Latitude and Altitude affecting glaciated landscape Flashcards
What is the definition of high latitude locations?
Locations at high latitudes are most noticeably beyond the Arctic and Antarctic Circles at 66.5°N and S.
What type of climate do high latitude locations tend to have?
High latitude locations tend to have cold dry climates with little seasonal variation in precipitation.
How does the appearance of cold dry climates change with latitude?
The higher the latitude, the more apparent the cold dry climate is.
What type of landscapes do glaciated landscapes develop under?
Glaciated landscapes at high latitudes tend to develop under the influence of large, relatively stable ice sheets such as those of Greenland and Antarctica.
How do glaciated landscapes at high latitudes differ from those at lower latitudes?
Glaciated landscapes at high latitudes are quite different from those that develop under the influence of dynamic valley glaciers in lower latitude but higher altitude locations, such as the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas.
What type of climate do locations with dynamic valley glaciers tend to have?
Locations with dynamic valley glaciers tend to have higher precipitation in summer and variable temperatures.
Are glaciers found only at high latitudes?
No, glaciers are not found only at high latitudes. Such is the decrease in temperature with altitude that glaciers are even found near the Equator in the Andes.
Can you give an example of a glacier near the Equator?
The Pastoruri glacier in Peru lies at an altitude of 5250 m and is just 10°N of the Equator. It is a small glacier covering 8 km2 and is about 4 km long, although it has undergone significant melting in recent years.
