glaciers, deserts, and climate change

Question 1

Abrasion

Answer 1

Smoothing of surfaces by rock particles in ice.

Question 2

Alluvial Fan

Answer 2

Fan-shaped deposit formed by sediment from streams.

Question 3

Alpine glacier

Answer 3

Glacier formed in mountainous regions.

Question 4

Antarctic ice sheet

Answer 4

Contains 80% of the world’s ice.

Question 5

Bajada

Answer 5

Merged alluvial fans forming a larger deposit.

Question 6

Basal slip

Answer 6

Glacier sliding over the ground beneath it.

Question 7

Biological productivity

Answer 7

Rate of generation of biomass in ecosystems.

Question 8

Calving

Answer 8

Breaking off of ice chunks from glaciers.

Question 9

Climate

Answer 9

Long-term atmospheric conditions in a region.

Question 10

Climate proxies

Answer 10

Indicators used to infer past climate conditions.

Question 11

Climatic changes

Answer 11

Alterations in climate due to glacial activity.

Question 12

Crustal rebound

Answer 12

Uplift of Earth’s crust after ice removal.

Question 13

Deflation

Answer 13

Erosion process removing loose material from surface.

Question 14

Desert

Answer 14

Arid climate with less than 30% rainfall.

Question 15

Desertification

Answer 15

Transformation of land into desert-like conditions.

Question 16

Drumlin field

Answer 16

Cluster of drumlins indicating glacier movement.

Question 17

Drumlins

Answer 17

Smooth, elongated hills formed by glacial till.

Question 18

Dry Regions

Answer 18

Cover 34% of Earth’s land surface.

Question 19

Dunes

Answer 19

Mounds of sand shaped by wind action.

Question 20

Dust Storm

Answer 20

Strong winds lifting dust over large areas.

Question 21

Eccentricity

Answer 21

Shape of Earth’s orbit varies over time.

Question 22

El Niño

Answer 22

Cyclic climate pattern affecting global weather.

Question 23

Ephemeral Streams

Answer 23

Desert streams that flow only during rain.

Question 24

Erratics

Answer 24

Large rocks transported and deposited by glaciers.

Question 25

Eskers

Answer 25

Winding ridges formed by subglacial meltwater.

Question 26

Freshwater source

Answer 26

Glaciers store 75% of Earth's fresh water.

Question 27

Glacial budget

Answer 27

Balance between glacier accumulation and loss.

Question 28

Glacial erosion

Answer 28

Wearing away of land by moving glaciers.

Question 29

Glacial erratics

Answer 29

Large boulders transported by glaciers.

Question 30

Glacial striations

Answer 30

Grooves carved into bedrock by glacier movement.

Question 31

Glacial trough

Answer 31

U-shaped valley formed by glacial erosion.

Question 32

Glacier

Answer 32

Thick ice mass formed from accumulated snow.

Question 33

Global Warming

Answer 33

Increase in Earth's average temperature.

Question 34

Greenhouse Effect

Answer 34

Trapping of heat by atmospheric gases.

Question 35

Hanging valley

Answer 35

Valley formed by glacial erosion, elevated above main valley.

Question 36

Hydrologic cycle

Answer 36

Movement of water through evaporation and precipitation.

Question 37

Ice Age

Answer 37

Period of extensive glaciation, 2-3 million years ago.

Question 38

Ice Ages

Answer 38

Periods of extensive glaciation on Earth.

Question 39

Ice cap

Answer 39

Thick ice covering upland plateaus.

Question 40

Ice sheet

Answer 40

Massive glacier covering extensive land area.

Question 41

Ice volume

Answer 41

Total amount of ice present in glaciers.

Question 42

Ice-contact deposits

Answer 42

Sediments deposited by meltwater at ice margins.

Question 43

Inselberg

Answer 43

Isolated hill or mountain in a desert.

Question 44

Kame terraces

Answer 44

Terraces formed alongside ice-contact deposits.

Question 45

Kames

Answer 45

Mound-like hills formed by glacial meltwater.

Question 46

Kettles

Answer 46

Depressions formed by melting ice blocks.

Question 47

La Niña

Answer 47

Opposite phase of El Niño climate pattern.

Question 48

Last Glacial Maximum

Answer 48

Occurred approximately 20,000 years ago.

Question 49

Loess

Answer 49

Windblown silt forming fertile soil deposits.

Question 50

Milankovitch Hypothesis

Answer 50

Earth's orbital variations influence climate changes.

Question 51

Moraines

Answer 51

Ridges of till deposited by glaciers.

Question 52

Nebraskan glaciation

Answer 52

Earliest recognized glacial stage in North America.

Question 53

Obliquity

Answer 53

Angle of Earth's axis changes periodically.

Question 54

Outwash plains

Answer 54

Flat areas formed by meltwater from glaciers.

Question 55

Oxygen Isotopes

Answer 55

Used to study past climate conditions.

Question 56

Pacific Decadal Oscillation

Answer 56

Temperature fluctuations over 20-30 year cycles.

Question 57

Plastic flow

Answer 57

Movement of ice within a glacier under pressure.

Question 58

Plate Tectonics

Answer 58

Movement of Earth's plates affecting climate.

Question 59

Playa

Answer 59

Dry lakebed in desert regions.

Question 60

Pleistocene epoch

Answer 60

Geological time frame of major glacial stages.

Question 61

Pleistocene Epoch

Answer 61

Period characterized by glacial and interglacial stages.

Question 62

Plucking

Answer 62

Lifting and removal of bedrock by ice.

Question 63

Pluvial lakes

Answer 63

Lakes formed from increased precipitation during glaciation.

Question 64

Precession

Answer 64

Wobble of Earth's axis affecting climate.

Question 65

Rainshadow Desert

Answer 65

Desert formed by mountains blocking precipitation.

Question 66

Roche moutonnee

Answer 66

Rock formations shaped by glacial movement.

Question 67

Saltation

Answer 67

Bouncing movement of sand particles by wind.

Question 68

Sea level rise

Answer 68

Melting ice could raise sea levels by 60-70m.

Question 69

Sedimentation rate

Answer 69

Speed at which sediment accumulates over time.

Question 70

Solar insolation

Answer 70

Amount of solar energy received by Earth.

Question 71

Solar radiation

Answer 71

Energy emitted by the sun affecting climate.

Question 72

Steppe

Answer 72

Semiarid climate covering about 4% of land.

Question 73

Terminal moraine

Answer 73

Moraine marking the furthest advance of a glacier.

Question 74

Till

Answer 74

Unsorted glacial sediment deposited directly by ice.

Question 75

Valley trains

Answer 75

Deposits of stratified drift in valleys.

Question 76

Ventifacts

Answer 76

Stones shaped by wind abrasion.

Question 77

Volcanic Eruptions

Answer 77

Can block solar radiation and affect climate.

Question 78

Volcanism

Answer 78

Volcanic activity can induce cooling effects.

Question 79

Zone of accumulation

Answer 79

Area where a glacier gains mass from snowfall.

Question 80

Zone of wastage

Answer 80

Area where a glacier loses mass through melting.