no 
ALASKA GLACIERS 
The general drift of the suggestion may be illustrated 
by considering some of the more evident consequences of 
an assumed change in the temperature of the water of the 
Gulf of Alaska. Let us assume that the water becomes 
warmer, and that all other factors affecting glaciation 
remain unchanged. The consequences would include: 
1. A higher temperature for the air currents flowing 
from the gulf to the land. 
2. A greater contrast in temperature between the coastal 
belt and the interior of Alaska, especially in winter. 
3. Greater evaporation from the ocean and a higher 
humidity for the landward-flowing air — resulting from 1. 
4. Greater precipitation on the mountains, especially in 
winter — resulting from 2 and 3. 
5. A shorter annual period in which precipitation takes 
the form of snow — resulting from 1. 
6. A (probably) lower ratio of snow to rain — resulting 
from 5, qualified by 4. 
7. A higher snow-line. 
8. More rapid waste of ice and snow by evaporation 
and melting—resulting from 1, 5 and 7. 
Of these consequences, the increase of precipitation 
would tend to enlarge glaciers, while the lessened ratio of 
snow precipitation and the enhanced wasting would tend 
to reduce them. 
Evidently a lowering of the temperature of the gulf 
water would be followed by the reverse consequences. 
If the hypothetic rise of ocean temperature were carried 
to an extreme, the snow-line would be driven above the 
mountain tops and the glaciers would disappear. If the 
hypothetic fall of ocean temperature were carried to an 
extreme, so as to abolish the contrast between sea and 
land temperatures, the southern coast of Alaska would be 
reduced to the condition of the western coast, and glaciers 
would disappear from all but the highest mountains. 
