distribution, time periods and ice cover Flashcards
what is the cryosphere?
why is it important?
what’s it’s role in classification?
• The cryosphere refers to the frozen water part of the Earth system, including glaciers, ice caps, sea ice, and permafrost.
• It’s important because it helps regulate the Earth’s climate by reflecting sunlight (albedo) , influencing ocean circulation, and providing habitat for various species.
• changes in the cryosphere, eg melting ice, leads to rising sea levels making it a key player in understanding climate change.
• it classifies ice masses by size and location eg glacier, ice fields , ice caps
what’s the pleistocene epoch?
what did it end with?
• an epoch that began around 2.6 million years ago and ended around 11,700 years ago, characterized with repeated glacial cycles
• it ended with the last Ice Age,
what’s an epoch?
• a geological period of time, that is shorter than a period and longer than an age.
what epoch do scientists think we’re in and why?
• the anthropocene
• Scientists think we’re in the Anthropocene because human activities have significantly impacted the Earth’s geology, ecosystems, and climate change
• this is due to greenhouse gas emissions, widespread deforestation, pollution, and the extinction of species.
what’s the holocene epoch?
• the current epoch that began around 11,700 years ago, after the last major ice age.
what’s the quaternary period?
how is it divided in terms of epochs?
• it is the most recent geological period, starting around 2.6 million years ago and continuing to the present day.
• it has two epochs; Pleistocene and the Holocene
what are ice sheets?
where are the found?
• they are thick layers of ice that cover large areas of land and are typically found in polar regions.
• The two remaining ice sheets on Earth is in Antarctica and Greenland
what are ice caps ?
• they are moderate sized chunks of ice sheets that are typically found in polar regions or high mountain areas.
• they are smaller than ice sheets and only cover some parts of the land
what’s an ice shelf?
where are they typically found
• a thick floating platform of ice that forms where a glacier or ice sheet flows onto the ocean surface.
• typically found in polar regions, i.e Antarctica and Greenland.
what’s an ice field?
• a large area of interconnected glaciers that covers a significant amount of land.
• smaller than an ice sheet and typically found in mountainous areas
what are valley glaciers?
what features do they create?
• a type of glacier that forms in a mountainous area , is confined to the valley walls and flows down through a valley, under the influence of gravity
• , valley glaciers carve out U-shaped valleys, cirques and create moraine
what is a glacial period?
• a time of cooler global temperatures, where ice advances.
what’s an interglacial period?
• An interglacial is a time of warmer global temperatures that occurs between glacial periods, allowing ice to retreat.
what’s a stadial ?
• a period of cooler climatic conditions within a glacial, leading to the advancement of glaciers and ice sheets.
what’s an interstadial?
• a short period of warmer climatic conditions that happens during glacials leading to the retreat of glaciers and ice sheets.
