ablation

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The loss of snow and ice from a glacier by melting and evaporation. It is the opposite of accumulation.

Ablation is most significant near the snout (foot or end) of a glacier, since temperatures tend to be higher at lower altitudes. The rate of ablation also varies according to the time of year, being greatest during the summer. If total ablation exceeds total accumulation for a particular glacier, then the glacier will retreat.

Yellow and the diamond shape represent Brazil's mineral wealth. The motto Ordem e Progresso means ‘Order and Progress’. Green stands for the vast forests. Effective date: 15 November 1889. >>