. His research has led to various scientific papers, in particular concerning dangerous glaciers and ice avalanches. He has also published many popular scientific articles and several books, for example, Gletscher der Alpen (2010) and Gletscher der Welt (2013). He is member of a team of volunteers maintaining ‘SwissEduc.ch’, a Web platform dedicated to providing teaching materials mainly for secondary education, and also hosting ‘Glaciers-online.net’, where both authors present a wide range of their photographic work on and around glaciers all over the world. Mike and Jürg’s book Glaciers (1st edn) earned the Earth Science Publishers (USA) Outstanding Publication Award in 1995.

Review :
"A beautifully illustrated and most comprehensive compendium of all things glacial, with a level of accessibility and clarity that will ensure it soon becomes the most consulted book in the collection of all who are interested in glaciers and their environments." —David J.A. Evans, Durham University, UK "This atlas depicts the beauty of ice in its numerous forms with stellar photographs and insightful explanations. Both authors have spent decades on ice during their expeditions in Polar and Alpine regions and collected a wealth of information and facts about glacial phenomena –this combination of talents is unique and there are simply no better experts describing ice features by photography. This atlas is not only of interest for students in the field of environmental sciences, earth science and more, but also for the interested naturalist and alpinist exploring the beauty of the alpine and polar extremes with open eyes and looking for explanations. Having spent the past forty years on expeditions in Polar Regions, I still appreciate depth of information given in this Atlas of Glacial Phenomena." —Konrad Steffen, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland "In putting together this collection of photographs of glacial phenomena, amassed over two long and distinguished careers, the authors provide a wonderful resource for scientists and students of glaciology and those in the wider public with an interest in the forces that shape our world. After even a casual glance at this book it would be impossible not to find oneself agreeing with the authors that glaciers are amongst the most beautiful and fascinating elements of nature. Glaciology is a rich and appealing subject and glaciers and their environments exhibit a strikingly beautiful and fascinating array of phenomena. For me it is a joy to see all these phenomena illustrated in one place with photographs of great quality that depict amongst the best examples in nature." —Darrel A. Swift, University of Sheffield, UK "The Colour Atlas of Glacial Phenomena contains a wealth of great photos, detail and explanation which will be of great interest to the public and professionals alike. First, the photos are fantastic. They are well considered and framed, and show the phenomenon clearly. Second, the devil details are evident in the photos, which, alongside the clear and simple explanations, give confidence that you too will be able to see similar features if they are present in your next visit to a glaciated environment, or one that has been deglaciated. Anyone with an interest in glaciology and physical geography will be fascinated by this atlas. It would be an odd person with these interests who would not find something of interest and fascination in the material, which draws on locations throughout the glaciated world, from the north to the south. This is a valuable contribution to the recognition of glaciological phenomenon in the field, and I am delighted to recommend it without reservation." —Martyn Tranter, Bristol Glaciology Centre, UK "The passion that Hambrey and Alean have for glacier photography clearly shines through in the unprecedented collection of photos they have gathered for this highly visual tour through the glaciological lexicon. This book is refreshingly heavy on photographs and light on text, yet I suspect it still contains factoids that even established glaciologists will find curious." —William Colgan, York University, Ontario, Canada "This is a most welcome volume to all those interested in glaciers. A unique aspect of this "atlas" is the more than 600 photographs and figures, which show essential features of glaciers and glacier-related phenomena from all over the world. Most of the photographs were taken by the authors. Drs. Michael J. Hambrey and Jürg Alean who belong to a handful of extensively traveled glaciologists. They have authored together and individually five widely read books and photo albums. This new book is the first of its kind, in which more than 600 scientific terms are explained and accompanied by magnificent and clear photographs. These photographs cover regions from the Arctic, through the Equator to the Antarctic. They were taken from space, from the ground and in the laboratory. This volume will be a valuable companion not only for students with limited access to glaciers, but also for experts in glaciology." — Atsumu Ohmura, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland "The authors, Hambrey and Alean, are known for their spectacular photography in previous books as well as those images made available on their website. In addition, they are recognized as being scientific experts in the field of glaciers, their processes and their deposits. This combination has enabled them to craft a book that is not only stunning to simply browse, but which is also authoritative in its scientific knowledge. The excellent examples of images they have selected build a creative learning experience for laypersons and scientists alike. The atlas should prove to be valuable for non-scientific members of the general public who are interested in the natural world and their surroundings, providing an understanding about landscapes in the high- to mid-latitudes and adding to their enjoyment while hiking through mountainous terrain. At the same time, it is a solid reference for the professional scientist and it more than likely will entice younger people interested in science, especially those now concerned about the effects of global warming on our world, into the field of glaciology and associated scientific disciplines. This atlas is recommended because it doubles as a beautiful "coffee-table" book and one that is a valuable reference companion for the bookshelf." — Ross Powell, Northern Illinois University, USA "… the book will be of value to all who seek to understand the character and function of landscapes in which glaciers exist today and have existed in the past – and also how those landscapes change as glaciers grow and decay over time. The book will be helpful to students seeking to understand the scientific literature of glaciology and glacial geology for the first time, but also to everyone who loves and is intrigued by the diversity of mountain and other glaciated landscapes." — Martin Sharp, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada "The book will be a valuable reference source for glaciologists, geographers, geologists, and their students, ensuring that terms are correctly used in this expanding field. It is recommended for academics and libraries." —Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, February 2017 "I thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the Colour Atlas of Glacial Phenomena, and I am sure I will be consulting it on a regular basis for a long time to come. It is an authoritatively written work, which is unlikely to require major updates any time soon … What’s not to like?" —The Holecene, June 2017