Glaciers T2: Climate change and the glacial budget

Question 1

The glacial budget.

Answer 1

The glacial budget is the balance between inputs and outputs.
During winter more accumulation occurs as its colder so there is less evaporation so there is overall mass gain.
During summer more evaporation occurs and there is less precipitation so there is overall mass loss.

Question 2

How does climate change effect the glacial budget?

Answer 2

1. Greater fluctuations in temperature.

2. If there were to be an increased output there would be less input.

Question 3

Examples of historic patterns in advancement and retreat of glaciers.

Answer 3

Europe is an example of how climate change has changed patterns if advance and retreat. Once it was covered in ice but now most has melted due to climate change as shown by current landscapes. Although some glaciers still so remain for example the Mer de Glace in France.

Question 4

Whats the difference and effect of glacials and interglacials.

Answer 4

An interglacial is a warmer period of time where most glaciers retreat and few if any develop.
A glacial is a colder period of time in which they advance and or are developed.
They change between the two, this climate change is due to both long and short term factors.

Question 5

Examples of long tern factors of climate change.

Answer 5

The Milankovitch cycle. It’s a climate change theory based on changes in the Earths orbit.

Question 6

The Milankovitch cycle

Answer 6

1. Eccentricity of the orbit: It fluctuates between circular and elliptical orbit approx every 100,000 years.
2. Axis tilt: Changes the intensity of sunlight at the poles thus creating summer and winter. approx every 41,000 years.
3. Wobble: Earth wobbles on its axis changing the point closest to the earth, approx every 21,000 years.

Question 7

Examples of short term factors of climate change.

Answer 7

1. solar flaring: the number and density of sunspots control the amount of energy the sun emits. There are many cycles but the most famous being the 11 year cycles. This alone though does not explain climate change.
2. Volcanic causes: Ash distributed by globally strong winds blocks the suns radiation and decreases the temperature.