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GEO1020 > The cryosphere > Flashcards

The cryosphere Flashcards

1
Q

Define cryosphere

A

Any part of the Earth that is below 0 degrees C for any part of the year

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2
Q

What are the main contributors to sea level rise?

A

Mountain glaciers

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3
Q

What are three important things about the cryosphere?

A

Very reflective
Temperature differences
Amplify changes / variability

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4
Q

What helps to maintain water supplies?

A

Glaciers

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5
Q

Where can glacial ice be found?

A

At the poles and high latitudes

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6
Q

What are 6 forms of glacial ice?

A 
Ice sheets
Ice caps 
Ice streams 
Ice shelves
Valley glaciers
Outlet glaciers
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7
Q

How large are ice sheets?

A

Over 50,000km2

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8
Q

How do ice sheets respond to climate change?

A

They respond quickly

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9
Q

How big are ice caps?

A

They are less than 50,000km2

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10
Q

What do ice caps have?

A

Multiple outlet glaciers

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11
Q

What do outlet glaciers do?

A

They move ice from the centre to the outside

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12
Q

Give two examples of ice sheets

A

Greenland and Antarctica

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13
Q

Give an example of an ice cap

A

Novaya Zemlya

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14
Q

What is an ice tongue?

A

This is where part of a glacier sticks out

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15
Q

Where do tidewater glaciers terminate?

A

In the water

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16
Q

What are ice streams bordered by?

A

Ice

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17
Q

What are outlet glaciers bordered by?

A

Rock

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18
Q

What are ice shelves?

A

Extensions of glaciers across oceans

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19
Q

What are ice shelves not the same as?

A

Ice shelves are not the same as sea ice

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20
Q

Why aren’t ice shelves the same as sea ice?

A

Sea ice is made from sea water

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21
Q

What are valley/ mountain glaciers?

A

These are single glaciers

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22
Q

Where do valley/ mountain glaciers form?

A

They form at high elevations

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23
Q

Give a place where debris covered glaciers are present

A

Himalayas

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24
Q

What is the glacier mass balance?

A

This is how much is put in compared to how much is put out

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25
Q

What does glacier mass balance drive?

A

Glacier movement between input and output

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26
Q

Give an example of an outlet glacier with an ice tongue

A

Petermann Glacier

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27
Q

Give an example of a tidewater glacier

A

Helheim Glacier

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28
Q

Give an example of a place where there are ice streams

A

Siple coast

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29
Q

How does snow in glaciers change?

A

It goes from snow, to firn to ice

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30
Q

What is firn?

A

Crystalline or granular snow

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31
Q

What are icebergs?

A

These are chunks of ice that break off ice caps, ice shelves and glaciers

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32
Q

When do ice bergs and ice shelves raise sea level?

A

They only raise sea level when they first leave land and push into the water

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33
Q

Why do ice bergs break off?

A

Because of temperature rise

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34
Q

What is glacier input called?

A

Accumulation

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35
Q

What is glacier output called?

A

Ablation

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36
Q

What climates can glaciers be found in?

A

Maritime climates
Tropical areas
Continental climates

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37
Q

Give an example of a glacier from a maritime climate

A

Franz-Josef Glacier, NZ

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38
Q

Give an example of ice in a continental climate

A

Dry Valleys, Antarctica

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39
Q

What is the input and output like in maritime glaciers?

A

Lots in, lots out

Very responsive to change

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40
Q

What are dry valleys known as?

A

Continental glaciers

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41
Q

What is the input and output like in continental climates?

A

Not much in or out

Not very responsive to change

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42
Q

What happens to the mass balance if there is more accumulation than ablation?

A

The mass balance is positive

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43
Q

What happens to the mass balance if the accumulation is the same as the ablation?

A

Then the glacier is in balance

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44
Q

What happens to the mass balance if accumulation is less than ablation?

A

Then the mass balance is negative

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45
Q

What type of mass balance is good for glaciers?

A

Positive

46
Q

What is the most common type of mass balance?

A

Negative

47
Q

Where are 3 key places for ice loss?

A

Glacial Canada
Alaska
Himalayas

48
Q

How much sea ice is there?

A

About 25 million km2

49
Q

What is sea ice?

A

Frozen sea water

50
Q

What are 4 reasons why sea ice is important?

A

Global ocean circulation
Wildlife and people
Shipping
Reflectivity

51
Q

What are gaps in sea ice called?

A

Leads

52
Q

Where is sea ice found?

A

At the poles

53
Q

How can sea ice affect global ocean circulation?

A

It can change salinity

54
Q

What is sea ice important for?

A

Albedo

55
Q

What does an albedo of 0 mean?

A

It is a perfect absorber

56
Q

What does an albedo of 1 mean?

A

It is a perfect reflector

57
Q

What happens to the albedo if sea ice melts?

A

The albedo is lowered

58
Q

What happens to the amount of sunlight absorbed if albedo is lowered?

A

A lowered albedo leads to an increase in absorbed sunlight

59
Q

What type of feedback system does melting sea ice cause?

A

Positive feedback

60
Q

What sort of seasonality does sea ice have?

A

Quite a strong seasonality

61
Q

How much sea ice is there in the Arctic in March?

A

14-16 million km2

62
Q

How much sea ice is there in the Antarctic in February?

A

3-4 million km2

63
Q

How much sea ice is there in the Arctic in September?

A

7-9 million km2

64
Q

How much sea ice is there in the Antarctic in September?

A

17-20 million km2

65
Q

Are sea ice patterns similar in the Arctic and Antarctic?

A

No- they are different

66
Q

How thick is Antarctic sea ice?

A

1m

67
Q

How thick is Arctic sea ice?

A

2m

68
Q

Why is Arctic sea ice thicker?

A

This is because it is trapped by the landmasses, causing ice to bump together and get thicker, making the ice last longer

69
Q

In which place is sea ice more extensive in summer?

A

Arctic

70
Q

In which place is sea ice less extensive in summer?

A

Antarctica

71
Q

In which place is the sea ice asymmetric?

A

Arctic

72
Q

Why is sea ice asymmetric in the Arctic?

A

There is more land which gets in the way and the North Atlantic current means that ice can’t form in some places

73
Q

In which place is sea ice symmetrical?

A

Antarctica

74
Q

Why is sea ice symmetrical in Antarctica?

A

It is in a circular shape because of the currents

75
Q

Has sea ice in the Arctic increased or declined?

A

It has declined

76
Q

By what percentage has sea ice declined in the Arctic?

A

4.1% decrease per decade

77
Q

What was the trend for sea ice decline and increase in the past for the Arctic?

A

It used to increase then decrease yearly however the decreases are getting bigger and the increases aren’t able to fully compensate

78
Q

Has sea ice increased or declined in Antarctica?

A

It has increased

79
Q

By how much has sea ice been increasing in Antarctica?

A

It has had a small increase of 0.9% per decade

80
Q

What are 5 reasons for the increase in Antarctic sea ice ?

A

Glaciers are melting and fresh water freezes faster
Change in wind direction
It is spatially highly variable, leading to regional patterns- some areas are gaining sea ice whereas others are losing it
Changes in precipitation
Change in satellites/ methods

81
Q

Why is there very little snow on Arctic sea ice?

A

There is very little moisture

82
Q

Why is snow present on Antarctic sea ice?

A

There is a lot of moisture from the water

83
Q

What percentage of the Northern Hemisphere is covered by snow in January (winter)?

A

49%

84
Q

Why is snow important? (2)

A

It reflects sunlight and radiation

Water resources

85
Q

What is happening to the amount of snow?

A

It is declining

86
Q

What month is seeing the largest decline in snow?

A

June

87
Q

Is the amount of snow cover variable?

A

Yes- it is highly variable year on year

88
Q

Define permafrost

A

Soil or rock that remains at or below 0 degrees C for at least two consecutive years

89
Q

Where are the two main places that permafrost is found?

A

Polar permafrost

Alpine permafrost

90
Q

What is the mean snow cover in January?

A

45.2 x 10^6 km2

91
Q

What is the mean snow cover in August?

A

1.9 x 10^6 km2

92
Q

Where is polar permafrost located?

A

High latitudes

93
Q

Where is alpine permafrost located?

A

High altitudes

94
Q

What are the 3 types of permafrost?

A

Continuous
Discontinuous
Sporadic

95
Q

Give an example of a place with alpine permafrost

A

Tibetan Plateau

96
Q

What percentage of the Northern Hemisphere is covered in permafrost?

A

25%

97
Q

Explain continuous frost

A 
Its continuous (not split)
Formed in very cold areas
98
Q

Explain discontinuous permafrost

A

Split by rivers or other areas of warmer land

99
Q

Explain sporadic permafrost

A

Small areas/ bits and pieces

100
Q

What happens to the type of permafrost as the Earth gets warmer?

A

It goes from continuous to discontinuous to sporadic and then disappears

101
Q

What qualifies as continuous permafrost?

A

90-100%

-6 degrees C to -8 degrees C

102
Q

What qualifies as discontinuous permafrost?

A

50-90%

-1 degrees C

103
Q

What qualifies as sporadic permafrost?

A

Less than 50%

104
Q

What is permafrost a store of?

A

Greenhouse gases

105
Q

How much carbon is estimated to be in permafrost?

A

4 x the amount of carbon (possibly methane as well but check this) from anthropogenic

106
Q

How does permafrost release greenhouse gases?

A

Through gas hydrates

107
Q

Explain gas hydrates

A

Methane, CO2 and other gases are frozen into the permafrost and released through melting

108
Q

What happens to permafrost when air temperatures increase?

A

Increased permafrost temperature and active layer thickening leads to permafrost thaw

109
Q

What happens when permafrost starts to thaw?

A

Organic material begins to decompose which emits greenhouse gases causing the cycle to start again

110
Q

What are key impacts from permafrost thaw?

A

Changes in ecosystems
Rock fall in mountainous areas leading to more mountain hazards
Infrastructure e.g roads and oil and gas pipelines- permafrost could cause the pipeline to crack

GEO1020 (16 decks)

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