Glacier dynamics: Using velocity and temperature profiles to understand climate fluctuations

From glaciers, scientists can understand modern climate in the context of paleoclimate and develop tools to make sound predictions about the future health of glaciers that serve as important water or power sources. Because glaciers are complex dynamical systems, they are challenging to study, but particular topics are enlightening for understanding the general dynamics of glaciers. Topics in this paper include mechanics of materials, glacier anatomy, flow on the atomic and glacier scale, glacier temperature profiles, the formation of crevasses and mass balance. The Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia serves as a case example, because this glacier has experienced a negative mass balance over the past 70 years and therefore gives opportunity to discuss the glacier dynamics and the implications to human populations of a melting glacier