Periglacial Landscapes

Question 1

What is the permafrost?

Answer 1

ground that has been frozen for 2 years

Question 2

how much of the earth is covered by periglacial landscapes?

Answer 2

25%

Question 3

where are periglacial landscapes most likely found?

Answer 3

near/at ice sheets

high latitudes

Question 4

what is the most dominant geomorphic process and why?

Answer 4

Freeze Thaw Weathering due to the seasonal fluctuations allowing the expansion of water to ice in cracks

Question 5

what is frost heave?

Answer 5

vertical sorting of material
during winter months groundwater freezes underneath the rocks and pushes them up to the surface
sometimes called development of ground ice development

Question 6

what is solifluction?

Answer 6

very slow movement of saturated soil downhill

Question 7

what is a pingo?

Answer 7

rounded ice hill that can be 90m high and 800m wide

can be either a closed/open system

Question 8

what is an ognip?

Answer 8

remain of collapsed pingos which forms a depression surrounded by circular earth domes

Question 9

what are patterned ground stone polygons?

Answer 9

stones that have been pushed to the surface via frost heave

domed because the ground its pushed to is below 6 degrees

Question 10

what are patterned ground stone stripes?

Answer 10

stones that have been pushed to the surface but the surface has an incline over 6 degrees

Question 11

what are the benefits for to alaska due to oil mining in PBO?

Answer 11

90% state budgets comes from PBO

creates jobs as 80% PBO workforce are from alaska

Question 12

How does the PBO help with energy security?

Answer 12

USA relies on middle east for 40% of its oil

PBO reduces dependence

Question 13

How can PBO help with the demand for oil?

Answer 13

PBO provides 20% of oil consumption in the USA

Essential for economy

Question 14

what do oil rigs and oil processing plants do to impact periglacial landscapes?

Answer 14

release heat into the ground increasing the active layer into the permafrost

Question 15

what impact do buildings have on periglacial landscapes?

Answer 15

heat from buildings can raise ground temps and increase active layer

Question 16

what impact does drilling for oil have on the permafrost?

Answer 16

creates friction heat which then raises ground temps increasing active layer

Question 17

what impact does building airports (such as the Deadhorse airport) have on periglacial landscapes?

Answer 17

lowers ground albedo meaning more thermal energy absorbed into ground increasing ground temp and active layer

Question 18

what impact do gravel roads and cars have on periglacial landscapes?

Answer 18

dust from cars and gravel roads can kill vegetation which will reduce cover from the sun and increase ground warming
gravel goes into rivers which can change the flow of the river

Question 19

the periglacial positive feedback loop

Answer 19

increased flows of energy into periglacial system
permafrost thaws creating waterlogged depressions
water has a high specific heat capacity so remains warmer than surrounding rock
this encourages the further melting of the permafrost
depth of active layer increases
more permafrost thaws