Quaternary Environment

Question 1

What are the 3 types of sea level change?

Answer 1

Steric
Eustatic
Isostatic

Question 2

Describe Steric effect on sea level

Answer 2

Changes in sea level due to temperature, salinity and the dependence of density on temperature and salinity

Question 3

Describe the Eustatic effect of sea level

Answer 3

Global changes in sea level

Question 4

Describe Isostatic effect on sea level

Answer 4

Local changes in sea level sur to the rising or sinking of land masses

Question 5

What are 3 types of evidence of climate change?

Answer 5

Lithological evidence
Biological evidence
Geomorphological evidence

Question 6

Explain Lithological evidence

Answer 6

Evidence found in rocks and sediments

Question 7

Explain biological evidence

Answer 7

Evidence from fossils, such as diatoms, plant macrofossils, and foraminifera.
Also Pollen stratigraphy

Question 8

Explain Geomorphological evidence

Answer 8

Evidence from landforms, such as glacial landforms

Question 9

What are Milankovitch cycles?

Answer 9

Cyclical changes in Earth’s Orbital and rotational parameters

Question 10

Eccentricity

Answer 10

Changes in the shape of Earth’s orbit around the sun

Question 11

Obliquity

Answer 11

Changes in the tilt of Earth’s axis of rotation

Question 12

Precession

Answer 12

Wobble in Earth’s rotational axis

Question 13

How do orbital and rotational changes influence earth’s climate?

Answer 13

They affect the amount and distribution of incoming solar radiation (insolation), which in turn influences Earth’s climate and the growth and retreat of ice sheets

Question 14

INSOLATION

Answer 14

INcident SOlar radiATION

Question 15

How do Milankovitch cycles affect ice sheet dynamics?

Answer 15

Warmer summers due to higher insolation, leads to increased ice melt, while cooler summers allow ice to survive year-round, contributing to ice sheet growth

Question 16

What are ocean climate change indicators?

Answer 16

1 - Sea Surface Temperature
2 - Ocean Heat Content
3 - Ocean pH
4 - Dissolved Oxygen Concentration
5 - Artic Sea Ice Extent, Thickness, and Volume
6 - Sea Level
7 - Strength of the AMOC

Question 17

Sea Surface Temperature (SST)

Answer 17

The temperature of the ocean’s surface has been increasing since the late 1800s, with accelerated warming observed in recent decades

Question 18

Ocean Heat Content (OHC)

Answer 18

The amount of heat stored in the ocean is a key indicator of climate change, and observations show a consistent warming trend over the past several decades

Question 19

Ocean pH

Answer 19

The acidity of the ocean is increasing due to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which has implications for marine ecosystems

Question 20

Dissolved Oxygen Concentration

Answer 20

The amount of oxygen dissolved in seawater is declining in many areas, which can create “dead zones” where marine life cannot survive

Question 21

Arctic Sea Ice Extent, Thickness, and Volume

Answer 21

The extent, thickness, and volume of sea ice in the Arctic are declining rapidly, which has significant implications for the regional climate, ecosystems, and human communities

Question 22

Sea Level

Answer 22

Global sea level is rising due to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, as well as the thermal expansion of seawater as it warms

Question 23

Strength of the AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation):

Answer 23

This major ocean current system, which plays a critical role in regulating global climate, is showing signs of weakening, which could have profound effects on regional and global climate patterns

Question 24

What are the two main methods for dating climate records?

Answer 24

Radiocarbon dating and Cosmogenic nuclide dating

Question 25

Radiocarbon dating

Answer 25

Based on the decay of the radioactive isotope carbon-14, this method is used to date organic materials up to around 60,000 years old

Question 26

Cosmogenic nuclide dating

Answer 26

This method utilises the accumulation of radioactive isotopes produced by cosmic rays in surface materials to determine the time of exposure, allowing dating of landforms and other geological features