Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Geog May > Glacial Systems and Landscapes Definitions > Flashcards

Glacial Systems and Landscapes Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Ablation

A

The loss of mass from the glacier, e.g. meltwater, avalanches, sublimation, evaporation.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Abrasion

A

Small rocks within the base of the glacier rub against the bedrock.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Accumulation

A

The addition of mass to the glacier, usually as snow.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Active layer

A

The top layer of soil above permafrost, which thaws annually in summer.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Alpine regions

A

Areas of low temperature in high altitude, mountainous regions.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Arêtes

A

A ridge formed between two corries.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Basal ice melting

A

The weight of a temperate glacier causes meltwater, which will then erode the
bedrock through fluvial erosion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Basal Sliding

A

Glaciers sliding over bedrock, due to meltwater between the two surfaces.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Blockfields

A

Rock-strewn landscape caused by extensive frost action.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Cold based glaciers/ Polar glaciers

A

The glacier’s temperature remains below zero

degrees, so the base of the glacier remains frozen and moves very little.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Compressional flow

A

Ice builds up and thickens due to friction as a glacier travels upwards along
a shallow gradient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Corries

A

A round hollow in the side of a hill, widened from an initial smaller hollow by a glacier
within the hollow.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Crushing

A

The weight of the glacier causes fracturing in the bedrock.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Drumlins

A

When a glacier hits an obstacle that cannot be eroded, deposition from underneath the
glacier builds up behind the obstacle.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Environmental fragility

A

An environment is vulnerable or at risk, with low resilience or ability to
adapt to changes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Erratics

A

Boulders transported and deposited by a glacier. The type of rock that forms the erratic
will usually differ from the rock types in the surrounding landscape.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Esker

A

A long, winding ridge of glacial deposition.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Extensional flow

A

Ice thins out, creating crevasses, due to an increase in the glacier’s velocity
down a shallow gradient.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Fluvial erosion

A

Water within the glacier erodes the base of the glacier over time through:
hydraulic action, attrition, corrosion.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Frost heave

A

The freezing and expansion of water beneath the ground, resulting in floor uplift.

21
Q

Glacial budget

A

The difference between accumulation and ablation for a glacier

22
Q

Glacial period

A

A period of time of colder average global temperatures causing the growth of ice
cover, glacial advances and sea levels to fall.

23
Q

Glacial through

A

A U-shaped valley formed from a v-shaped river valley that becomes filled and
eroded over time by a glacier.

24
Q

Hanging valley

A

A valley with a wall at one end, due to the glacier that filled the valley previously
being low energy.

25
Q

Holocene epoch

A

Our current glacial period of limited ice cover, lasting over 10,000 years.

26
Q

Ice wedge

A

Water infiltrates small cracks in the permafrost and expands on freezing repeatedly.

27
Q

Interglacial period

A

A period of time of warmer average global temperatures, resulting in reduced
ice cover, glacial retreat and sea levels to rise.

28
Q

Glacial deformation

A

Glacial movement caused by the weight of the glacier above deforming the
ice.

29
Q

Kames

A

Piles of material, sorted due to the differing weight of sediment, left on the valley floor after
a glacier melts.

30
Q

Milankovitch cycles

A

Changes to the tilt and shape of the orbit will affect the average temperature
of the Earth.

31
Q

Meltwater channels

A

Streams of meltwater (melted glacier) formed by higher temperatures.

32
Q

Morraines

A

Deposits of eroded material that has been transported by a glacier. Moraines may be
lateral, medial, ground, recessional or terminal.

33
Q

Nivation

A

Erosional processes involving snow and ice.

34
Q

Orbital eccentricity

A

How far a planet’s orbit is from being a perfect circle.

35
Q

Outwash plain

A

Material is washed out and deposited due to large volumes of meltwater as a
glacier recedes.

36
Q

Patterned ground

A

Patterned ground is formed through the frost heave of stones in and
underneath the active layer

37
Q

Periglacial

A

Landscapes found at the edge of glacier, polar and alpine regions. Permafrost occurs,
with low precipitation and only highly adapted plant species survive.

38
Q

Permafrost

A

Permanently frozen soils for two or more consecutive years

39
Q

Pingos

A

A mound produced as ground is forced upwards through frost heave.

40
Q

Plucking

A

Rocks on the bedrock are frozen within the glacier. As the glacier moves, the rocks are
pulled from the bedrock and moved.

41
Q

Polar regions

A

Areas of maximum ice sheets and limited vegetation, located at high latitudes on
Earth.

42
Q

Roches moutonnées

A

Rock shaped by a glacier flowing over it and eroding it.

43
Q

Solifluction

A

The movement of waterlogged soil, trapped between the active layer and permafrost.

44
Q

Solifluction lobes

A

As the active layer thaws, soil falls down the hillside in tongue-shaped lobes.

45
Q

Terracettes

A

Ridges running parallel across a hillside, believed to be created by vegetation
trapping sediment falling loose down the hillside, created through frost heave.

46
Q

Thermokarst

A

Marshy, boggy wetlands caused when permafrost melts.

47
Q

Till plains

A

An ice sheet detaches from the main glacier and melts, releasing all loose till and
sediment across the bedrock.

48
Q

Warm based glacier/ Temperate glacier

A

Faster travelling glaciers due to basal

meltwater trapped underneath the glacier, acting as lubrication to allow the glacier to move.

Geog May (4 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions