An ice field (also spelled icefield) is a mass of interconnected valley glaciers (also called mountain glaciers or alpine glaciers) on a mountain mass with protruding rock ridges or summits.[1] They are often found in the colder climates and higher altitudes of the world where there is sufficient precipitation for them to form. The higher peaks of the underlying mountain rock that protrude through the icefields are known as nunataks. Ice fields are larger than alpine glaciers, but smaller than ice caps and ice sheets. The topography of ice fields is determined by the shape of the surrounding landforms, while ice caps have their own forms overriding underlying shapes.
- ^ H., Strahler, Alan (2013). Introducing physical geography. Wiley. p. 606. ISBN 978-1-118-39620-9. OCLC 816479914.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)