Nature
Bering Glacier in southern Alaska, fed by the Bagley Icefield and ending in Vitus Lake near the Gulf of Alaska, is part of the largest glacier system in North America. Named for explorer Vitus Bering, it has been dramatically reshaped by warmer temperatures and changing precipitation over the past century. The glacier has thinned by several thousand meters and, since 1900, its terminus has retreated by as much as 12 kilometers, despite periodic surges about every 20 years, including one in the winter of 1994–95. Its retreat sends major freshwater flow into the gulf and may also affect local earthquake activity through glacial isostatic adjustment.
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Cordova, Alaska · United States
