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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
Pressure melting point
The temperature at which the ice is in the verge of melting because some ice is warmer
26
Internal flow
The movement within the glacier as a result of gravity. | Crevasses may develop
27
Basal flow/slippage
As the glacier moves over the bedrock there is friction and pressure which causes melting meaning the ice flows more rapidly
28
Regelation slip
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
Creep
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
Extensional(extending flow)
When gradient becomes steeper and ice accelerates. Becomes thinner and stretched Causing crevasses
31
Compressional flow
When gradient is reduced and ice becomes thicker and slower | Crevasses close
32
Rotational flow
Between the two zones of extensional and compressional flow. The ice moves in a curved/rotating manner. Occurs within a corrie
33
Lateral moraine
Formed from debris fallen from the SIDES of the valley and transported along the EDGE of the GLACIER
34
Medial moraine
Formed where two glaciers meet. May be where the lateral moraine of both glaciers meets towards the middle of the main glacier
35
Terminal / end moraine
High mound/ series of mounds of debris that extends across a valley. Marks furthest point reached by the ice
36
Recessional moraine
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
Push moraine
When the glacier advances again and pushes against previously deposited terminal moraine. It becomes shunted up into a mound
38
What is supraglacial debris
Material carried on the surface of the glacier
39
What is englacial debris
Carried within the ice
40
What is subglacial debris
Carried beneath the ice, material may have started in surface and fallen down a crevasse
41
What is till (Boulder clay)
Material deposited directly by the ice and is generally unsorted
42
Two types of till
Lodgement till | Ablation till
43
What's lodgement till (forms drumlins)
Subglacial material deposited by moving glacier
44
What is ablation till
Produced at snout when ice melts but is not carried by meltwater
45
What is fluvioglacial material
Sediments deposited by meltwater streams and are usually sorted. Finer material is carried furthest by meltwaters
46
Features of glacial deposition
All moraines | Drumlins and erratics
47
Fluvioglacial deposits
``` Kames Kame terraces Kame deltas Eskers Kettle holes Braided streams Varves Outwash plains(sandur) ```
48
What are erratics
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
Fluvioglacial landforms
``` Outwash plains(sandur) Eskers Kames (terrace,delta,crevasse) Braided streams Kettle holes Varves ```
50
What are periglacial areas
Not actually glaciated experience a very cold climate with intense frost action and development of permafrost. Often near ice sheets
51
Continuous permafrost
Found in regions such as Arctic. Little thawing even in summer so all the ground is frozen deeply ( 700m+)
52
Discontinuous permafrost
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
Sporadic permafrost
Permafrost only occurs in isolated spots when temperatures are around or just below freezing point
54
Fragile environment
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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