The word "calving" refers to the process of a large chunk or mass of ice breaking off from a glacier or ice shelf and falling into the ocean. Full definition
A new study has found that the massive Laurentide ice sheet that covered Canada during the last ice age initially began shrinking through calving of icebergs, and then abruptly shifted into a new regime where melting on the continent took precedence, ultimately leading to the sheet's demise. (sciencedaily.com)
Historic photos and maps (from the 1800's to present) indicate a long term retreat of ice calving fronts on Greenland's glaciers. (dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com)
«If an ice shelf loses contact with the ice rise, either through sustained thinning or a large iceberg calving event, it can prompt a significant acceleration in ice speed, and possibly further destabilisation. (sciencedaily.com)