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Glaciers in sunny California? Many people will be surprised to learn that there are several hundred in this state, ranging in size from the impressive Whitney Glacier on Mt. Shasta and the Palisade Glacier in the Sierra Nevada to tiny glacierets. While California's glaciers are small compared to those in the northern Rockies or the European Alps, each one is interesting and some are suitable for exploring. Also of note is the fact that Ice Age glaciers carved California's most spectacular mountain scenery—the High Sierra was glaciated several times and glacial landforms are prominent features of the Sierran landscape today. Bill Guyton summarizes the history of the discovery of Ice Age glaciation and modern-day glaciers in California, as well as the development of modern ideas about the state's glacial history. He describes the controversy about the origin of Yosemite Valley and quotes from the colorful accounts of early mountain explorers such as John Muir, Josiah Whitney, and François Matthes. His book provides a primer on glaciers and glacial landforms, a glossary of technical terms, helpful illustrations, and a 100-mile Sierra field trip guide for readers who want to see glaciers and glacial features for themselves. Glaciers of California will make any visit to the mountains more interesting, whether one is carrying a camera, crampons, or a fishing pole.
"This book gives all California mountain lovers another reason to head for the hills. Guyton explains in layman's terms the subtle differences between glaciers, glacierets, and permanent snowfields . . . and takes us on a superlative 'glacier tour' of Yosemite National Park. This is a great addition to the mountain literature of the Golden State."--Steve Roper, author of Sierra High Route "Geologist Bill Guyton explains clearly how glaciers work, how they form and move and what they do to the landscape. With excellent illustrations . . . this book is an eye-opener."--Mary Hill, author of Geology of the Sierra Nevada "Guyton brings alive the ancient courses of glaciers into modern pathways for understanding. He transforms today's icy relics on the shadowed heights of the Golden State into crystalline visions of a very different past--and perhaps future--when global cooling reigned over the highlands."--Galen Rowell, photographer, author of Poles Apart
There are about 100 glaciers in California and little more than 400 smaller glacier remnants. Most are found in the Sierra Nevada though the largest are around Mount Shasta. Most will be gone in the lifetime of people who read this book, some remaining around Shasta for perhaps a generation.
Discussing the ways that scientists have observed and modeled glaciers, this volume tells how climate change is altering their size and distribution, and looks closely at their effect on human life. Glaciers are important water and energy sources for those living in mountains and adjacent lowlands, as well as increase the hazards of flooding and landslides. In addition to investigating these issues and considering an array of possible responses, the contributors assess the cultural and spiritual impact of glacier retreat in this timely, comprehensive work on one of the most urgent and conspicuous consequences of global warming.
Numerous small alpine glaciers occupy the high elevation regions of the central and southern Siena Nevada, California. These glaciers change size in response to variations in climate and are therefore important indicators of climate change. An inventory based on USGS topographic maps (l :24,000) revealed 1719 glaciers and perennial snow and ice features for a total area of 39.l5 ±7.52 km2. The number of 'true' glaciers, versus non-moving ice, is estimated to be 118, covering 15.87 ± 1.69 Km2. All glaciers were located on north to northeast aspects, at elevations >3000 m. Historical photographs, geologic evidence, and field mapping were used to determine the magnitude of area loss over the past century at 14 glaciers. These glaciers decreased in area by 31% to 78%, averaging 55%. The rate of area change was determined for multiple time periods for a subset of seven glaciers. Rapid retreat occurred over the first half of the twentieth century beginning in the 1920s in response to warm/dry conditions and continued through the mid-1970s. Recession ceased during the early 1980s, when some glaciers advanced. Since the 1980s each of the seven study glaciers resumed retreat. The uniform timing of changes in area amongst study glaciers suggests a response to regional climate, while the magnitude of change is influenced by local topographic effects. Glacier area changes correlate with changes in spring and summer air temperatures. Winter precipitation is statistically unrelated to changes in glacier area. Headwall cliffs above the glaciers alter the glacier responses by reducing incoming shortwave radiation and enhancing snow accumulation via avalanching.
Famed naturalist John Muir (1838-1914) came to Wisconsin as a boy and studied at the University of Wisconsin. He first came to California in 1868 and devoted six years to the study of the Yosemite Valley. After work in Nevada, Utah, and Colorado, he returned to California in 1880 and made the state his home. One of the heroes of America’s conservation movement, Muir deserves much of the credit for making the Yosemite Valley a protected national park and for alerting Americans to the need to protect this and other natural wonders. The mountains of California (1894) is his book length tribute to the beauties of the Sierras. He recounts not only his own journeys by foot through the mountains, glaciers, forests, and valleys, but also the geological and natural history of the region, ranging from the history of glaciers, the patterns of tree growth, and the daily life of animals and insects. While Yosemite naturally receives great attention, Muir also expounds on less well known beauty spots.
Tide gauges show that global sea level has risen about 7 inches during the 20th century, and recent satellite data show that the rate of sea-level rise is accelerating. As Earth warms, sea levels are rising mainly because ocean water expands as it warms; and water from melting glaciers and ice sheets is flowing into the ocean. Sea-level rise poses enormous risks to the valuable infrastructure, development, and wetlands that line much of the 1,600 mile shoreline of California, Oregon, and Washington. As those states seek to incorporate projections of sea-level rise into coastal planning, they asked the National Research Council to make independent projections of sea-level rise along their coasts for the years 2030, 2050, and 2100, taking into account regional factors that affect sea level. Sea-Level Rise for the Coasts of California, Oregon, and Washington: Past, Present, and Future explains that sea level along the U.S. west coast is affected by a number of factors. These include: climate patterns such as the El Niño, effects from the melting of modern and ancient ice sheets, and geologic processes, such as plate tectonics. Regional projections for California, Oregon, and Washington show a sharp distinction at Cape Mendocino in northern California. South of that point, sea-level rise is expected to be very close to global projections. However, projections are lower north of Cape Mendocino because the land is being pushed upward as the ocean plate moves under the continental plate along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. However, an earthquake magnitude 8 or larger, which occurs in the region every few hundred to 1,000 years, would cause the land to drop and sea level to suddenly rise.