Lesson 2: Ice Masses Flashcards
Define cryosphere
Consists of ice sheets and glaciers, together with sea ice, lake ice, permafrost, and snow cover
Describe piedmont glacier
Valley glacier which extends beyond the end of a mountain walley like a fan
How large are piedmont glaciers?
3-1000 sq km
Example of piedmont glacier
Malaspina Glacier, Alaska
Describe valley glacier
Glacier confined between valley walls and terminates in a narrow tongue
How large are vallet glaciers?
3-1500 sq km
Example of valley glacier
Andes or Alps
Describe ice sheet
Complete submergence of regional topography, forms a gently slopping dome
Size of ice sheet
10-100 000 sq km
Example of ice sheet
Greenland
Describe ice shelf
Large area of floating glacier ice extending from the coast where several glaciers have merged
Size ice shelf
10-100 000 sq km
Example ice shelf
Ronne- Filcher, Antarctica
Describe cirque glacier
Smaller glacier occupying a hollow on the moutain side - carves out a corrie/ cirque. Smaller versions are niche glacier
Size cirque glacier
0.5-8 sq km
Example cirque glacier
Eel on Mt. Anderson, USA
Describe ice cap
Smaller version of ice sheet occupying upland areas
Size ice cap
3-10 000 sq km
Example ice cap
Svartissen, Norway
Describe ice field
Ice covering upland areas but not thick enough to bury topography
Size ice field
10-100 000 sq km
Example ice field
Yukon Canada
What caused the Loch Lomond Stadial?
Very rapid increase in temp.
Caused rising sea levels
How much did temp. increase by in Loch Lomond?
7 degrees
How does the loch lomond stadial now look after melting?
Emergence of topography
Remnants of history and erosion from meltwater
Deposition of sediment
What was the Little Ice Age?
Period of extreme cold when temperatures declined rapidly. Ice sheets expanded
Cause of Little Ice Age
Series of volcanic eruptions prior lowering temperatures for ice sheets to expand
Or reversal of North Atlantic Oscillation caused atmospheric circulation patterns to change
What was the impact of the Little Ice Age?
-Many glaciers re-advanced down valleys - not see prominent terminal moraines from rapid advancement then retreat
-Arctic Sea ice spread south
-Rivers in Europe and USA froze over
