Before proceeding to know the meaning of the term thaw, let's discover its etymological origin. In this case, we can state that it is a word that derives from Latin. Exactly it is the result of the sum of two different parts:
-The prefix «des-«, which indicates «negation» or the reversal of the action.
-The noun "gelum", which can be translated as "ice".
The process and result of deicing is known as deicing . The verb defrost, for its part, can be used in a literal or symbolic sense with reference to causing something to stop being frozen (very cold or frozen).
For example: "The increase in global temperature is causing the glaciers to melt" , "The former president worked hard to achieve the thawing of diplomatic relations between both countries" , "The flow of this river increases in the summer due to the thaw» .
Thawing is a natural process that develops in certain regions when, due to the change of season, the temperature begins to rise. In this way, the ice and snow that usually accumulates in certain places melts and the resulting water increases the flow of rivers, lakes, streams, etc. In some cases, melting ice can even cause flooding.
Beyond natural issues, human actions also influence the thaw. The ozone hole that causes the greenhouse effect and generates global warming , caused by the use of fossil fuels, deforestation and other factors, contributes to accelerating melting and generating it in places where it did not occur before.
The so-called climate change is causing rapid melting in some corners of the planet. This happens, for example, in the Arctic, which has seen it increase by 30% since the beginning of the 20th century.
The melting ice in that specific area of the world is having the consequences that sea level has risen 19 centimeters since 1901, that there has been a 2º increase in the average global temperature and that the thickness of the Arctic ice has decreased by 40% in the last three decades.
Likewise, in the future it is established that this thaw will also bring with it a notable increase in the possibilities of suffering powerful storms and floods as well as heat waves.
Furthermore, we cannot forget that there are several films that address the issue of thaw in their own way, as their titles show. Among those is, for example, "Terror Under the Snow (Thaw)", which was released in 2009 and is directed by Mark A. Lewis.
It is a co-production between Canada and the United States and tells the story of an expedition in the Arctic that discovers a parasite hidden since Prehistory.
Another use of the notion of thaw is figurative. Two countries facing a border dispute can break diplomatic ties and stop having contact at an official level. However, years later, the presidents of both nations decide to resume dialogue to overcome the confrontation. In this situation, analysts can refer to the thaw of relations .