Ice On Land

Question 1

What is Accumulation

Ablation?

Answer 1

Inputs into the glacial budget (eg snowfall)

Outputs from the glacial budget (eg meltwater)

Question 2

Where does accumulation/ablation respectively dominate

Answer 2

Acc = top of glacier (highest point)
Abl = snout of glacier (ie front)

Question 3

Differences betw ice cap and ice sheet

Answer 3

Both glaciers

Ice sheet = over 50,000 km ^2 eg Antarctica and Greenland

Question 4

What does it mean when a glacier retreats

Answer 4

When the total volume of the glacier decreases

As a result the glacier does not extend as far down the valley as previously

Question 4

Differences betw ice cap and ice sheet

Answer 4

Both glaciers

Ice sheet = over 50,000 km ^2 eg Antarctica and Greenland

Question 6

Facts about athabasca

Answer 6

In Canada

Nowadays only advances by 300m and is over 1750m away from max extent of 1850

Question 7

Man made impacts on glacial budget?

Answer 7

Anthropogenic climate chance since IR (1850)
Deforestation
Greenhouse gases from burning of fossil fuels in vehicles and factory
= greenhouse effect
As a result avg global temp has increased from 9.6 to 10.8
Evidence of glacial impact = athabasca

Question 8

Long term impacts on glacial budget

Answer 8

Milankovitch cycle - influences length of seasons and amount of solar radiation received by the earth which thus influences amount of abl / Acc

Question 9

What is the milankovitch cycle?

What does it involve?

Answer 9

Describes how the earth orbits the sun
Includes
the eccentricity (how round the earth is)
The obliquity (angle of earths orbital axis)
The precession of the earth (direction of axis)

Question 10

facts about the last ice age

Answer 10

Pleistocene
1.8 million - 11500 years ago
4 major ice sheets covered the planet, eg the British Isles were covered

Question 11

What is the interglacial period we’re in called? Facts?

Answer 11

Holocene period
2 ice sheets
Antartica = 14 mil km^2
Greenland = 1.7 mil km^2 (80% Greenland)

Ice caps found in mountainous areas where temps are lower
Eg Iceland and the European Alps

Question 12

Temp change from IR to now

Answer 12

Avg temp in Alps was 9.6, now 10.8

Question 13

Causes of anthropogenic climate change

Answer 13

Deforestation : carbon sink
CFCs use (burnt hole in atmosphere)
Greenhouse gases emitted from oil/petrol
Oceans warming cos of global warming = ice melts which emits carbon

Question 14

What direction does the glacier move? Why?

Answer 14

glacier flows from the zone of Acc and moves down the slope towards the zone of abl
It is under the influence of gravity and internal deformation

Question 15

What is internal deformation

Answer 15

When the weight of the ice deforms the ice crystals
This usually happens near the glacial bed as pressure there is highest.
This enables different layers of ice to slide over each other

Question 16

What is basal sliding

Answer 16

Meltwater at the base of a glacier acts as a lubricant and the glacier consequently slides over the land

Question 17

Diagram of basal sliding

Answer 17

Glacier
Meltwater acting as lubricant
Bedrock

Question 18

What do glaciers move fast with?

Answer 18

Increasing slope
Increasing snowfall
Increasing meltwater at the base of glacier

Question 19

How does freeze thaw weathering work

Answer 19

1. As it rains precipitation falls into the cracks of rocks
2. Overnight the temp goes sub zero
3. The water in the cracks expand by 9-10% as it is turning into ice
4. As water expands the cracks expand
   (This repeats itself a lot)
5. Eventually this weakens the rock until it breaks

Question 20

What is left from freeze thaw weathering

Answer 20

Scree

Question 21

What is scree

Answer 21

Small, broken down pieces of rock

They are generally jagged

Question 22

What is ablation?

Answer 22

The wearing away of rock surfaces of the valley floor by the grinding effect of rock fragments frozen into the glacier base

Question 23

What does ablation leave?

Answer 23

Sandpaper analogy!
Smooth surface
Striatations

Question 24

What are Striatations?

Answer 24

Often left by abrasion

Scratches in the floor caused by large rocks beneath the ice

Question 25

What is till?

Answer 25

Boulder clay found within the glacier

Question 26

What is plucking? Analogy?

Answer 26

When meltwater freezes it bonds glacier to rocky surface below, therefore when the glacier lives it plucks away any loose rocks leaving a jagged landscape Rock fragments are dragged along the base of the glacier Extracting loose teeth analogy

Question 27

What processes do all glaciers do

Answer 27

Erode Transport Deposit material

Question 28

What happens when a glacier goes down a valley

Answer 28

It'll begin to melt due to rise in temp

Question 29

What happens as a glacier melts? | Key terminology answer as wel

Answer 29

It can't carry as much material so it deposits it | The load has exceeded the glaciers carrying capacity

Question 30

What are morraines

Answer 30

Ridges of sediment

Question 31

Terminal morraine?

Answer 31

Sediment found at the max advance of glacier Deposited as ice melts Most of the material will have been plucked and carried at the base of glacier

Question 32

What is lateral morraine?

Answer 32

Sediment (normally frost shattered material) found At the valley sides (It had been carried on the side of the glacier)

Question 33

Medial morraines

Answer 33

When two valley glaciers meet and merge the two lateral morraines form one big morraine which runs down the centre of the largest glacier

Question 34

Recessional morraine?

Answer 34

Before the terminal morraine | When the glacier stops for a sufficient time to produce morraine yet the glacier has not reached its furthest extent yet

Question 35

What is bulldozing

Answer 35

Pushing of deposited sediment at the snout of the glacier as it advances

Question 36

What is a corrie

Answer 36

Arm chair shaped hollow high up on a hillside often containing a tarn. Has a steep back wall and a raised lip

Question 37

How do corries form

Answer 37

Snow collects in a hollow high up on a mountain This snow compacts into ice, forming a corrie glacier The ice moves under gravity due to basal sliding Ice rotates to the rock lip (flows uphill) and this rotational slip gouges out a deeper hollow Abrasion deepens the hollow Plucking steepens the back meal A tarn may fill a hollow when ice has melted because of raised lip which forms due to reduced erosion at front of corrie because it's thinner ice

Question 38

What is an arête?

Answer 38

A knife edged ridge, often formed betw two corries

Question 39

How do aretes form?

Answer 39

Occur when two neighbouring corries run back to back | As each erode each side of the ridge, the ridge becomes steeper and narrower

Question 40

What is a pyramidal peak?

Answer 40

Sharp edged mountain peak eg Mount Everest

Question 41

How do pyramidal peaks form?

Answer 41

If 3 or more corries hVe formed on a mountain all back to back erosion may cause it to become a single peak rather than a ridge

Question 42

Example of arête and pyramidal peak?

Answer 42

Arête - striding edge in Lake District | Pyramidal peak - Matterhorn, Mount Everest

Question 43

How are truncated Spurs formed?

Answer 43

When a glacier erodes through a valley where there used to be interlocking Spurs The glacier can't flow through the interlocking Spurs so it cuts through them This leads steep edge Spurs at the sides of a glacial trough

Question 44

What are truncated Spurs

Answer 44

Steep edged Spurs at the side of a glacial trough

Question 45

What is a glacial trough

Answer 45

U shaped valley (used to be v shaped)

Question 46

What does it mean when a glacier advances

Answer 46

When the total volume of the glacier increases | As a result it will extend down the valley further than previously

Question 47

Formation of glacial trough?

Answer 47

There is a vshape valley with a main river running down it In a period of glaciation the river freezes into main glacier As the glacier lives down the valley it plucks and abrades the base and side of the valley The material it gathers under the glacier (subglacial morraine) aids the process of abrasion This widens and deepens the valley floor leaving a flat floor with v steep valley walks A misfit stream will form and sometimes a hanging valley waterfall will

Question 48

How do hanging valleys form?

Answer 48

Large glacier is joined by a tributary glacier (because main lake was joined by a smaller lake) The large glacier moves down v shaped valley and via erosion leaves a u shaped valley (a glacial trough) The small glacier simultaneously erodes but erodes slower/less powerfully Therefore it doesn't erode to the same depth As a result it looks like it's hanging Waterfalls sometimes form

Question 49

Learn glacial trough formation diagram

Answer 49

Okay

Question 50

What is a ribbon lake?

Answer 50

Long and thin lakes in the floor of a glaciated valley

Question 51

How do ribbon lakes form?

Answer 51

Glacier moves down hard rock, finding it hard to erode as rock is more resistant When glacier reaches soft rock it can easily erode This leaves a rock basin (hard rock steep compared to soft rock eroded in depth) A band of hard rock follows the soft rock (glacier can't erode this as much so it's higher up than the soft rock) A ribbon lake will form on the soft rock but be dammed by the rock bar / any morraine built up

Question 52

Egs of landforms of erosion

Answer 52

``` Corrie Pyramidal peak arête Truncated spur Glacial trough (u shaped valley) Hanging valley Ribbon lake ```

Question 53

What is a drumlin

Answer 53

A smooth elongated mound of Boulder clay which has been streamlined by ice

Question 54

Shape of drumlin

Answer 54

They have a broad and upstream stoss end and a gentle tapering lower downstream end (lee end)

Question 55

How do drumlins form

Answer 55

Melting glacier meets a small obstacle which is enough to encourage the deposition of till from the ice as the glacier had a low competence On first meeting the obstacle the most deposition occurs (this forms the blunt stoss end) The glacier mounds the till into shape around the obstacle which forms a tapered lee end Overtime material is reshape by further i e movements

Question 56

Typical measurements of a drumlin

Answer 56

Up to 40 m high | 400m long

Question 57

Flow diagram of ice

Answer 57

Ice erodes Transports Deposits Landform is reshaped

Question 58

What is a fragile environment? Ecample?

Answer 58

A area which is easily damaged and would take a long time to recover

Question 59

Winter attractions at chamonix

Answer 59

Paragliding over glaciated landscape Iceskating at chamonix ice rink Winter mountaineering

Question 60

Summer attractions at chamonix

Answer 60

Sightseeing eg Aigulle du Midi Hiking (350km trail) Mountain biking (5 mile trail)

Question 61

How can human activity damage glacial environment?

Answer 61

Air pollution from vehicles / heat from hotels = increase local temp = melting of snow (loss of habitats) Less snow on slopes = concentration of people further up mountains = more erosion at top of mountain Less snow on slopes = snow machine = uses lots of water = affects hydrological system Summer activities eg mountain biking = erosion, environment can't recover Deforestation/ removal of vegetation = increases risk of erosion, loss of habitat, decreases slope stability

Question 62

Positive impacts of tourism in chamonix

Answer 62

Brings in money which supports local services Provides jobs Experience of different cultures

Question 63

Negative impacts of tourism in chamonix

Answer 63

10000 people population swells to 100,000 in summer a day Noise pollution due to tourism/congested roads Footpaths eroded Trees cut down to make way for skiing paths Sking close to tress can damage them Shops are tourist orientated Inflation in some shops

Question 64

The three management strategies in chamonix

Answer 64

Tomorrows valley Espace Mont Blanc Respect the mountain

Question 65

What does tomorrow's valley do/ who does it involve

Answer 65

Mix of locals and tourists : finds a balance Maintains footpaths Renovates historical monuments Plants trees

Question 66

Whag does Espace Mont Blanc do/ who does it involve?

Answer 66

International issues betw France Italy and Switzerland reduces pollution and congestion Nature conservation

Question 67

How tourism can damage a glacial area ?

Answer 67

Air pollution from vehicle emissions / heat from hotels = increase local temp = melting of snow = habitats lost and erosion Less snow on low slopes = people move up the mountain = more erosion up the mountain Less snow on low slopes = snow machine = lots of water used up = effects hydrological system Summer activities = eg mountain biking = leads to erosion, fragile environment can't recover Deforestation for skiing = habitats lost, slope instability, risk of erosion

Question 68

What does respect the mountain do?

Answer 68

Tells tourists why mountains are so important Tells them to recycle and be respectful Sell £2 wristband where profits go to tree planting to conserve environment

Question 68

How tourism can damage a glacial area ?

Answer 68

Air pollution from vehicle emissions / heat from hotels = increase local temp = melting of snow = habitats lost and erosion Less snow on low slopes = people move up the mountain = more erosion up the mountain Less snow on low slopes = snow machine = lots of water used up = effects hydrological system Summer activities = eg mountain biking = leads to erosion, fragile environment can't recover Deforestation for skiing = habitats lost, slope instability, risk of erosion

Question 69

Types of avalanches

Answer 69

``` Powder Soft slab Hard Slab Climax Wet ```

Question 70

Powder avalanches?

Answer 70

Windy but dry conditions | freshly layer of fallen cold snow is blown off

Question 71

Slab avalanches

Answer 71

Two types : soft (new powdery snow) and hard (old, more dense, chunkier snow) Big range of mountain Hard = more dangerous A layer of rigid snow on top of a layer of softer, more mobile snow Often set off by explosives to reduce impacts

Question 72

Climax avalanches?

Answer 72

Aka delayed action avalanches | weight of fresh snow causes rest of snow to succumb

Question 73

Evidence of human impacts on avalanches

Answer 73

100 or so natural avalanches at chamonix 10 set off by skiers off piste at chamonix 90% people who die in avalanches set them off themselves

Question 76

what is an avalanche

Answer 76

A mass on snow sliding down a valley under the influence of gravity

Question 77

Management of avalanches

Answer 77

Warnings sent out They blow it up with dynamite Afforestation (trees set up like a wall) Snow fences/ barriers to trap snow eg Paravalanche de Tacconaz at chamonix Avalanche proof tunnels

Question 78

What can make avalanches likely?

Answer 78

Heavy accumulation (snowfall on unstable area puts pressure on snowpack) Steeper slope Human activity (eg vibrations from mountain bikes) Warm temp Layers of snow turning to ice (fresh snow easily slides down)

Question 79

Wet avalanches?

Answer 79

Common in spring Made up of wet snow Either due to warmth/rainfall causing snow to melt off