Tab. 1: Glaciological Glossary 
Term 
Definition 
Reference 
transient snowline 
Border line between the previous winter's 
snow and exposed parts of the glacier at any time 
0STREM, 
1974, p. 166 
annual snowline 
Highest transient snowline at the end of 
melting season 
HAEFNER, 
1990 
melting curve 
Average elevation of transient snowline in 
function of time 
LAAGER, 
1987, p. 69 
fim 
Material in the intermediate step of transfor- 
formation - wetted snow that has survived 
one summer without being transformed to ice 
PATTERSON, 
1981, p. 5/6 
fimline 
Boundary between fim and ice on the glacier 
surface at the end of the melting season 
PATTERSON, 
1981, p. 8 
equilibrium line 
Boundary between the accumulation and the 
ablation subsystem, where ablation equals 
accumulation in a balance year 
SUGDEN& 
JOHN, 
1984, p. 36 
ELA equilibrium 
line altitude 
Elevation of the equilibrium line - variations 
from year to year can be used as an indicator 
of variations in net balance 
PATERSON, 
1981, p. 53 
AAR accumulation 
area ratio 
The accumulation area at the end of summer 
divided by the area of the whole glacier 
PATERSON, 
1981, p. 53 
mass balance 
Change in mass (expressed as equivalent 
volume of water) per unit area relative to 
the previous summer surface - 
input/output relationship of ice, fim and snow 
PATERSON, 
1981, p. 44 
SUGDEN & 
JOHN, 
1984, p. 35 
net balance 
Mass balance at the end of the balance year 
PATERSON, 
1981, p. 44 
balance year 
The interval between two successive minima 
(minimum thickness of a glacier, marked by 
the summer surface, in late summer); 
its length will not be exactly 365 days 
PATERSON, 
1981, p. 43