Feeling the Effects of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment.

Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) is the Earth's adjustment to the shift in mass due to melting ice sheets, which results in horizontal and vertical motion over the entire surface of the Earth. The Earth has been gradually adjusting since the last glacial maximum, around 22,000 yr ago. Areas with significant current post glacial adjustment include Fennoscandia, (Norway, Finland, and Sweden) Canada, Northern Europe, Patagonia, and Antarctica. By studying GIA, scientist are able to collect data on the viscosity of the mantle, the thickness of the lithosphere, the change in mass of ice sheets, as well as estimate sea-level trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]