1a. Glaciated landscapes as systems

Question 1

Inputs

Answer 1

• snow
• solar radiation
• kinetic energy
• material from weathering

Question 2

Outputs

Answer 2

• meltwater (from sublimation)
• glacial/wind erosion
• evaporation / sublimation

Question 3

Processes (which consist of stores)

Answer 3

All forms of glacial movement
- deposition
- glacial & wind erosion
- movement downslope

Question 4

Stores

Answer 4

• ice
• meltwater
• deposits of material

Question 5

What is an example of negative feedback in a glacial system?

Answer 5

When the glacier is no longer at equilibrium so the system produces its own response to the disturbances (dynamic equilibrium)

Question 6

What is a landform?

Answer 6

• Individual feature
• created by glacial erosion, deposition, fluvial-glacial activity or activity within periglacial

Question 7

What is a landscape?

Answer 7

Made up of landforms

Question 8

When was the Pleistocene period?

Answer 8

2.6 million years ago to 12,000 years ago

Question 9

What are glacials and interglacials during the Pleistocene period?

Answer 9

• Glacials - colder periods (more ice cover)
• Inter-glacials - warmer periods (less ice cover)

Question 10

Ablation

Answer 10

reducing of glacier by melting, sublimation or calving

Question 11

Accumulation

Answer 11

addition to glacier by snowfall

Question 12

Calving

Answer 12

detachment of icebergs from the glacier into water

Question 13

Glacial retreat

Answer 13

shrinking of the glacier (due to negative mass balance)

Question 14

Glacial advance

Answer 14

forward movement of glacier (due to positive mass balance)

Question 15

What is glacier mass balance/glacial budget?

Answer 15

Difference between the total accumulation and ablation that occurs over a 1 year period

Question 16

What is the accumulation zone?

Answer 16

• where majority of inputs occur in upper part of glacier
• where accumulation exceeds ablation

Question 17

What is the ablation zone?

Answer 17

• where majority of outputs occur in lower part of glacier
• where ablation exceeds accumulation

Question 18

What is the equilibrium line?

Answer 18

The point at which there is a balance of accumulation and ablation between the two zones

Question 19

How do you calculate the annual budget of a glacier?

Answer 19

total accumulation - total ablation
+ figure = glacial advance, equilibrium line will move down the valley
- figure = glacial retreats up valley

Question 20

What happens when input > output?

Answer 20

glacier advances, moves down valley

Question 21

What happens when input < output?

Answer 21

glacier retreats, moves up valley

Question 22

Glacial budget graph

Answer 22

-