Glacier Key Terms

Question 1

Define Ablation

Answer 1

The output of snow and ice from a glacier

Question 2

Define Ablation Till

Answer 2

Till deposited from melting ice from retreating glaciers

Question 3

Define Ablation Zone

Answer 3

Where outputs from a glacier exceed inputs

Question 4

Define Abrasion

Answer 4

The grinding away of bedrock by fragments of rock in the ice

Question 5

Define Accumulation

Answer 5

The input of snow and ice into a glacier by precipitation avalanches and wind

Question 6

Define Accumulation Zone

Answer 6

Where inputs from a glacier exceed outputs

Question 7

Define Active Landscape

Answer 7

A landscape experiencing glaciation

Question 8

Define Active Layer

Answer 8

The top layer of permafrost that freezes in winter and thaws in summer

Question 9

What is the Albedo Effect

Answer 9

Solar radiation that gets reflected

Question 10

Define Alpine

Answer 10

Glacial environments found in high altitude areas

Question 11

Define Avalanch

Answer 11

A sudden downslope movement of snow and ice

Question 12

Define Basal Melting

Answer 12

Melting at the base of the glacier that increases the movement speed

Question 13

Define Basal Slip

Answer 13

When pressure and friction create meltwater which lubricates the movement of the glacier

Question 14

Define Calving

Answer 14

The breaking up of chunks of ice at the glacier snout to form icebergs when a glacier reaches a body of water

Question 15

Define Crique Glacier

Answer 15

A small glacier in a mountain hollow that craves out a corrie

Question 16

Define Compressional Flow

Answer 16

When reductions in a gradient force slow down casing it to thicken

Question 17

Define Continous Permafrost

Answer 17

Where the ground is permanently frozen found in high latitude areas and is frozen until 500m below the surface

Question 18

Define Cryosphere

Answer 18

The parts of Earth that are subjected to negative temperatures at some time in the year

Question 19

Define Discontinuous Permafrost

Answer 19

The shallow frozen ground that thaws in summer

Question 20

Define the Dynamic Equilibrium

Answer 20

When landforms and processes are in a state of balance

Question 21

Define Englalical

Answer 21

Debris inside Glaciers

Question 22

Define Entrainment

Answer 22

The process by which surface sediment is incorporated

Question 23

Define Environmental Lapse Rate

Answer 23

The rate of atmospheric temperature decreases with altitude

Question 24

Define the Equilibrium Line

Answer 24

Where outputs from a glacier are the same as inputs

Question 25

Define Extensional Flow

Answer 25

When an increase in gradient causes the ice to flow faster

Question 26

Define Extrusion Flow

Answer 26

The theory that glacier ice flows faster at depth

Question 27

Define Fluvioglacial

Answer 27

The erosion caused by the meltwater of a glacier

Question 28

Define Freeze-Thaw Weathering

Answer 28

When water enters a rocks joints expands by 10% due to freezing, causing the rock to slowly disintegration

Question 29

Define Frost Heave

Answer 29

When freezing and expanding of the soil forces stones upwards

Question 30

Define Glacials

Answer 30

Cold icehouse periods

Question 31

Define Glaciers

Answer 31

Slow-moving bodies of ice found in polar and alpine regions

Question 32

Define Glacial Mass Balance

Answer 32

The difference between acculamtion and ablation of snow and ice

Question 33

Define Glacial Outburst Flood

Answer 33

A sudden release of water from a sub/proglacial lake

Question 34

Define Greenhouse Conditions

Answer 34

Warm interglacial periods

Question 35

Define Holocene

Answer 35

The latter epoch in the Quaternary that began 10,000 years ago

Question 36

Define Ice Caps

Answer 36

Smaller versions of Ice Sheets in upland areas

Question 37

Define Ice Fields

Answer 37

Ice covering an upland area that is not deep enough to cover topography

Question 38

Define Ice Sheets

Answer 38

When ice completely covers topography

Question 39

Define Ice Shelf

Answer 39

Large areas of floating ice on the coast

Question 40

Define Icehouse Conditions

Answer 40

Cold glacial conditions

Question 41

Define Imbricarion

Answer 41

Where glacial deposits are aligned overlapping each other

Question 42

Define Interglacials

Answer 42

Warmer periods of time

Question 43

Define Internal Deformation

Answer 43

When glacial ice courses ice crystals to deform

Question 44

Define Loess

Answer 44

A windblown deposit of silt or clay in glacial conditions

Question 45

Define the Meso Scale

Answer 45

Large scale landforms

Question 46

Define the Mirco Scale

Answer 46

Small scale landforms

Question 47

Define Firn

Answer 47

Crystalline snow in the upper part of the glacier

Question 48

Define Nivation

Answer 48

A combination of processes that erodes the ground below a snow patch

Question 49

Define Periglacial

Answer 49

Areas on the edges of glacial environments that don’t have a permanent layer of ice

Question 50

Define Permafrost

Answer 50

A layer of soil that is permanently frozen

Question 51

Define Piedmont Glacier

Answer 51

Valley glaciers that extend beyond valleys

Question 52

Define Pleistocene

Answer 52

The first epoch of the Quaternary period occurring from 2MYA to 10,000YA

Question 53

Define Plucking

Answer 53

When a rock is removed by water penetrating its joints

Question 54

Define Polar

Answer 54

Glacial environments found in high altitude areas

Question 55

Define Polar Glacier

Answer 55

The glaciers in cold polar environments

Question 56

Define Pressure Melting point

Answer 56

The pressure that dictates when the ice melts

Question 57

Define Quaternary

Answer 57

The time period which we are living in that started 2MYA

Question 58

Define Regelation Creep

Answer 58

When ice melts under pressure travels around an obstacle and refreezes

Question 59

Define Relict Landscape

Answer 59

A landscape that has experienced glacial action in the past

Question 60

Define Solifcation

Answer 60

The downslope movement the saturated active layer under the influence of gravity

Question 61

Define Sporadic Permafrost

Answer 61

When permafrost only covers 50% of the land

Question 62

Define Stadials and Interstadial

Answer 62

Short term fluctuations within the icehouse/greenhouse conditions

Question 63

Define Subglacial

Answer 63

Debris transported on beneath the glacier