Short Answer Questions 2 Flashcards
Briefly describe the current status of the Floridan aquifer system and the types of human and natural activities that may cause future saltwater intrusion in the Upper Floridan aquifer.
current status: the Florida aquifer systems are a freshwater source, but has concerns about potential saltwater intrusion
human activities: heavy pumping from population increase or industrialization
natural activities: active faults that create fractures in the aquifer and sea-level rise that pushes saltwater inland
Draw a diagram illustrating the various pathways and reservoirs of the hydrologic cycle. Be sure to label your diagram thoroughly
- water in the ocean goes through evaporation and then is precipitated over water again
- water in lakes and stream goes through evapotranspiration and then is precipitated over land
- groundwater can infiltrate into lakes and streams
Briefly define the four classifications of water use (instream, offstream, consumptive, nonconsumptive), and provide an example of each.
Instream: when the use of water occurs within the channel
- ex: hydroelectric power
Offstream: when water diverges from the channel
- ex: livestock
Consumptive: water that cannot be used again immediately
- ex: irrigation
Nonconsumptive: water that is used and returned to the stream
- ex: recreation
List and describe at least three possible causes of groundwater mining.
- agricultural demand: more water can be extracted than replaced in areas of large agricultural demand
- industry and municipal use: a concentration of water in an area can cause intensive pumping
- population growth: there will be an increased demand for water leading to an over-extraction of water
Explain what happens when ocean waves approach a shoreline and how they transport sediment in the along coastlines and barrier islands.
When ocean waves approach a shoreline, the wave conform to the shape of the shoreline. They transport sediment by longshore currents and longshore drift. These waves approach at an angle and use a zigzag pattern that is known as wave refraction (align parallel to the coastline). Sediment is carried parallel to the coast due to the angled approach of the waves.
Why do the barrier islands of Texas have a much different shape than the barrier islands of Georgia and South Carolina?
The barrier islands of Texas have a different energy source than the barrier islands of Georgia and South Carolina. Since Texas barrier islands are wave-donimanted, waves impact the shaping of the islands. The Georgia and South Carolina barrier island are tide-dominated meaning the shape of the islands are influenced by tides.
Describe the four basic structure used to stabilize shorelines. Use sketches as needed, and for full points, explain the unintended consequences of their use.
seawalls - a structure parallel to shoreline that absorb wave energy; can impair habitats
groins - a structure build perpendicular to shoreline to halt longshore drift; leads to sediment starvation
jetties - a structure built perpendicular to shoreline to keep channels open; leads to sediment starvation and sediment loss
breakwaters - a structure parallel to shoreline to prevent waves breaking on certain sections; increase shoreline retreat
Why do the largest coastline and barrier island changes take place during major storms? Full points require a more thorough explanation than the simple answer found on the lecture slides.
The take place during major storms because wind and wave energy are at a maximum during major tropical storms and hurricanes. The main hazards of a hurricane are high winds, storm surge, and inland flooding that can strip away sediment from shorelines, elevate sea level, and cause land loss from heavy rainfall.
Of the greenhouse gases, why is CO2 so much more of a concern than H2O?
Carbon dioxide is a bigger concern because it remains in the atmosphere for a long time. There is also a rise in carbon dioxide levels due to human activities like fossil fuels.
Explain the relationships between insolation and wind.
Insolation is when radiation from the Sun heats Earth’s surface and atmosphere. This increase in heat drives the wind in the atmosphere because it produces low and high pressure regions.
What primarily drives the summer monsoon in both India and the southwestern United States?
A summer monsoon is caused by the differential heating between land and sea. The land heats up faster than the ocean so the air flows from high pressure to low pressure. This means that the wind flows from the sea to the land.
Briefly describe the steps to forming a glacier.
When show recrystallizes through intense pressure, it can become a glacier if there is an abundance of snow in an area that is below the freezing point and there is more snow falling then melting. The snow will then reach a thickness and flow under its weight. Over time, this layer turns into a firn and recrystallizes after turning the firn into ice.
How does past glaciation (during the Last Glacial Maximum) contribute to the high agricultural productivity in the midwestern United States today? There are two primary ways. For full credit, list both.
Past glaciation caused a distribution of fertile soil across the midwest and created many groundwater resources like aquifer systems. There was a redistribution of sediment like clay, sand, and gravel that are porous and permeable to make good aquifers. This distribution created capping rocks that created confined aquifers that maintain a steady flow of groundwater.
List and briefly define the three main drivers of natural climate variability (Milankovitch cycles)?.
Eccentricity: change in the shape of the Earth’s orbit around the sun
- Effect: amount of solar radiation received by Earth (intensity of climates)
Obliquity: change in the tilt of Earth’s rotation axis
- Effect: causes seasons to change and climate intensity
Precession: wobbling of Earths’ rotation axis
- Effect: influence the duration of the seasons
Briefly explain how modern glaciers can be used to gather information about climate conditions in the past. Your explanation should include an example of at least one type of data that can be extracted from glaciers for this purpose.
We can retrieve concentrations of methane and carbon dioxide from glacial gas bubbles formed from air trapped in the ice when snow accumulates into glaciers. This can tell us that the natural trend of methane and carbon dioxide are off course, inferring an increase of solar radiation and Earth’s temperature.
