Glaciation Flashcards
Neve
Granular snow consisting of low density ice crystals
Sensible Heat
The amount of heat energy that occurs when an object is heated
Sublimation
The transition of ice to water vapour without the liquid stage
Accumulation
The natural addition of snow or ice to a glacier
Ablation
The natural removal of snow or ice from a glacier
Accumulation Zone
The area of net gain in a glacier
Ablation Zone
The area of net loss in a glacier
Paleoclimatic
Climatic conditions in the geological past reconstructed from data sources
Pleistocene Era
The first Epoch of the Quaternary Period
Altitude
The height of land in relation to sea level
Latitude
The distance North or South of the equator
Permafrost
Areas of permanently frozen ground
Thermohaline System
Part of the ocean circulation caused by different water densities due to salinity and temperature
Ice Lenses
Formed when moisture, diffused with soil or rock accumulates
Soil
Any loose material at the surface of the Earth capable of supporting life
Cryohydration
Individual particles in the soil are split as a result of the freezing and contracting of water on the surface of the mineral particle.
Glacial Period
A time period when ice masses develop and advance to lower altitudes, characterised by a sustained decline in temperature and the formation of continental ice sheets
Interglacial Period
A time period when ice cover retreats to the polar regions (current Period)
Crevasses
A deep fissure or fracture in the glacier
Basal Sliding
Large scale movement of ice as a result of subglacial meltwater
Pressure Melting Point
The temperature at which ice under pressure melts (can be below freezing)
Seracs
Streep faults in the surface of the glacier