Old exams Flashcards
Glossopteris
fern trees found on mount wild showing that Antartica went through two tundra like warming periods and showing prof of plate tectonics
Circumpolar deepwater
dense cold highly saline water circulating the globe at bottom of ocean. travels around globe and rises to subsurface in Antartica warming on way up to cause open ocean polynias
gondwana
southern supercontinent (warming period cause oceans to become very acidic possibly causing marine loss, lots of vegetation) 550 mya
glacial striations
as glaciers move over rock it smooths and polishes it. from these you can determine which way glaciers was moving
sedimentary rocks
created from layers of rock sodlidifying toeheter like sandstone significant because preserves fossils
antarctic bottom water
this is deep dense cold and very saline water that sinks from sea ice. significant because causes circumpolar deep water.
solar insolation
this is how the suns radiation enters the surface and then is reflected or absorbed as inferred but then is trapped by the ozone layer. keeps earth at a habitable temperatre/climate
ozone hole
found over antarica due to OFC’s bonding with NO2 ice crystals then melting and breaking down in Cl which destroys O3. ozone thinking has lasting impact on climate
isostatic uplift
this is how the weight of the ice pushes down on the continent then as glaciers melt the island rises. significant because this can be seen in beaches where water was is now and offers inside to global warming and its affects on sea level.
Sastrugis
rides of snow formed parallel to wind direction
Halley station
site of longest record of atmosphere ozone levels
ice rafted debris
sediment deposited in ocean from melting ice bergs
rodinia
one of the earliest “supercontinents” known
Larson B Ice shelf
Underwent rapid collapse in 2002 from warming trend
fast ice
sea ice connected to land
ventifacts
rocks carved by the wind
moulin
a melt holes in glaciers that help drain water
bipolar sea saw
arctic and antarctic follow opposite climate trends
saltation
process by which pits from in rocks from winds
terminal moraine
ridge of dirt and rock formed at from too a glacier
astenosphere
molto rock in earth that causes plate tectonics
mauna loa
site of longest atmospheric CO2 record since 1950’s
Nothofagus
fossil fern tree linking South America with antartica
ice tongue
glacial extension that moves rapidly out to sea
lateral moraine
rige of dirt and rock that from along sides of a glacier
Seymour island
site of the earliest fossil penguins in anartica
SWEAT hypothesis
east Antartica was once connected to western US
Dome C
site of longest and oldest ice core on Antartica
Dome C
site of longest and oldest ice core on Antartica
why is Antartica much colder and dryer than arctic? how Lon has continent been covered in ice and what is age of the modern ice sheets there?
Antartica cold due to high albedo and high altitude
Dryness due to lower pressure system surrounding high pressure system keeping storms rom coming in and fact that cold air holds less moisture
Continent has been covered in ice for about 14 million years
oldest ice ore from 800,000 years ago
why is the South Pole ideal location for space telescopes? what are neutrinos and why study ten at South Pole? what is Icecube an dCerenkov radiation
S. Pole idea because cold/driness eliminates water vapor in the air that could cause disorientation, lack of light solution, lack of pollutants, and albedo cuts down on inferred affecting telescope. Neutrinos are neutral subatomic particles which are product from radioactive decay and come from the sun and black holes. Studied at the South Pole because easiest to see there. ice cube satellite built between 05-2010 to detect them. Cherenkov radiation is how there’s a blue flash when the neutron ins hit the ice
Describe east wind and west wind drift in Antartica dn their source. what is antarctic convergence and antarctic circumpolar current
East wind dirt goes hunter clockwise and is closer to continent. Source is katobonic winds. West wind drift goes clockwise and is driven by the lower pressure system. Circumpolar current is only Curren that goes al the way around the globe. antarctic convergence is where the cold antarctic water meets surrounding warm water and sinks under it. once you cross big temperature difference because water temp affects air temp.
how do catabolic winds form in antica and how do they influence polynya formation and sea ice extent? Distinguish between sensible latent heat polynyas and your answer.
Katabonic winds from when ice chills air above and cold air rushing off the glaciers into valleys is forced down by gravity and the warm air above it. They influence coastal plying formation by pushing sea ice made out to sea, where then forms behind it creating a seance factory. Latent heat is causing this because no new heat is being introduced, like in open water polynyas where heat is being introduced from the circumpolar deep water.
Discuss how you would collection and determined the age (three ways) of an ice core in Antartica how would you interpret change sin oxygen isotopes ratios water from ice
Collection:
Determination: 1. count rings 2. use volcanic ash or other particles already ages 3. look at radioactive decaying isototes
more O18 in the ice this was a interglacial (warming) period. if there is less O18 in the ice it is a glacial cooling period
Discuss how you would collection and determined the age (three ways) of an ice core in Antartica how would you interpret change sin oxygen isotopes ratios water from ice
Collection: drill where ice is thickest and has least amount of ablation. that is usually in middle of plateau and flattest area with least amount of movement.
Determination: 1. count rings 2. use volcanic ash or other particles already ages 3. look at radioactive decaying isototes
more O18 in the ice this was a interglacial (warming) period. if there is less O18 in the ice it is a glacial cooling period
Blood falls
subglacial lake in Taylor valley with high concentrations of iron from the bed rock, water forced up through a vent. when the water hits the air the iron reacts and turns water red significant because water at surface allow us to understand what’s below.
Blood falls
subglacial lake in Taylor valley with high concentrations of iron from the bed rock, water forced up through a vent. when the water hits the air the iron reacts and turns water red significant because water at surface allow us to understand what’s below.
tussock grass
a grass that is tolerant of Seaspray and cold. significant because provides a home for the majority of antarctic seabirds and terrestrial animals
cryoconite hole
Cryoconite holes are microbial oases within the extreme environment of a glacier’s surface ice. These holes form when sediment is blown onto the ice and is heated by solar energy, causing it to melt into the glacier’s surface
wave washing
this is the tactic of orcas to eat where they wash animals off sea ice by moving the ice and causing waves. signification because this is a tactic of only some types of orcas and related to the different body types.
baleen
the fishing technique/anatomy which allows an animal(whale) to take in gallons of water and krill then filter the krill out. significant because necessary to get enough krill to sustain such a large animal
lake washburn
formed when the ice shelf blocked off the dry valley and lakes began to form. 7000 ya began to have salinity variation due to the evaporation. significance is that we can make implications about other lakes from this.
gelisols
soils that are below freezing but still loose due to lack of moisture. signification because only found in Antartica.
endolithic lichens
lichens found in rocks. significant because precipitated iron, lichen, and moss work together in a mutualistic relationship to block uv rays
cryptogamic soils
soil covered in a thick crust like carpet of lichens and moms significant because plants allow gas exchange and stablazie soil
cyanobacterias mats
Community consisting of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, bacteria and diatoms that also fix nitrogen. They form layers/columns and often occur in fluctuating and extreme environments. Though, they still need enough nutrient input and light penetration.
pony lake
lake that changes from fresh to saline with seasons
glycoproteins
polypeptides that bind to ice crystals
pearlwort
flowering plant in the antarctic peninsula
orca
an odontocete
forams
a single cell protozoans with calcium carbonate shells
Don Juan pond
most saline lake in world
cryoturbation
when freeze thaw forms polygons in soils
lake vostok
largest subglacial lake known
channicthyidae
transfer oxygen through their skin
lake bonney
remnant of former lake Washburn
tardigrades
able to sustain extremely high and low tempeartures
lake radok
deepest lake in antartica
beaver lake
an epishelf lake
fructicose
lichen type with shrubby appearance that forms “forests”
king crab
currently invading antarctic shelf waters
salps
a species of tunicate that thrives in the southern oceans
minke whale
a Mysticete
minke whale
a Mysticete
describe lifecycle of antarctic krill and why considered keystone species. why heavy ice years correlated with higher krill productivity
the life cycle of antarctic krill begins between jan and march when they lay eggs at top of water Columbusn and they sink 2000 meters. after ten days hatch as they grow move u the water column. their lifespan is about 7-9 years. they are a keystone species because so many animals have them as a diet staple ie whales, penguins, and seals. heavier ice years mean more algae and more algae means more krill since this is what they eat.
minke whale
a Mysticete and last specie to be targeted by whalers
of the six pinnipeds found in Antartica, what morphological behavioral characteristics do the four endemic species share that links them from a common ancestor? wy are fur and elephant seals considered late arrivals to Antartica?
the four endemic pinnipeds are leopard seals, crab eating seals, wedded seals, and ross seals. they are though to have come from a common ancestor because they are ice adapted, pups are had on ice only in atartica, and all pholids. fur and elephant seals are more subantartace and prefer open water.
Differences between antarctic freshwater and saline lakes and two ways that a freshwater lake can become saline over time. what is meant by mono and merimictic and how do these lakes mix?
Antarctic freshwater lakes less than 9% salinity of ocean water while saline lakes have more than9%. freshwater become saltwater in two ways. 1. evaporation which increase salinity and 2. sea level rise. monomictic means the lakes mix once a year, most common in Antartica, while merimictic means Lake rarely mixes. they mix due to temperature and density changes and winds.
how does the climate and biodiversity of subantarctic islands differ from maritime antarctic islands
biodiversity decreases as termpareture decreases and environments become harsher. for this reason subantarctic islands have high biodiversity than maritime antarctic islands, there aren’t constant winds, the temps are above 0, and it actually rains.
draw a graph and illustrates the cost/effort in 100% removal of an introduced species and describe an example of successful erradication on one subatnartic island
as percent of species left goes from 100 to 0 the effort and costs increases
the less animals left, the higher the cost effort due to increases challenges in finding the animals. the rats that were accidentally introduced from ships were eradicated by dropping rat pellet poison which made the rates fear the sun and bury themselves and die on south George island
draw a graph and illustrates the cost/effort in 100% removal of an introduced species and describe an example of successful erradication on one subatnartic island
as percent of species left goes from 100 to 0 the effort and costs increases
the less animals left, the higher the cost effort due to increases challenges in finding the animals. the rats that were accidentally introduced from ships were eradicated by dropping rat pellet poison which made the rates fear the sun and bury themselves and die on south George island
ornithogenic soils
soil produced fro Adelie penguins due to pebble build up and guano. preserves organic materials and gives clues to past climate
grytviken
first whaling station on south George island. increases whaling exploitation
straits of magellan
a passage through Tierra del fuego to Atlantic Ocean may have been explored before and documented which is how magellan knew they were there and why encourage his crew to keep going
terra nova bay polynya
a space of open water by terra nova bay that allows access to open ocean for penguins. therefor they can nest there.
scurvy
a disease caused by malnutrition not enough vitmatines from fresh fruit, veggies, and meat. halted many antarctic explorations
penguin “optimum”
a warming period when penguins were able to move farther south. ornightogenic soils show proof of this and give us clues to climate in past
marine carbon recevoir effect
when old carbon that has been decaying at the bottom of the ocean upwells in a polynya. can make a species seem much over from their diet when radiocarbon dating and scientist must account for this.
convention for the regulation of whaling
attempt to regulate whaling of disappearing species which Germany and Japan refused to join. why exploitation continued to the point of near depletion of the species.
snowfall island
where those trying to save nordenskold had to overwinter. contributed to learning about over wintering in Antartica
cape horn
farthest souther island in Tierra del fuego. very hard to round due to no land blocking wind and low pressure system creating very rough sea. many shops get blown off course and/or wrecked here
James weddell
made it farthest south in the wedded sea
Otto nordenskjold
discovered fossils penguins on seamer island
durmond d’urville
made landing at point geology for france
Frances drak
discovered that Tierra Del Fuego was an island
american sheathbill
has a diverse diet including penguin guano
South Pole skua
species with siblicide
Charles wilkes
commanded US exploring expedition
snow petral
most southerly of all antarctic birds
emperor penguin
lays eggs in witner
Louis bernacchi
Physicist with Borchgrevink who joined Scott
thaddeus von bellinghaussen
commanded the first Russian antarctic expedition
Nathanial palmer
American sealer who may have seen Antartica first
nicolai hanson
first death and burial on antarctic continent
Svend foyn
invented cannon harpoon
Ferdinand magellan
voyage was first to circumnavigate the world
Gian petral
diet includes large penguin cicks taken from creches
James clark ross
discovered transtartic mountains
adrien victor de gerlache
commander of the Belgica expedition
John biscoe
first to believe a large continent existed at South America
John biscoe
first to believe a large continent existed at South America
describe the breeding cycle of the Adelie penguin from egg laying to the creche stage and give three traits that make it a bio-indicator species for marine conditions, past and present
Adelie penguins mate in the spring and nest on land. the mother lays 2 legs then the father stays and fasts for two weeks. when the mother returns she feeds the chick and stays then the switch back for forth for 35 ays until the chick hatches. when the chick is independent enough to join the other chicks in a creche they stay together badgering any parent that gets close for food until one makes its way to the ocean and the rest follow. chicks must be at least 3000 grams 3300 grams is better to survive the winter. try to swim on top of water first until realize easier underneath. bioindicator species because 1. produce ornithogenic til 2. can only nest on land by open water 3. an only nest where enough food.
discuss the major contributions of captain James cook to antarctic discovery and exploration, and to health and sanitation at sea. why did he believe there was no antarctic content?
discovered New Zealand and south Australia, rediscovered some antarctic islands, and Hawaii but proclaimed there was no antarctic continent after circumnavigating the world and only finding ice twice. made great contributes to future expeditions by figuring out how to prevent survey and by eating fresh food and cleaning cooking materials properly. first to cross Antartica circle.
what was the heroic age in Antartica in history and discuss several reasons why it given that name. who was John Murray and how did he onctribute to inauguration of this period
the heroic age was the time in the early 1900s when more explorers where heading to Antartica an trying to find South Pole. given that name due to multiple lectures calling people to explore the south and acceptance of how hard it was to explore antartic in its harsh contditions. the name was also due to the discovers, poetry, and photographs that came from this time. John Murray was the father of modern oceanography on the challenger expedition
how did Carsten borchgrevink’s southern cross expedition contribute to our knowledge of Antartica an dhow to live and survive there? include at least three things that he did for the first time during the expedition in your answer
brochgrevink firs to land on and explore the ice shelf, went the fathers south on it. they overwintered an were first to have dogs and sleds. first man to die in Antartica and be buried was on this trip gave still there with a cross on it. survived by dog sledding writing telling jokes and stories to save off depression and paranoid during long wi\inters. first pre fab hunts difficult living conditions
describe key events technological advancements in history of whaling in the 19th and 20th century and led to their increasing exploitation in the southern ocean. what is the krill surplus hypothesis and two lines of evidence to support it.
whaling started int he mid 1800’s when elephant seal disappeared then were hunted for the oil in their blubber. first whalers were killed one at a time by taking out little boats and spearing them then taking them to land to process them. exploitation increased when Sven foyer created the hprpoon which could’ve been shot from a ship and exploded in the whale on impact killing it immediately. after this whaling stations were established they could kill a whale, bring it to shore, and would be process while they went an got another. lastly factory ships were invented so whales could be processed at sea which really increased exploitation. most whaling ended in 1960s as stocks were depleted but some still happens today illegally. krill surplus hypothesis says that due to whaling there was an excess of krill this explains the explosion of penguins and seals populations and this time and penguin diets switching from mainly fish to mainly krill
