The rate of flow is about 2 meters per day but this rate varies considerably depending on many factors. It has a huge influence on shaping the land via a special type of erosion and deposition. Valley Glaciers form in mountainous regions and are sometimes called alpine glaciers. They flow downhill following mountain valleys. The other type is called a Continental Glacier.
Continental glaciers are usually much larger and more slowly moving than valley glaciers.
These glaciers can cover most of a continent. Studying the gas that is trapped within glacial ice provides information about the earth's climatic past. Studying the rate at which glaciers are melting or advancing are a good indicator of possible global climate changes such as global warming. Glaciers are also responsible for creating much of the landforms we have Wisconsin. Terminology Describing a Glacier Ablation is the general process by which a glacier loses ice mass either by melting, breaking apart, sublimation, or even wind eroson.