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Crevasse

Adapted from Wikipedia · Adventurer experience

A deep crack in the ice of Antarctica's Tangra Mountains, showing the powerful forces of nature that shape our planet.

A crevasse is a deep crack that forms in a glacier or ice sheet. These cracks happen because of how glaciers move and the pressure they feel. When two parts of a glacier move at different speeds, it can cause the ice to break and form a crevasse.

Crevasses are important to understand because they show us how glaciers move and change. They can be very deep and dangerous, especially for people traveling on ice. Scientists study crevasses to learn more about climate change and its effects on glaciers around the world.

Crevasses are not the same as a [crevice](/wiki/Crevice_(disambiguation), which is a smaller crack in rock or soil. The word "crevasse" can also mean a levee breach, but when talking about ice, it always refers to deep cracks in glaciers.

Description

A crevasse in Tangra Mountains, Antarctica

Crevasses are deep cracks that form in glaciers. They often have walls that stand straight up, and these walls can melt to create special shapes like seracs and arches. The size of a crevasse depends on how much liquid water is in the glacier. Some crevasses can be very deep and wide.

When water gets into a crevasse, it can make the crack go all the way through the glacier. This water connects the top of the glacier to the bottom. This can help make the glacier move faster. Water flowing down from the top, called moulins, can also help speed up the glacier’s movement.

Types

A man crosses a crevasse in Easton Glacier, Mount Baker, in the North Cascades, Washington.
  • Longitudinal crevasses form when a glacier widens and is pulled apart. They form parallel to the glacier's movement and usually curve downward.
  • Splaying crevasses appear along the edges of a glacier. They form from the glacier rubbing against its sides and curve upward.
  • Transverse crevasses are the most common type. They form where a glacier is stretched lengthwise and run across the glacier from one side to the other.

Dangers

The glacier Taschachferner below the Wildspitze (left, 3.768 m) in Tyrolia in Austria in April 2005. There are some zones with large open crevasses, e.g., the spot-shaped area below the middle of the image and most right. The line marks the ascent track of mountaineers on skis which intentionally avoided these dangerous areas.

A crevasse is a deep crack in a glacier. These cracks can be very deep, like the ones near Mount Everest. Falling into one can be very dangerous.

Sometimes, snow can cover a crevasse, making it hard to see. This can be risky for people walking on a glacier. Climbers can stay safer by using ropes and special knots.

Related articles

Glacier
Mount Everest

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Crevasse, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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