Calving for Dummies

Calving is a word that is often used in the context of glaciers or ice sheets. When a glacier or ice sheet "calves," it means that a large piece of it breaks off and falls into the surrounding water, such as a bay or the ocean. Imagine a giant block of ice, like an iceberg, breaking away from the edge of a glacier and plunging into the water below. That moment when the ice breaks off and falls is what we call "calving."

Think of it like a big piece of cake that breaks off from the rest of the cake when you cut it. When that piece falls away, that's similar to what happens when a glacier calves. It's like nature's way of shedding a big piece of ice.

Another way to understand calving is by thinking of it as a natural process of the glacier or ice sheet. Just like how our skin sheds dead cells, glaciers calve to get rid of excess weight or pressure. This helps them maintain their balance and flow.

So, in simple terms, "calving" refers to the process when a large piece of ice breaks off from a glacier or ice sheet and falls into the water. It's like nature's way of shedding extra ice, kind of like when a tree sheds leaves in the fall. And just like how we need to maintain balance in our lives, glaciers need to maintain their balance too, and calving is a part of that process.