glaciated landscapes and change

Question 1

what are glacials

Answer 1

cold, ice house periods within the pleistocene

Question 2

what are interglacials

Answer 2

warmer periods similar to the present, ie greenhouse periods

Question 3

what are ice house conditions

Answer 3

very cold glacial conditions

Question 4

what are greenhouse conditions

Answer 4

much warmer interglacial conditions

Question 5

what was the pleistocene

Answer 5

a geological period from about 2 million years ago to 11,700 years ago, the early part of the qaurtenary which incuded the most recent ice age

Question 6

how has ice core research in greenland and antarctia provided a record of the climate over the last 800,000 years

Answer 6

air bubbles trapped in the ice contain atmospheric carbon dioxide and the ice preserves a record of oxygen isotopes

Question 7

how does carbon dioxide concentration in ice cores show different glacial/interglacial periods

Answer 7

there are low concentrations of carbon dioxide during glacial periods
higher levels of carbon dioxide during interglacials

Question 8

how long ago did the quarternary period start

Answer 8

2 million years ago

Question 9

how did recent theories suggest tectonics created suitable conditions to start the pleistocene

Answer 9

by positioning antarcitca as an isolated continent at the south pole

Question 10

what is the holocene intergalciaL

Answer 10

period we now live in
climatically similar to previous interglacials
noted for growth of human civilisation, agriculture development and industrialisation

Question 11

what are stadials and interstadials

Answer 11

short-term fluctuations within ice-house-greenhouse conditions;stadials are colder periods that lead to ice re-advances

Question 12

what are the different types of cold environments

Answer 12

polar
alpine
glaciers
periglacial

Question 13

what is a polar environment

Answer 13

glacial environmenyts that are found in the high latitudes of the antarctic and arctic
they are charachterised by extremely low temperatures (average annually -30to -40) and low levels of precipitation.

Question 14

what is an alpine environment

Answer 14

glacial environments are found at high altitudes in mountain ranges in the mid-low latitudes e.g. European Alps, the Himalayas and Andes. They are characterised by high levels of precipitation and a wide temperature range with frequent freeze-thaw cycles.

Question 15

what is a polar cold environment

Answer 15

slow moving bodies of ice in valleys which shape the landscape in both polar and alpine environments

Question 16

what is a periglacial environment

Answer 16

these environments do not feature glaciers, but are usually found next to glacial areas
they are charachterised by permafrost and occur in high latitude or high altitude areas where seasopnal temperatures vary above and below freezing point
eg siberia, alaska and northern canada

Question 17

what are eons

Answer 17

the longest span of geological time; eras are the second longest