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Geology 102 > Glaciation > Flashcards

Glaciation Flashcards

1
Q

Theory of ice ages

A

Developed in 1837 by louis Agassiz
evidence for glaciation in regions with no glaciers
The present is the key to the past

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2
Q

What is a glacier

A

large, long lasting river of ice that forms on land, undergoes internal deformation, and creates glacial landforms

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3
Q

What are glaciers made of

A

compressed and recrystallized snow

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4
Q

Order these from most to least compacted: Neve, glacier ice, firn, and snowfall

A

glacier ice, firn, neve, snowfall

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5
Q

Do glaciers often carry large sediment loads

A

yes

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6
Q

Where do glaciers form

A

at high elevation, at high latitudes (near the poles of the earth),

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7
Q

Glaciers have a large range in what 2 characteristics

A

size and age

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8
Q

What are 5 terms to describe the zones of a glacier

A

Zone of accumulation, equilibrium line, crevasses, zone of wastage/ablation, terminus

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9
Q

Landforms: glaciers form on land, undergo internal __________, and create glacial landforms

A

deformation

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10
Q

Brittle vs ductile deformation: glaciers deform through _______ deformation at their surface and _______ deformation at depth

A

brittle
plastic

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11
Q

For bedrock erosion is their water under the glacier

A

yes

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12
Q

Is there water under the glacier for plucking and abrasion

A

no

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13
Q

What are the three different ways ice moves

A

basal sliding, internal flow, and faulting

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14
Q

When ice movement occurs, what is picked up from the base of the ice and transported up towards the surface

A

sediment

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15
Q

ice flows from _____ to ______ surfaces

A

high to low surfaces

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16
Q

ice flows from the zone of ________ to the zone of _________

A

accumulation
ablation

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17
Q

Define mass balance

A

relative rate of accumulation and wastage. how much is being melted at the zone of ablation and how much is accumulating at the zone of accumulation

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18
Q

Where would we find an alpine glacier

A

mountainous areas

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19
Q

What are continental glaciers

A

they cover large areas and are not confined to high elevations

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20
Q

What are two types of continental glaciers

A

Antarctic and greenland

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21
Q

What are the two principle types of glaciers

A

alpine glaciers and continental glaciers

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22
Q

Why is a glacier striation formed

A

when the glacier moves across a rock it scratches it

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23
Q

describe a cirque glaciers

A

accumulates in a bowl like shape in the mountains

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24
Q

describe a valley glacier

A

found in valleys, extending out from mountains

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25
Q

describe a piedmont glacier

A

form where valley glaciers spread out onto a flatter area in a larger valley or on a plain

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26
Q

describe temperate glaciers

A

glaciers hat are near their melting point and have meltwater coming off them year round

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27
Q

describe a polar glacier

A

ice in the glacier is frozen year round and ice loss is primarily from sublimation

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28
Q

what is sublimation

A

transformation of ice to gaseous water - without melting in between

29
Q

describe subpolar glaciers

A

They are between polar and temperature climate conditions and experience seasonal melting and water runoff

30
Q

describe an ice shelf

A

the ice from the glacier extends over a water body, water is able to flow underneath

31
Q

describe an outlet glacier

A

extends outward from continental glaciers or icecaps

32
Q

Does erosion from a glacier cause a V-shaped valley or u-shaped valley

A

u-shaped valley

33
Q

escribe a horn

A

erosion occurs when cirques surround the mountain and erode it

34
Q

describe a cirque and aretes

A

erosion feature that form a rocky ledge between the cirques

35
Q

describe a hanging valley

A

erosion feature that forms a little ledge and u-shaped valley between mountains

36
Q

describe a paster noster lake

A

little streams and lakes that fill erosional features

37
Q

describe glacial till

A

unstratified and unsorted sediment deposited by glaciers

38
Q

What are the 3 types of moraines

A

medial(travels along the middle of the glacier), terminal, and lateral

39
Q

What do we call sorted sediments deposited by a river flowing under or through a glacier

A

esker

40
Q

what do we call depressions left by melted ice blocks

A

kettle lakes

41
Q

What are features of depositions

A

esker, kettle lakes, drumlins, moraine, glacial till, kame, erratics (boulders)

42
Q

describe an outwash plain

A

it is found at the terminus end of glaciers. water transports sediments deposited by the glacier.

43
Q

Why are outwash plains different than glacial till

A

you can find sorted sediments in outwash plains.

44
Q

describe roches moutonnees

A

hill features formed at the base of glaciers. glacial plucking on the downstream side creates jagged cliff. the upstream side often has striations, smoothed

45
Q

Describe isostacy

A

The crust floats on the mantle and the level it floats at depends on the weight of the crust

46
Q

how long ago was the last ice age

A

20,000 years ago

47
Q

What is isostatic rebound

A

as mass is removed through an ice sheet melting or erosion, continents float higher

48
Q

Are glaciers currently getting bigger or smaller

A

they are shrinking

49
Q

earths recent history has been characterized by cycles of ice ages and ______________ periods

A

interglacial

50
Q

what are the glacial - interglacial cycle controlled by

A

amount of solar radiation reaching different parts of the earth

51
Q

What are the three types of Milankovitch cycles

A

eccentricity, obliquity, and precession

52
Q

describe eccentricity

A

shape of the earth changes - less circular or more circular

53
Q

describe obliquity

A

angle of earths axis changes

54
Q

describe precession

A

wobbling of the earth axis changes

55
Q

Insolation cycle represents what?

A

the overall change of the earths cycle. addition of obliquity cycle, eccentricity cycle, and precession cycle. Describes energy reaching the earths surface

56
Q

What other two important graphs fluctuate at the same pattern as the insolation cycle does

A

the oxygen isotope records and the warming and cooling cycle

57
Q

What is the uplift weathering hypothesis

A

global rate of chemical weathering is dependent on availability of fresh rock

58
Q

what is orogenesis

A

mountain building

59
Q

As new ________-rich crust is exposed to weathering, atmospheric ____ is consumed and the climate cools

A

silicate
CO2

60
Q

What is eustacy

A

related to the volume of water in the ocean. It is a worldwide change of sea level

61
Q

Cooler climate: more water stored as ice, sea levels ______
warmer climate: water melts from ice, and sea levels ______

A

drops
rises

62
Q

What is thermohaline circulation

A

is id driven by temperature and salinity gradients and has big influence on global climate patterns

63
Q

is cold water or warm water denser

A

cold water

64
Q

is salt water or fresh water heavier

A

salt water

65
Q

What does ocean circulation do

A

transports heat around the ocean on a global scale. Patterns include vertical convection and horizontal movement

66
Q

formation of ice sheets in polar regions causes salinity _________ in polar ocean water

A

increase

67
Q

What is the younger dryas

A

a moment of rapid climate change, glaciers can back big

68
Q

What is the hypothesis of why the younger dryas occurred

A

large pulse of fresh water disrupted ocean currents and this cooled climate in the northern hemisphere for about 1000 years

69
Q

what is the polar vortex

A

a stream and circulation of cold air. it can change or head outwards from the poles when there is different air pressure and winds

Geology 102 (11 decks)

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