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AS Geography key words > Cold Environments > Flashcards

Cold Environments Flashcards

1
Q

Altitude

A

The height above sea level

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2
Q

Cold environments

A

Icy landscapes found in high latitudes and high altitudes

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3
Q

Glacial periods

A

Times when temperature has dropped significantly

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4
Q

Glaciers

A

Masses of ice which are continually changing

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5
Q

Ice caps

A

A dome shaped mass of ice

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6
Q

Ice sheets

A

Ice covering an area the size of a continent

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7
Q

Interglacials

A

Times when temperatures are warmer extended periods of time

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8
Q

Interstadials

A

Short and temporary period of warming during a glacial.

But not long enough to be a proper interglacial

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9
Q

Latitude

A

The angular distance north or south from the equator of a point on the earths surface

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10
Q

Periglacial areas

A

Areas Not permanently covered in ice

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11
Q

Permafrost

A

Permanently frozen ground which remains below 0 for two years or more
-key characteristic of periglacial areas

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12
Q

Tundra

A

Areas of the world which have permafrost and long cold winters so little vegetation growth

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13
Q

Stadials

A

Colder periods which for a short time cause advances in the ice masses

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14
Q

Ablation

A

The loss of ice from a glacier through melting

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15
Q

Accumulation

A

The net gain in ice mass to form glaciers

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16
Q

Calving

A

When a mass of ice breaks away from a glacier or sheet creating an ice berg

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17
Q

Firn/equilibrium

A

The dividing line between the accumulation zone and zone of ablation.
The boundary where gains and looses are equal

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18
Q

Glacial budget/net balance

A

Difference between total accumulation and total ablation for the whole of the glacier over 1 yr

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19
Q

Glacial advance

A

When accumulation is greater than ablation + the snout moves down the valley

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20
Q

Glacial retreat

A

When ablation is is greater than accumulation and the glacier moves up the valley

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21
Q

Glacier mass

A

Masses of ice that are continually changing/ moving

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22
Q

Steady state

A

When the amount of accumulation and ablation are equal

23
Q

Sublimation

A

The process of ice changing directly from a solid to a vapour

24
Q

Alpine areas

A

High altitude areas within mountain ranges where glaciers and small ice caps can be found

25
Q

Pressure melting point

A

The temperature at which the ice is in the verge of melting because some ice is warmer

26
Q

Internal flow

A

The movement within the glacier as a result of gravity.

Crevasses may develop

27
Q

Basal flow/slippage

A

As the glacier moves over the bedrock there is friction and pressure which causes melting meaning the ice flows more rapidly

28
Q

Regelation slip

A

Occurs when a glacier meets a small obstacle
As the glacier moves over an obstacle there is is pressure on one side-leads to melting causing ice to slip over obstacle.
Once over the obstacle the meltwater refrezes

29
Q

Creep

A

Occurs when stress builds up within the glacier causing the glacier to become more plastic and flow.
Tends to occur when glacier meets a large obstacle and results in the glacier creeping or flowing around the obstacle

30
Q

Extensional(extending flow)

A

When gradient becomes steeper and ice accelerates.
Becomes thinner and stretched
Causing crevasses

31
Q

Compressional flow

A

When gradient is reduced and ice becomes thicker and slower

Crevasses close

32
Q

Rotational flow

A

Between the two zones of extensional and compressional flow.
The ice moves in a curved/rotating manner.
Occurs within a corrie

33
Q

Lateral moraine

A

Formed from debris fallen from the SIDES of the valley and transported along the EDGE of the GLACIER

34
Q

Medial moraine

A

Formed where two glaciers meet. May be where the lateral moraine of both glaciers meets towards the middle of the main glacier

35
Q

Terminal / end moraine

A

High mound/ series of mounds of debris that extends across a valley. Marks furthest point reached by the ice

36
Q

Recessional moraine

A

Often parallel to terminal moraine.Forms when glacier retreats and halts for a time. Each one marks where it halted long enough for deposition to occur.

37
Q

Push moraine

A

When the glacier advances again and pushes against previously deposited terminal moraine. It becomes shunted up into a mound

38
Q

What is supraglacial debris

A

Material carried on the surface of the glacier

39
Q

What is englacial debris

A

Carried within the ice

40
Q

What is subglacial debris

A

Carried beneath the ice, material may have started in surface and fallen down a crevasse

41
Q

What is till (Boulder clay)

A

Material deposited directly by the ice and is generally unsorted

42
Q

Two types of till

A

Lodgement till

Ablation till

43
Q

What’s lodgement till (forms drumlins)

A

Subglacial material deposited by moving glacier

44
Q

What is ablation till

A

Produced at snout when ice melts but is not carried by meltwater

45
Q

What is fluvioglacial material

A

Sediments deposited by meltwater streams and are usually sorted. Finer material is carried furthest by meltwaters

46
Q

Features of glacial deposition

A

All moraines

Drumlins and erratics

47
Q

Fluvioglacial deposits

A 
Kames 
Kame terraces
Kame deltas 
Eskers
Kettle holes
Braided streams 
Varves
Outwash plains(sandur)
48
Q

What are erratics

A

Fragments of glacial debris that have been carried by glacial ice before being deposited. They are “rocks in the wrong place” as their geology doesn’t match surrounding rock

49
Q

Fluvioglacial landforms

A 
Outwash plains(sandur)
Eskers
Kames (terrace,delta,crevasse)
Braided streams 
Kettle holes
Varves
50
Q

What are periglacial areas

A

Not actually glaciated experience a very cold climate with intense frost action and development of permafrost.
Often near ice sheets

51
Q

Continuous permafrost

A

Found in regions such as Arctic. Little thawing even in summer so all the ground is frozen deeply ( 700m+)

52
Q

Discontinuous permafrost

A

Found in slightly warmer regions where freezing conditions don’t penetrate as far. There are breaks in permafrost around rivers lakes and seas.deeper active layer

53
Q

Sporadic permafrost

A

Permafrost only occurs in isolated spots when temperatures are around or just below freezing point

54
Q

Fragile environment

A

Susceptible to damage and where the impact is long lasting due to inability of area to recover quickly

AS Geography key words (9 decks)

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